APPENDIX C: Initial Climate Change Impact Assessment (Form created August 2021)

The intention of this document is to help the council to gain an initial understanding of the impact of a project or decision on the environment. This document should be completed in consultation with the supporting guidance. Dependent on this initial assessment you may need to go on to complete a full Climate Change Impact Assessment. The final document will be published as part of the decision-making process.

If you have any additional queries, which are not covered by the guidance please email climatechange@northyorks.gov.uk

Title of proposal

Bolton Abbey Core Visitor Area Masterplan

Brief description of proposal

·         To present the Heritage, People & Place: A Placemaking Strategy for Bolton Abbey (the Masterplan) which has been created in response to the need for new tourism related development in the Core Visitor Area associated with Bolton Abbey and to requirements set out in Policy EC4A: Tourism Led Development at Bolton Abbey, of the adopted Craven District Council Local Plan 2012 to 2032.

·         To set out how the Masterplan has been prepared and to explore whether it meets the requirements of adopted Craven Local Plan Policy EC4A.

Directorate

Community Development

Service area

Planning

Lead officer

Trevor Watson, Assistant Director (Planning)

Ruth Parker Principal Planning Policy & Place Officer (Author of the report)

Names and roles of other people involved in carrying out the impact assessment

NYC Climate Change Officers

 

 

 


The chart below contains the main environmental factors to consider in your initial assessment – choose the appropriate option from the drop-down list for each one.

Remember to think about the following;

·         Travel

·         Construction

·         Data storage

·         Use of buildings

·         Change of land use

·         Opportunities for recycling and reuse

Environmental factor to consider

For the council

For the county

Overall

Greenhouse gas emissions

Increases emissions

Increases emissions

Increases emissions

Waste

Increases waste

Increases waste

Increases waste

Water use

Increases water usage

Increases water usage

Increases water usage

Pollution (air, land, water, noise, light)

Increases pollution

Increases pollution

Increases pollution

Resilience to adverse weather/climate events (flooding, drought etc)

Increases resilience

Increases resilience

Increases resilience

Ecological effects (biodiversity, loss of habitat etc)

Positive impact on ecology

Positive impact on ecology

Positive impact on ecology

Heritage and landscape

Increases protection of heritage and landscape

Increases protection of heritage and landscape

Increases protection of heritage and landscape

 

If any of these factors are likely to result in a negative or positive environmental impact then a full climate change impact assessment will be required. It is important that we capture information about both positive and negative impacts to aid the council in calculating its carbon footprint and environmental impact.

Decision (Please tick one option)

Full CCIA not relevant or proportionate:

X

Continue to full CCIA:

 

Reason for decision

The requirement for a comprehensive strategy and masterplan for the Bolton Abbey Core Visitor Area is set out in adopted Craven Local Plan Policy EC4: Tourism Led Development at Bolton Abbey which specifically supports the provision of sensitive and sustainable tourism led, mixed use development within the Bolton Abbey Core Visitor Area, restricts larger scale development to three general locations, one within Bolton Abbey Village and two at Bolton Bridge.  The policy requires the Masterplan to be produced to the satisfaction of the local planning authorities (NYC & YDNPA) in consultation with key stakeholders.

The Masterplan sets out the overall strategy, the broad locations and development principles for new tourism related development in the Core Visitor Area that accord with the mix of tourism related uses and general locations for larger scale development identified in Policy EC4A. 

The Masterplan will be implemented by the Estate over future years by bringing forward detailed, appropriate and sensitive development proposals in the broad locations identified within the Core Visitor Area, in line with the development principles set out in the Masterplan. 

The Masterplan will form a material planning consideration in the determination of planning applications as development proposals within the Core Visitor Area will be expected to accord with the principles of the Masterplan and proposals which would prejudice the delivery of the related strategy for the Core Visitor Area will not be permitted. 

Proposals that require planning permission would be progressed through the formal pre application and application process. 

The chart above indicates that the Bolton Abbey Core Visitor Area Masterplan would have both positive and negative environmental impacts.  The Council’s guidance on preparing a full CCIA, however states that it may not be necessary to undertake a full CCIA if the proposal will be subject to Planning Permission, Environmental Impact Assessment, Strategic Environmental Assessment.

Given that the Masterplan relates to the use and development of land within the Core Visitor Area of Bolton Abbey, some of which would require planning permission, it is considered that, in line with the Council’s supporting guidance on CCIA, is not necessary to undertake a full CCIA.

The adopted Craven Local Plan, which requires the Masterplan to be prepared, was developed and refined using Sustainability Appraisal (SA) and Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA).  The Craven Local Plan was subject to an Examination in Public and found to be sound.   In terms of SA the Craven Local Plan Inspector concluded that the Council carried out an adequate SA of the Plan and reasonable alternatives were considered to a sufficient degree.  In terms of HRA, the Inspector concluded that the policies and allocations in the Plan will not have a significant adverse impact on the integrity of the North Pennine Moors SPA and SAC, the South Pennine Moors SAC and Phase 2 SPA, the Ingleborough Complex SAC, the Craven Limestone Complex SAC or the Bowland Fells SPA.

Signed (Assistant Director or equivalent)

Trevor Watson

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Date

5 September 2024