Scotland 2045: fourth National Planning Framework - draft: integrated impact assessment - environmental report

7.0 Mitigation and Monitoring

7.0.1 Many of the potential effects arising from the draft NPF4 will be addressed as they are interpreted and applied through the planning system, and national level SEA can be viewed as the first stage in the environmental assessment process.

7.0.2 There are opportunities for potential positive effects arising from the draft NPF4 to be enhanced, and for negative effects to be mitigated, as the policies and proposals are applied through the planning system.

7.0.3 In general terms, development has the potential for largely localised adverse environmental effects on each of the SEA topic areas. Effects are likely to be influenced by the scale and nature of development, and the sensitivity of the receiving environment. The draft planning policies seek to mitigate such effects through the application of detailed criteria to be applied at planning application stage.

7.0.4 A range of mitigation is also identified for the individual proposed national developments and spatial strategy.

7.0.5 This section of the Environmental Report brings together the proposed mitigation measures that have emerged from the SEA, and outlines the proposals for a NPF4 monitoring programme.

7.1 National Developments – Proposed Mitigation

7.1.1 Table 7.1 below summarises the key mitigation measures identified in the assessment of the proposed national developments (Appendix D).

Table 7.1 National Developments Mitigation

Proposed National Development: Outline of Mitigation

1. Central Scotland Green Network

• Consideration should be given to factors such as the type, quality, accessibility and proximity of natural spaces to where people live as this can influence how the infrastructure/spaces are used. Positive impacts could be maximised by ensuring natural infrastructure is accessible to a wide range of users and by focusing investment in areas to reduce inequalities.
• To increase carbon sequestration, the scale of expansion, number of trees and type of development should be maximised whilst protecting existing high carbon soils.
• Opportunities to enhance high carbon soils should be explored.
• The assessment supports draft NPF4 provisions that help to achieve a circular economy and prioritisation should be given to the reuse of materials in construction, use of low carbon construction materials prioritised (seating, lighting, tree protective equipment etc), and materials should be reused or recycled upon decommissioning.
• The green network should be accessible to a wide range of users, and should be well linked with other active travel routes and public transport modes to further reduce potential emissions from transport.
• Opportunities to maximise landscape benefits should be explored, for example through a focus on landscape quality and remediation of vacant and derelict land.

2. National Walking, Cycling and Wheeling Network

• Opportunities should be sought to maximise benefits through targeted action, for example, the implementation of measures in, or close to areas with concentrations of poor health and low levels of physical activity and where current air quality issues or levels of deprivation exist.
• Opportunities should be sought to improve interconnectivity within existing networks, including wider street networks and public transport.
• Opportunities should be sought to ensure accessibility for all needs/users.
• Opportunities should be sought to use natural infrastructure to support active travel due to the multiple co-benefits they can deliver.
• Waste should be minimised during the construction phase. The reuse of material should be prioritised and low carbon construction material utilised.

3. Urban Mass/Rapid Transit Networks

• Opportunity to give early consideration to future-proofing infrastructure including accommodating emerging technologies to further support climate change mitigation and adaptation.
• Opportunity to reduce emissions through use of low carbon/renewable sources of energy to power trams and light rail developments.
• Opportunity to ensure integration of the mass transit networks with active travel networks.
• Opportunity to increase the roll out of mass transit networks to other major towns and cities in Scotland.
• Opportunity to align with improved placemaking and to ensure consideration is given to transport equality.

4. Urban Sustainable, Blue and Green Drainage Solutions

• Opportunities to target actions towards disadvantaged populations and communities at flood risk should to be sought to maximise benefits, including aligning with improved placemaking.
• Opportunities should be sought to prioritise nature-based solutions due to their ability to deliver multiple co-benefits benefits.
• The reuse of materials in construction and use of low carbon construction materials should be prioritised and waste materials reused or recycled on decommissioning.

5. Circular Economy Materials Management Facilities

• Current knowledge gaps on potential negative impacts from the management of hazardous materials may require further consideration.
• Opportunities should be explored within the four priority areas of: food, drink, and the broader bio-economy, remanufacture, construction and the built environment and energy infrastructure, which have been identified based on their resource use, environmental impact and importance to the Scottish Economy.
• Ensure that where possible transport is decarbonised to reduce overall emissions.
• Opportunity to utilise surplus by-products, for example surplus heat.
• Opportunity to support local processing where possible.
• Opportunity to prioritise the use of brownfield land for development.

6. Digital Fibre Network

• Benefits could be maximised by focusing action to areas experiencing digital exclusion.
• Opportunities to future proof should be sought to keep pace with new and emerging technology and data changes.
• Industry standards and overarching requirements and good practice should seek to mitigate impacts, including consideration of cable corridors to protect cables from damage, potential for co-location and shared use of corridors and pipelines, and a risk based approach to removal of redundant cables.
• Opportunities to ensure cable laying utilises conduits or existing infrastructure should be considered for lower carbon future cable replacement. Development in areas with high carbon soil should be avoided.

