2.5 Strategies, Policies and Local Initiatives

There are a number of proposals that are economy of our landscape. With a strong of national significance that will have a vision for our landscape and its future, major impact on our landscape. These we can work to influence change, which range from large housing developments whilst inevitable, does not need to be the to significant travel infrastructure death of our landscape. proposals such as HS2, through to quarry expansion and potential new There are a number of planned and quarry sites. There are also a number of proposed developments that will have initiatives and projects that overlap with significant impact on our landscape. our landscape and complement the work These developments will influence we are doing. This offers opportunity to how the landscape is used in the future work together where we share common and provide a number of varying goals to add value and extend our opportunities. There are also external influence. Understanding the scale and partnerships that we have connections effect of anticipated change is essential with and can link into initiatives that to perceiving the potential risks it has complement our vision for this landscape. on altering the character, heritage and

Map 26. Transport infrastructure highlighted as having a spatial influence on the landscape (LUC)

95 2.5.1 High Speed 2 (HS2)

The planned route of HS2 cuts across at a level of detail sufficient to assess the landscape from Hilliard’s Cross, the actual impact of what is proposed, running north-west across the project depending as that impact does on the area for around 6.1km and exiting it quality, safety and convenience of both at Pipe Ridware. It also runs close to the existing and diverted roads and PRoW the landscape from Great Haywood (The Landscape Partnership, 2018; to Tamworth. Detailed work has been LUC, 2018). done on its impact on transport during construction and in its finished state. Mitigation from the proposals offer some potential opportunity in the landscape The route affects numerous roads and for improvements to be made. Funds are Public Rights of Way (PRoW) within the available that could be used to deliver landscape and which provide access to it. habitat restoration, access improvements The majority are proposed for diversion, or projects for community benefit. some for closure, and this audit is not

Map 27. Existing Infrastructure and the proposed HS2 Route (LUC)

96 2.5.2 Burton-Leicester railway reopening 2.5.3 Housing

This is a long-standing proposal for Significant housing developments are reopening the freight-only line from planned in and around the landscape, Burton to Leicester to passenger adding further pressure upon it. There traffic, which could provide stations at are thirteen housing proposals totalling Swadlincote, Ashby-de-la-Zouch and 4.5km² in area and adding a further 8,298 Coalville, but the economic case for dwellings to the landscape. The most reopening has not yet proven attractive significant of these urban expansions (AECOM, 2016). Were this proposal to will take place around Burton-upon-Trent come about, it would improve strategic adding a total of 3,630 new dwellings access by rail from the east and be a major within the East Staffordshire local asset for developing the tourist potential authority and 2,239 new dwellings within of the landscape. However, the route ends the South Derbyshire local authority. at Burton upon Trent station, which has East Staffordshire has been identified very poor facilities for interchange with as a growth area and proportionally bus routes serving the landscape, and more housing is planned for this local poor wayfinding to the canal and river. authority than for most parts of the UK There is opportunity for the Landscape (LUC, 2018). In general, however, access Partnership to work with the promoters to the landscape could benefit from of the scheme and, should it come to this new audience and the additional fruition, with train operating companies, population represent a new audience for bus companies and local authorities to the appreciation of this landscape and its improve interchange and onward travel sustainable development (The Landscape at Burton station in particular (The Partnership, 2018). Map 28 shows the Landscape Partnership, 2018). distribution of proposed and existing development in the landscape area.

Map 28. The distribution of proposed housing development in the Trent Valley landscape (LUC)

97 2.5.4 Garden Villages

There are two new garden villages to alleviate the housing demand in Derby proposed within the project area City and South Derbyshire (LUC, 2018). (Brookhay Garden Village and Brookhay Waterside). A further garden village The development of these garden villages (Infinity Garden Village) has been will impact on a number of existing long approved just outside its northern distance walking trails and cycling routes. boundary, south of Derby (LUC, 2018). However, with the implementation of Whilst still in early stages of development suitable measures these developments and consultation, if they do come to can also contribute to the enhancements fruition they will have a significant impact of existing, and development of new, on the landscape. access links through the affected area.

