Strategic Environmental Assessment

The Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 requires local authorities to assess the environmental impact of the plans, programmes and strategies which they prepare. The purpose of this Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is to protect the environment by integrating environmental issues with planning processes.

The EU Directive 2001/42/EC set out the requirement for SEA and defines it as:

Preparation of an Environmental Report on the likely effects of the draft plan or programme on the environment
Undertaking consultation on the draft plan or programme and the accompanying Environmental Report
Taking the Environmental Report and consultation comments into account in the decision making process
Showing how the results of the environmental assessment have been taken into account in the adopted plan or programme.

SEA is needed for the following sectors: agriculture, fisheries, forestry, tourism, transport, telecommunications, waste management, water management, energy and land use.

The SEA process involves consulting with the public and Scottish Natural Heritage, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Historic Scotland throughout the process. At key stages of the SEA process the Council has to publish certain reports. These will be published on this page as they become available.

Reports

Scottish Borders Structure Plan Alteration Environmental Report

Scottish Borders Structure Plan Alteration Scoping Report

Scottish Borders Core Path Plan Scoping Report

Scottish Borders Core Path Plan Environmental Report

Scottish Borders Local Plan Amendment Scoping Report

Scottish Borders Local Plan Amendment Environmental Report

Scottish Borders Consultative Draft Green Space Strategy Scoping Report

Scottish Borders Consultative Draft Green Space Strategy Environmental Report

Statutory Notices

Screening Determination – Supplementary Planning Guidance for Renewable Energy

Further information

Information on the SEA process is available from the Scottish Government.