Evidence Base

To support the formulation of options for future development, the development of planning policies and to ensure a sound evidence base there are a number of studies, assessments and background documents that underpin the Local Plan for South Staffordshire.

These studies may be updated as and when necessary and the most up to date version will be included in the Evidence Base on the website. For copies of earlier documents please contact the Local Plans Team.

The current local planning strategy for South Staffordshire (Core Strategy and SAD) is set out in a number of themes. The first is the overarching Spatial Strategy which informs all other themes, and the remainder are the Sustainable Community Strategy Themes. These themes are:

The Spatial Strategy
Environmental Quality
Housing
Economic Vibrancy
Community Safety
Health and Well Being
Children and Young People

Publication Plan

Sustainability Appraisal (SA)
- Appendices
Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA)
Publication IDP (Infrastructure Delivery Plan)
Duty to Co-operate Paper
Preferred Options Consultation Statement
- 1 - Preferred Options Response Analysis - Stakeholders
- 2 - Preferred Options Response Analysis - Residents
- 3 - Preferred Options Response Analysis - Agents and Site Promoters
- 4 - SA Summary of Representations
- 5 - HRA Summary of Representations
Gypsy and Traveller Topic Paper
Housing Topic Paper
Open Space Topic Paper
CIL Viability Study
Updated Landscape Sensitivity Study
Green Belt LUC Review
- Parcel Judgements
SAD EqIA
Legal Notice

SAD Preferred Options

Landscape Sensitivity Study - Housing
Landscape Sensitivity - Employment
Sub Regional Employment Study 2014 - Stage 1
Sub Regional Employment Study 2015 - Stage 2
West Midlands - Strategic Employment Sites Study (2015)

The Spatial Strategy Evidence Base

Sustainability Appraisal (SA)
Sustainability Appraisal June (2012)
Sustainability Appraisal August (2011)
Core Strategy - Policy Choices Interim HRA (August 2010)
Core Strategy - Preferred Spatial Strategy SA (January 2009)
Core Strategy - Interim SA (September 2006)
Wolverhampton Airport DPD - Issues and Options (Interim SA) (January 2007)
Core Strategy DPD - Sustainability Scoping Report (September 2006)
Core Strategy DPD - Sustainability Leaflet (December 2006)

Habitats Regulation Assessment (HRA)

Core Strategy HRA - Review of Policy Choices 2011 (January 2011)
Core Strategy HRA - Review of Policy Choices 2010 (August 2010)
Core Strategy HRA - Review Preferred Spatial Strategy (January 2009)
South Staffordshire Sustainable Community Strategy (2008)
South Staffordshire Council Plan (2016 - 2020)
Settlement Study (December 2010)
South Staffordshire - BMG Research Report (February 2007)
Accessibility Mapping Report (2014)
Black Country Core Strategy (February 2011)
West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy - Phase Two Revision (September 2009)

South Staffordshire Accessibility Report 2009 - Hard Copy Only: - the Accessibility Report provides background data on the relative accessibility of South Staffordshire's communities, by public transport, walking and cycling, to a range of services. These services include; supermarkets, village centres, schools, doctor's surgeries, and employment centres.

Environmental Quality Evidence Base

Green Belt Review (2014)
A Study of Physical and Environmental Constraints (2009)
South Staffordshire Strategic Flood Risk Assessment - 2014
South Staffordshire, Cannock Chase, Lichfield and Stafford Strategic Flood Risk Assessment - Volume 1 - Report (June 2014)
South Staffordshire, Cannock Chase, Lichfield and Stafford Strategic Flood Risk Assessment - Volume 2 - Maps (June 2014)

Cannock Chase SAC

South Staffordshire Council has a duty to ensure that planning application decisions comply with the Habitats Regulations. Local Plan policy EQ2 safeguards the Cannock Chase Special Area of Conservation (SAC), which has been designated for its unique heathland habitat.