The Brookhay mixed-use proposals are Around half of the Waterside proposal is for a 7500-home, two-centre complex within the Barton active sand and gravel (Barratt Developments PLC and Urbed, quarry run by Hanson Aggregates Ltd, 2015). Brookhay Garden Village would scheduled to cease operation in 2030; be situated east of the A38, opposite and just over half of the Garden Village Fradley. Brookhay Waterside, a residential, proposal is within the Whitemoor Haye / business and leisure complex, would be 2 Alrewas sand and gravel quarry, operated km away, north-east of Alrewas, again east by Lafarge Aggregates and Concrete of the A38 (The Landscape Partnership, Limited, scheduled for closure in 2027 2018). The Infinity Garden Village is for the (LUC, 2018). development of 2000 homes, with the aim

Kings Bromley signs to Alrewas and the NMA (Aimee L. Booth) 98 2.5.5 Quarrying

The aggregates industry has a large four further sites within the project area presence throughout the project area, identified for mineral extraction in the especially along the River Trent from Kings Staffordshire Minerals Local Plan, with Bromley all the way to Shardlow in the a total area of 3.69km². A further 15km², north-eastern tip of the project area. There between King’s Bromley and Alrewas, is are currently 12 active quarries identified identified as a Search Area for sand and within the project area, all of which are gravel in the same Minerals Local Plan sand and gravel. The total extent of these (LUC, 2018). quarries is 14.55km2, which represents around 7.3% of the project area (LUC, 2018) Surface extraction of sand and gravel inevitably erases the existing, traditional A large proportion of the available landscape and access routes. However, aggregate has already been quarried, with upon restoration, former quarry sites can significant quarrying in progress (The become important nature reserves and Landscape Partnership, 2018). There are wildlife sites.

Map 29. Plan showing the extent of active and planned mineral developments across the landscape highlighting the significant pressure this landscape is under (LUC)

99 2.5.6 Economic Value

In the Final Report on the future economic The approach analysed data in the form of value of the Trent Valley (RPA and the reports, strategies, plans and datasets from Planning Cooperative, 2016) prepared across a wide range of sectors including for Derbyshire County Council, it was the aggregate industry, energy generation, emphasised that the Trent Valley within manufacturing, tourism and retail, water, Derbyshire is becoming increasingly and wildlife and biodiversity. Baseline fragmented as a result of mineral data was analysed using an ecosystem extraction, urban development, transport services approach. Population change was infrastructure and agriculture, both arable extrapolated from census data provided by and pastoral. the Office of National Statistics.

The report suggests two possible options The coordinated approach was based on for the way forward: an uncoordinated a ‘vision for the coordinated scenario’, approach, which would lead to disjointed, which focussed on directing mineral piecemeal change and a potentially extraction towards the least sensitive degraded natural environment; or a areas, whilst restoration schemes would coordinated approach involving all sectors create interlocking waterbodies and working together to effect positive long- robust areas of woodland. These will term change. integrate with the best of the existing landscape, including historic and natural The scenarios for each way forward were assets, to provide a range of recreation worked through, comparing the economic and leisure opportunities. benefits and ecosystem service benefits of each. The results showed substantial This vision was then broken down by benefits could be achieved through a sector for a bespoke approach that coordinated approach, significantly above enabled an integrated contribution an uncoordinated approach. It was noted towards the whole. that to achieve the benefits the actions would need to be fully supported and resourced. These were summarised as:

Vision and approach: a master plan is required establishing key principals, direction of travel and spatial iteration.

Personnel: Large scale projects can only be implemented with staff.

Resources and funding: to enact a fully coordinated approach, financial resources are required.

Partnership development: a functional partnership requires a breadth of support from a wide range of stakeholders.

Business case, operational structure and governance: to enact the coordinated approach in the longer term. (This could be a not-for-profit business or charitable trust). Industry in the valley (Aimee L. Booth)

