Comment

Representation ID: 20454

Received: 29/01/2009

Respondent: Natural England

The impact of development growth on soil sealing and compaction in Rother should be highlighted in the SA, and included in the evidence base and the monitoring targets. As a non-renewable resource, soil should be monitored and the impact from development should be assessed, in order to maintain biodiversity, geodiversity, and mitigate flood risk.
•The significance of avoiding soil sealing through the preferential development of brownfield land should be mentioned in the assessment of SA Objective 9 Improve efficiency in land use and encourage the prudent use of natural resources (p.73).
•Soil sealing and compaction measures should be added to the SA monitoring targets (Table 8.1), for example, under the Prudent Use of Natural Resources priority (pg.88).