Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)

The Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 requires the council as a ‘Responsible Authority’ to carry out a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of all its policies, plans, programmes and strategies (plans).

The SEA process helps to integrate environmental considerations into the preparation and adoption of plans. The SEA is carried out in a staged process alongside the preparation of the proposed plan. Throughout the process, the plan can be adjusted to mitigate negative, or enhance beneficial environmental effects.

SEAs help to promote the council’s commitment to sustainability and is a key priority within the Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy. SEAs are a valuable resource in raising the profile of environmental considerations and for facilitating holistic approaches to address the climate and nature emergencies.

A Corporate SEA Working Group meets regularly to oversee the progression of SEAs across the council. Its remit also includes development and mainstreaming of employee knowledge and understanding of the SEA process and development of the skills needed to undertake assessments. The Group is chaired by the Planning Officer (SEA).

The SEA process is further supported by the publication of the biennial South Lanarkshire State of the Environment Report which provides the baseline environmental data. The 2023 edition of this report was approved by the Executive Committee in June 2024.

As part of the SEA process, the council is also required to formally consult with the statutory Consultation Authorities:

• Historic Environment Scotland
• Scottish Environment Protection Agency
• NatureScot

This is facilitated by the Scottish Government’s SEA Gateway.

Progress in 2023-24

Four assessments were completed at the Pre-screening stage during the fiscal year 2023-24. The council informed the Scottish Government’s SEA Gateway of their opinion that the plans were exempt from SEA as their implementation would have no or minimal effect on the environment. These were:

• Bereavement Services Cemetery Strategy (Community and Enterprise Resources)
• Social Enterprise Strategy (Community and Enterprise Resources)
• Customer Involvement Strategy (Housing and Technical Resources)
• Anti-Social Behaviour Strategy (Housing and Technical Resources)

Three plans were finalised at Screening stage. Formal determinations were made and agreed by the Consultation Authorities that no further SEA work was required for the following plans:

• Biodiversity Strategy (Community and Enterprise Resources)
• Biodiversity Duty Implementation Plan (Community and Enterprise Resources)
• Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (Housing and Technical Resources)

During 2023-24, two Scoping Reports were submitted for consideration by the Consultation Authorities:

• the forthcoming Local Transport Strategy
• the revised Management Plan for the New Lanark World Heritage Site.

Both of these Scoping Reports, which set out how the environmental assessment is to be conducted, were agreed by the Consultation Authorities. The assessments will be carried out and the findings set out in an Environmental Report which will be submitted to the Consultation Authorities for their consideration and agreement. Both Plans and their SEA Environmental Reports will be subject to public consultation.

The Strategic Environmental Assessment work continues to promote the protection and enhancement of the South Lanarkshire environment for our people and communities.