7 Islands Hub for Net Zero

• Mitigation measures should be implemented where there is the potential for air pollutants to arise, including transport management mitigation measures.
• The reuse of materials in construction and use of low carbon construction materials should be prioritised and waste materials reused or recycled on decommissioning.
• Opportunities to minimise impacts on landscape and seascape should be explored.
• Effects on biodiversity should be minimised through siting and design, and enhancement measures applied in keeping with national policy.
• Ensure that disturbance of soil, particularly high carbon soils, vegetation and seabed is minimised and avoided where possible and consideration given to ensure site reinstatement to enhance carbon sequestration. Opportunities to enhance high carbon soils and habitats of high carbon sink value should be explored.
• The impacts of climate change, including flood risk, should be considered.
• Provide low carbon transport options to the sites to reduce car dependency

8 Industrial Green Transition Zone

• Further consideration should be given at project level to possible localised implications on environmental quality, for example, air quality implications. This should include consideration of factors, such as the deprivation profile of the area, to ensure health inequalities are not widened.
• Measures should be implemented to ensure that potential leaking of hydrogen and carbon is minimised.
• Opportunities to prioritise use of existing infrastructure on and offshore which can be refurbished.
• The reuse of materials in construction and use of low carbon construction materials should be prioritised. Upon decommissioning, waste materials should be reused or recycled.

9. Pumped Hydro Storage

• Waste/excavated materials should be reused where possible.
• The application of circular economy principles should support development that prioritises the reuse of materials in construction, use of low carbon construction materials and design principles that allows for materials to be reused/recycled upon decommissioning.
• To minimise GHG emissions, the design of the new and extended developments should have minimal impacts on LULUCF.
• Sediment creation and build up should be managed in such a manner as to reduce emissions.

10. Hunterston Strategic Asset

• The application of circular economy principles should support development that prioritises the reuse of materials in construction, use of low carbon construction materials and design principles that allows for materials to be reused/recycled upon decommissioning.
• Prioritisation should be given to the use of renewable / low carbon energy to power projects taken forward.
• Opportunities to improve public access to the wider area through green infrastructure and active travel infrastructure should be considered at plan and project consenting stages.
• Effects on biodiversity should be minimised through siting and design, and enhancement measures applied in keeping with national policy.

11. Chaplecross power Station Redevelopment

• Prioritise the use of low carbon construction materials and ensure upon decommissioning waste materials are reused again or recycled.
• Opportunity to consider the type and scale of green energy generation and whether it can be used to provide electricity to the businesses forming the development.
• Ensure public transport connections and links to active travel routes.
• Infrastructure for transmission of hydrogen should be sited to avoid impacts to sensitive receptors.

12. Strategic Renewable Electricity Generation and Transmission Infrastructure

• Ensure that that disturbance of soil, particularly high carbon soils, vegetation and seabed is minimised and avoided where possible and consideration given to ensure site reinstatement to enhance carbon sequestration.
• In line with national policy on zero waste and promotion of circular economy, prioritisation should be given to the reuse of materials in construction, use of low carbon construction materials prioritised and materials should be reused or recycled upon decommissioning.
• Screening options should be considered to minimise visual impact of developments.
• Effects on biodiversity should be minimised through siting and design, and enhancement measures applied in keeping with national policy.

13. High Speed Rail

• Opportunities to support improved placemaking should be undertaken.
• Consideration should be given to ensure that transport equality issues are taken into account.
• Potential impacts on high carbon soils or areas important for carbon sequestration should be avoided where possible.
• The application of circular economy principles should support development that prioritises the reuse of materials in construction, use of low carbon construction materials and design principles that allows for materials to be reused/recycled upon decommissioning.
• Opportunity to reduce emissions by utilising renewable energy for running of train services.

14. Clyde Mission

• Where this development give rise to creation of active travel and green and blue infrastructure, consideration should be given to factors such as the type, quality, accessibility and proximity of natural spaces to where people live as this can influence how the infrastructure/ spaces are used. Positive impacts could be maximised through ensuring such infrastructure is accessible to a wide range of users and focusing investment in areas to reduce inequalities.
• To facilitate carbon sequestration, green infrastructure should be promoted and high carbon soils protected.
• The assessment supports draft NPF4 provisions that help to achieve a circular economy and prioritisation should be given to the reuse of materials in construction, use of low carbon construction materials prioritised, and materials should be reused or recycled upon decommissioning.
• Opportunities to maximise landscape benefits should be explored, for example through focus on landscape quality and remediation of vacant and derelict land.
• Opportunities to protect and enhance the setting of the historic assets, recognising their role in placemaking, and bring disused or buildings at risk back into use.

