What is it

The Integrated Appraisal Toolkit has been developed to ensure that policies and projects developed in the North West integrate fully economic, social and environmental objectives to ensure sustainable development.

It is an interactive and dynamic decision support tool, a valuable information source, and a transparent and coherent audit record for those producing policies, programmes and other proposals.  It is free to use, free to download and free training is available subject to office resource.  Please contact North West Regional Assembly on 01942 776738 or 776724.

The Toolkit was assessed in early 2006 for its performance with regard to Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA).  The report states that the Toolkit does adequately address many stages within SEA process.  Those stages tend to be those related to the actual assessmentof a plan or programme.

The Toolkit has been designed to address concisely the sustainable development issues that are pertinent to the North West, whilst incorporating enough flexibility to allow both regional and local initiatives to be assessed. It can be used by several members of a team simultaneously from different locations, thereby enhancing the dynamics of partnership working.

Many agencies in the region have developed their own form of sustainability appraisal documentation to undertake their assessments.  Cumbria County Council for example have developed a framework which they promote around the County and other local authorities in the region use their own internal systems to appraise.  The Toolkit can lend itself to these options as an information resource supporting appraisal or as a means of testing your own framework of choice for comprehensiveness.

The IAT complements the North West Sustainability Checklist for Developments, which the North West Regional Assembly and partners have developed to provide a focused set of questions that are directly relevant to the construction and development process.

A report can be downloaded detailing activities to promote the Toolkit throughout the region for the last financial year.