100 2.5.7 Local Enterprise Partnerships

Our landscape is incorporated within two Long-term (to 2030) aspirations are Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEP): the committed to rapid, planned growth of Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire LEP; urban centres, such as Burton-upon-Trent and the Greater Birmingham and Solihull and creating right conditions for industries LEP. Both partnerships focus on providing of tomorrow. housing and leisure space for urban areas around the Trent Valley. The Trent Valley, Burton-upon-Trent is a key Strategic already home to many large industries, Centre in the Strategic Economic Plan for is not seen as an area for expanding the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire LEP. industry, but will see growing pressure for transport infrastructure serving an The vision: ‘We will sustain economic expanding population. growth in our town centres by encouraging sustainable economic Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire development which meet local needs, Enterprise Partnership aims to grow the achieves balanced communities and local economy by 50% and generate attracts new people to invest in, live in, 50,000 new jobs in the next 10 years. work in and enjoy our urban centres.’ Staffordshire is set to become a more connected county by securing strategic The plan gives projections of 31,000 and local links, leading to ‘super new households in the LEP area over connectivity’. This will be achieved through the next 10 years. Growth should be maximising opportunities presented by accommodated in attractive urban centres strategic infrastructure investments like which are well-connected to employment HS2, and developing the ‘growth triangle’ opportunities (GBSLEP, 2016). presented by the M6/West Coast Mainline, A5/M6 toll and A38/A50 eastern links, an Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local area that intersects with the Trent Valley. Enterprise Partnership aims to generate 50,000 new jobs and 14,315 new houses over the next 10 years. Burton-upon- Trent is a Strategic Growth Site and falls within the East Staffordshire Growth and Regeneration Programme with a total spend of £5.7m creating 707 new job and 306 new homes (SOTSEP 2014).

Our partnership has existing ties with the LEPs, with many of our partners individually represented on these Partnership Boards. There is scope to influence planned growth in Burton and capitalise on opportunities such as biodiversity offsetting, green infrastructure, and sustainable access that will arise from new development plans. Rugely power station (Aimee L. Booth)

101 2.5.8 The Catchment Based Approach and the Transforming the Trent Valley

The Catchment Based Approach (CABA) CABA encourages working with a range of is a community-led approach that organisations and partnership to deliver engages people and groups from across benefits for our water environment. society to help improve our precious water environments. Promoted by Defra There are overlaps between the CABA and the Environment Agency since approach and our Landscape Partnership 2015 this initiative seeks to encourage in that they are both partnership organisations to work in partnership initiatives and both aiming to improve the to deliver improvements to rivers at a awareness and management of wetlands catchment scale. The Catchment Based and rivers within the Trent catchment. Approach encourages organisations to manage land and water in a balanced England and Wales has been divided up way, by identifying the pressures on the into over 100 Catchments. water environment, by working together to agree common objectives and by The TTTV LPS overlap with four implementing solutions. CABA catchments. n Staffordshire Trent Valley The CABA aim is to provide a clear n Tame Anker Mease understanding of the issues in the n Dove catchment, engage with stakeholders, n Derbyshire Derwent users of the river and communities to begin to create an achievable, holistic It is important that our partnership works vision for the future of these rivers and alongside each of the CABA partnerships, waterways. A partnership and ways of as additional value can be generated by working has been established for each the two initiatives sharing information CABA catchment. The ethos is very much and potentially supporting the delivery of about working with existing mechanisms projects and identifying opportunities for to deliver greater benefit for the river. the future.

A View across the Landscape (Aimee L. Booth)

102 2.5.9 The Water Framework Directive

The area covered by our landscape Currently over two thirds of UK rivers fail sits within the Humber River Basin to reach Good Ecological Status against Management Plan (RBMP). The latest requirements of WFD. edition of the RBMP is 2015 and sets out the current state of the water environment, Our landscape overlaps with 24 separate the pressures and environmental WFD waterbodies. More details of each objectives for improving and protecting one can be found using the ‘Catchment waters. The RBMP is written to inform Data Explorer’. This website shows the and deliver obligations of the Water current status of each waterbody, lists the Framework Directive (WFD). reasons for failure and shows the quality of a range of environmental parameters The WFD breaks down catchments recorded by the EA. It provides a useful into individual waterbodies which are reference point for organisations to classified as to their ecological and identify measures needed to help these chemical ‘status’. Various elements waterbodies to reach good ecological make up reporting and classification of status. the waterbodies’ status, e.g. fish and phosphate. Waterbody action plans The CABA Partnerships are key to driving are put in place to address identified forward the agreement and delivery of pressures on elements and the assigned catchment management plans, including ‘reasons for failure’ of waterbody individual waterbody action plans to WFD status. improve WFD status and at the very least secure ‘no deterioration’ of status.