15. Aberdeen Harbour

• A Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) should be implemented where relevant at project level.
• Consideration should be given to cumulative effects arising from the continued relocation and repurposing of the Harbour and to minimising potential adverse impacts on residential amenity and sensitive receptors.
• Prioritisation should be given to the use of renewable / low carbon energy to power projects taken forward.
• In line with national policy on zero waste and promotion of circular economy, prioritisation should be given to the reuse of materials in construction, use of low carbon construction materials prioritised and materials should be reused or recycled upon decommissioning.
• Low carbon transport options should be considered for the site to reduce car dependency.
• The impacts of climate change, including flood risk, should be considered.
• Opportunities to improve public access to the wider area through green infrastructure and active travel infrastructure should be considered at plan and project consenting stages.
• Effects on biodiversity should be minimised through siting and design, and enhancement measures applied in keeping with national policy.

16 Dundee Waterfront

• Future consideration should be given to possible localised implications on environmental quality, for example, air quality implications. This should include consideration of factors, such the deprivation profile of the area, to ensure health inequalities are not widened.
• To minimise emissions, public transport connections should be frequent and convenient to offer an effective alternative to private vehicles. This is of particular relevance given the area encompassed is located within Dundee AQMA.
• In line with national policy on zero waste and promotion of circular economy, prioritisation should be given to the reuse of materials in construction, use of low carbon construction materials prioritised and materials should be reused or recycled upon decommissioning.
• To minimise emissions, renewable energy generation should be incorporated into the development where appropriate.
• To minimise emissions, high energy efficiency buildings should be considered.
• Effects on biodiversity should be minimised through siting and design, and enhancement measures applied in keeping with national policy.

17 Edinburgh Waterfront

• Future consideration should be given to possible localised implications on environmental quality, for example, air quality implications. This should include consideration of factors, such the deprivation profile of the area, to ensure health inequalities are not widened.
• To maximise emission reductions, ensure good public transport connections and active travel.
• To maximise emission reductions, ensure high levels of renewable energy and heat are installed.
• Prioritise the reuse of materials in construction, use of low carbon construction materials and ensure upon decommissioning waste materials are reused again or at least recycled.
• Climate change mitigation measures, including flood risk, should be addressed through the consenting process.

18 Stranraer Gateway

• Effects on biodiversity should be minimised through siting and design, and enhancement measures applied in keeping with national policy.
• Prioritise the reuse of materials in construction, use of low carbon construction materials and ensure upon decommissioning waste materials are reused or recycled.
• Where applicable the nature of dredged sediments should be determined, and disposed of appropriately.
• Minimise disturbance to marine sediments.
• The impacts of climate change, including flood risk, should be considered.
• Opportunities to incorporate green infrastructure and active travel infrastructure should be considered at plan and project consenting stages.

7.2 Spatial Strategy – Proposed Mitigation

• Impacts to sensitive and protected sites, including designated sites and historic environment assets, should be assessed at plan and project level.
• Effects on biodiversity should be minimised through siting and design, and enhancement measures applied in keeping with national policy.
• Focus should be given to designing buildings, infrastructure and spaces which are adaptable to climate change.
• Opportunities should be sought to maintain, restore and repurpose historic assets to support sustainable placemaking.
• Development proposals should be designed to a high quality so that the scale and nature of the development contributes positively to the character and sense of place of the area.
• Impacts during construction phase should be managed, with consideration given to cumulative effects, to minimise potential adverse impacts on residential amenity and habitats and species.

7.3 Draft National Planning Policy – Proposed Mitigation

7.3.1 There are opportunities for positive effects to be maximised, where a focus is given at planning and consenting stages to opportunities for multiple benefits to arise. For example, the role of natural solutions in flood risk management and support for transition towards net-zero, which should lead to benefits for not only climate change mitigation and adaption, but also for biodiversity. Additional benefits should also arise for population and human health through improved air quality and increased resilience to the impacts of climate change, benefiting both physical and mental wellbeing.

7.3.2 Where draft policies support reduced pressure on, and improved sustainability of, natural and built assets, positive impacts should arise for climatic factors, material assets and population and human health, particularly where this leads to wider environmental benefits such as improved ecosystem health and increased resilience to the impacts of climate change. Furthermore, wider benefits should arise from the focus given to improved placemaking, including through the support for sustainable modes of travel and improved access to key goods and services and high quality open spaces. Where opportunities are taken to align with the overarching aims of the sustainable use of existing assets, benefits should be maximised.

7.4 Monitoring

7.4.1 The 2005 Act requires the responsible authority to monitor the significant environmental effects of the implementation of the plan which has been assessed. The 2005 Act requires this to be undertaken in a manner which allows the identification of any unforeseen adverse effects at an early stage.

7.4.2 The Scottish Government has committed to working with a range of stakeholders to develop an appropriate monitoring programme for NPF4 that allows us to assess progress and take action where required. Monitoring will be required at both a national and local level and will be proportionate and effective.

7.4.3 An agreed monitoring programme will need to complement, and potentially combine, wider planning performance work including Planning Performance Frameworks and Royal Town Planning Institute work on monitoring outcomes, as well as reflecting national outcomes set out in the National Performance Framework.