Planning, building and the environment

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)

European Directive 2001/42/EC (the SEA Directive) 'on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment' requires a formal environmental assessment of certain plans and programmes which are likely to have significant effects on the environment. Authorities which prepare and/or adopt such a plan or programme must prepare a report on its likely significant environmental effects, consult environmental authorities and the public, and take the report and the results of the consultation into account during the preparation process and before the plan or programme is adopted. They must also make information available on the plan or programme as adopted and how the environmental assessment was taken into account. The SEA Directive is transposed into United Kingdom law by the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004, and in Scotland by the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005.