River Trent at Wychnor (Nick Mott)

103 2.5.10 The Trent and Tame River Valleys Futurescape

Our landscape sits within the RSPB’s Trent The parallels between the RSPB’s vision and Tame River Valleys Futurescape – one for the Futurescape as a whole, and those of the Society’s priority landscapes into of our partnership, are clear. which they are focussing their efforts on a landscape-scale, to work with partners Throughout the Futurescape, current and and local communities to give nature planned sand and gravel quarrying is the a home. most important single driver of landscape change. The current and proposed This vision is to create a wetland corridor mineral sites cover approximately 8,000 from Birmingham to the Humber that hectares – roughly equivalent to the is rich in nature and an inspirational City of Nottingham in area. The Nature place to live, work and visit. By working After Minerals partnership between the together, we can provide a haven for RSPB, Natural England and the Mineral birds and other wildlife in the face of a Products Association has responded to changing climate. Marsh harriers, bitterns this by producing “Bigger and Better”, an and avocets will breed once again, and advocacy document promoting joined-up salmon and eels will thrive in our rivers. strategic planning across the six mineral All kinds of amphibians, bats, water voles planning authorities involved (including and wetland plants will also benefit from Staffordshire and Derbyshire) to realise restored habitats. the vision for nature and people. “Bigger and Better” has been endorsed by the But people will benefit too. Increased CRI, Trent Rivers Trust and both Wildlife recreational resources will improve the Trusts involved in our scheme, and has health and well-being of residents and been widely acclaimed and praised as a visitors alike. Local communities will great example of partnership working and be able to take a more active role in policy advocacy by mineral operators, their natural surroundings through local statutory agencies, and other partnerships decision-making and volunteering. in England.

Croxall Lakes Nature Reserve (C Wilkinson)

104 2.5.11 The National Forest

Over twenty years ago, visionary leaders time, the plants and animals they support made the decision to create a new, large, become more varied and important. These forested area in England, to show all the newly-created habitats link with existing many benefits that come from woodland natural havens to create a landscape near where people live and work. The area that is not only richer in wildlife, but in the Midlands, which came to be known more robust and better able to meet the as The National Forest, was chosen in part challenge of climate change (The National because the woodland cover was very Forest Company, 2018). low (about 6%). There was also a great need for regeneration after the end of Around 41km² of our landscape intersects mining and, importantly, incredible with The National Forest. There are public support for the idea. currently 112 National Forest schemes running within the project area and grants Since then, the 200 square miles of The are available for tree planting, creation National Forest have been transformed of wildlife habitats and implementation through the planting of millions of of innovative woodland management trees (8 million by October 2012) and initiatives. The ethos of the two schemes the creation of many other valuable complement one another and it can be habitats. It boasts many new attractions expected that the extent of the woodland and forest-based activities and has within the National Forest will increase stimulated many woodland-linked due to our scheme (LUC 2018). businesses. Whilst more than 200,000 people live in the Forest, it is also within The National Forest Way is a long just 90 minutes' journey time for about distance walk (approximately 75 miles) 10 million people and is open to all, that crosses the National Forest from the with an increasing network of trails and National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas recreational opportunities. to the west to Beacon Hill Country Park in Leicestershire in the east. Sections of the The creation of The National Forest is walk intersect with the Trent Valley Way forming new areas for wildlife every and offer opportunities to unite efforts year. As these new habitats mature over between the two landscapes (LUC, 2018).

2.5.12 Glimpses of change

Large-scale change is inevitable, but trust has led to a unique situation where by working in partnership we have the the working quarry is actually owned by potential to influence this change in a Staffordshire Wildlife Trust. way that can result in some positive benefits for our landscape. There are Rather than simply extracting as much already glimpses that the changes that gravel as possible and leaving a big hole will make a Living Landscape possible to be filled with water, the restoration are already happening. Tucklesholme, approach is based on purposefully just outside Burton, was a vast removing material in a way that will agricultural monoculture that will soon leave features that are essential for be transformed into the county’s biggest biodiversity. There is just as much focus reed bed, with aspirations to attract on creating a nature reserve as there is species that have not bred in the area for on minerals extraction. This is illustrative almost 100 years. Partnership working of how a partnership can achieve what by the quarry company, developers, at the outset can often be perceived as economists, public sector and the wildlife contradictory aims.

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