Cannock Chase SAC Financial Contributions
Cannock Chase SAC Habitats Regulations Assessment - Local Plan Addendum (2018)
Cannock Chase SAC Memorandum of Understanding (2017)
Cannock Chase SAC FAQs

Cannock Chase SAC Appropriate Assessment Evidence Base

JSB Evidence and MoU Report Appendix A
Cannock Chase Visitor Observation Study (June 2012)
Impacts of Recreation to SAC (September 2012)
Mitigation Report (December 2012)
SAC Visitor Survey (February 2013)
Visitor Survey - Map Annex (September 2012)
Cannock Chase AONB - Management Plan (2014 - 2019)
Cannock Chase AONB - Assessment of Agricultural Landscapes
Cannock Chase AONB - Landscape Character Framework 2017
Cannock Chase - Visitor Impact Mitigation Study
Cannock Chase AONB - Monitoring Horsiculture
Enhancing Biodiversity (across the West Midlands)
Staffordshire - Biodiversity Action Plan
Staffordshire - Geodiversity Action Plan
Planning for Landscape Change SPG
Draft Tree and Woodland Strategy (December 2010)
Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Plans
West Midlands - Farmsteads and Landscapes Project
Stafford County Council - Historic Farmstead Guidance

Historic Environment Character Assessment January - 2011

Historic Environment Character Assessment Document (January 2011)
Appendix 1 - Brewood and Codsall
Appendix 2 - Coven, Essington and Featherstone
Appendix 3 - Great Wyrley and Huntington
Appendix 4 - Kinver and Pattingham
Appendix 5 - Penkridge and Perton
Appendix 6 - Swindon, Wombourne and Wheaton Aston
Staffordshire - Renewable Energy Study
South Staffordshire - Climate Change Strategy
Water Cycle Study
Surface Water Management Plan
Penkridge (Surface Water Management Plan)
Severn Trent Water - (Water Resources Management Plan)
South Staffordshire - Water Resources Management Plan
River Trent (Catchment Flood Management Plan)
River Severn (Catchment Flood Management Plan)
Severn River Basin Management Plan
Humber River Basin Management Plan
Air Quality Action Plan
Air Quality Annual Progress Report
South Staffordshire - Sustainable Development Strategy
South Staffordshire - Contaminated Land Strategy
South Staffordshire Council - Waste Strategy (2009)
Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent - Joint Waste Core Strategy
Staffordshire County Council - Minerals Core Strategy
Report on Mobile Telecommunications Infrastructure (2010)
Staffordshire Rural Economy Report (July 2015)

Housing Evidence Base

Greater Birmingham and Black Country Housing Market Area Strategic Locations Study 2018

South Staffordshire Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment - 2014

South Staffordshire Council appointed Arc4 to undertake a refresh of its Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA) to ensure that the latest needs information can be used for allocating new Gypsy and Traveller pitches through the Site Allocations work.

The Affordable Housing Viability Study

Affordable Housing Viability Study 2011 (February 2011)
Affordable Housing Viability Study - Appendices
Affordable Housing Policy (March 2006)
Homelessness Strategy (2007 - 2012)
Housing Market Briefing (January 2011)
South Staffordshire Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) (June 2012)
South Staffordshire - 2010 Housing Market Assessment (2010)
South Staffordshire - 2012 Housing Market Assessment (2012)
LSP Housing Delivery Plan (2009 - 2012)
'The Best of Both Worlds' Staffordshire Flexicare Housing Strategy (2010 - 2015)
Assessment - 5 Year Housing Land Supply
South Staffordshire - Older Persons Strategy
South Staffordshire - Empty Property Strategy
A Strategic Housing Market Assessment - C3 Housing Market Area of the West Midlands
Southern Staffordshire, North Warwickshire, Nuneaton and Bedworth and Rugby - Gypsy Traveller Accommodation Assessment
Background Report - Provision of New Accommodation (Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople)

Economic Vibrancy Evidence Base

ROF Featherstone Viability and Delivery Options Study (Stage 1) - December 2013

Following comments in the Council's Core Strategy Inspectors Report regarding the need to address the deliverability of the ROF Featherstone strategic employment site, the Council has commissioned WECD to undertake the following study examining the site constraints and overall viability of the site: