Local Environment Agency Plan
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local environment agency plan SWALE, URE AND OUSE CONSULTATION REPORT JUNE 1997 MIDDLESBROUG THIRSK YORK LEEDS HULL .WAKEFIELD YOUR VIEW S The Swale, Ure and Ouse Local Environment Agency Plan Consultation Report is the Agency's view of the state of the environment in this area and the issues that we believe need to be addressed. We should like to hear your views: • Have all the m ajor issues been highlighted? • Have the objectives and proposals been correctly identified? • Do you have any comments to make regarding the plan in general? During the consultation period for this report the Agency w ould be pleased to receive any comments in writing to: The Environment Planner Swale, Ure and Ouse LEAP The Environment Agency North East Region Coverdale House Amy Johnson Way York Y03 4UZ All comments must be received by 30 September 1997. All comments received on the Consultation Report will be considered in preparing the next phase, the Action Plan. This Action Plan will focus on updating section 4 of this Consultation Report by turning the proposals into actions but the remainder of this Report will not necessarily be rewritten. Note: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information in this report it m ay contain some errors or omissions which we shall be pleased to note. Structure of this Consultation Report This Consultation Report is divided into two parts, Part I and Part II. A brief description of each can be found below. PART I Consists of an introduction to the Agency, an overview of the Swale, Ure and Ouse area, key partnerships the Agency has with other bodies and proposals we feel will address the important environmental issues in the area. PART II Detailed consideration is given to the state of the environment of the Swale, Ure and Ouse area. Supporting information can be found here to help you make an informed decision as to the validity of the issues and proposals in Part I. SWALE. URE AND OUSE AREA AND ADMINISTRATIVE BOUNDARIES 70 60 KEY -------- CATCHMENT BOUNDARY RIVER 50 -------- ADMINISTRATIVE BOUNDARY -------- MAIN ROAD 40 0 2 4 6 8 10km |_____III II Scale 30 | ( EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE ) 50 60 70 Figure! Swale/Ure/Ouse LEAP FOREWORD The Environment Agency is one of the most powerful environmental regulators in the world. By combining the regulation of air, land and water, we have a unique opportunity to look at our environment in an integrated way. Local Environment Agency Plans aim to provide a means for setting priorities, solving problems and protecting and improving the environment in a co-ordinated way. The Swale, Ure and Ouse Local Environment Agency Plan Consultation Report has been drawn up for consultation with those interested in the future of the local environment. It provides a focus for all parties to undertake and achieve environmental improvements in a sustainable manner. This, and subsequent plans in the Region, will represent a shared vision for the future and play a vital role in the protection of our environment, whilst recognising the ever competing pressures and the need to balance cost and benefit. Roger Hyde Regional General Manager Environment Agency, North East Region i Dales Area ENVIRONMENT AGENCY Swale/Ure/Ouse LEAP DRAFT VISION FOR THE SWALE, URE AND OUSE AREA The Swale, Ure and Ouse area covers a geographically very diverse landscape from the protected, designated uplands of the Yorkshire Dales National Park through the City of York to the Port of Selby. This diversity in landscape and heritage attracts many visitors to the area each year, whether this be for recreational activities in the National Park or simply to enjoy the pleasures of the City of York. Most of the area is rural, with the population and industry being concentrated around the City of York and the Port of Selby in the south. Given such contrasts, there are numerous opportunities for the Agency to work together with the wider community for the benefit of the environment. The challenge of managing the environment is in effectively responding to the range o f pressures on the area and reconciling all the uses demanded of it, whether for agriculture, industry, water supply, waste disposal, fisheries, conservation, recreation or protection from flooding. Within the Swale, Ure and Ouse area, effluent disposal, pollution from rural land uses, the impact of mining on the environment and the impact of drought are issues considered to be particularly important. Key Environment Agency aspirations for the Swale, Ure and Ouse area are to: ■ prevent pollution from rural activities; * reduce the impact of discharges, in particular to the River Ouse; ■, protect the natural beauty and conserve the native flora and fauna; ■ limit the impact on the environment of mining in the Selby area; ■ protect the groundwater resource and minimise the impact of recent and future droughts; ■ reduce environmental impacts from industrial sites by improved operational practice; ■ protect people and property from flooding where economically and environmentally feasible. Finally, the Agency wishes to establish strong involvement and links with local authorities, water companies, internal drainage boards, industry, landowners, farmers, environmental organisations and the general public to ensure local views are respected when future development decisions are made for the area. It will therefore work with all relevant parties to implement the principles of sustainable development. Environment Agency, North East Region ii Dales Area Swale/Ure/Ouse LEAP CONTENTS E A R I i Page N um ber 1.0 Introduction 1.1 The R ole o f the Environm ent A g e n c y ............................................................................................ 2 1.2 Local Environm ent A gency Planning - The P r o c ess.................................................................2 1.3 Sustainable D evelopm ent and the Environm ent Agency .......................................................4 2.0 T h e S w ale, U re and O u se A r e a ......................................................................................................................... 6 2.1 In trod u ction .................................................................................................................................................7 2.2 A i r .................................................................................................................................................................. 8 2.3 L a n d ................................................................................................................................................................ 8 2.4 W a te r ........................................................................................................................................................... 12 2.5 W ildlife and Heritage ......................................................................................................................... 16 2.6 K ey D etails ....................................... .................. ............................................. ............................ 19 3.0 Protection Through Partnership 3.1 In tro d u ctio n ................................................................................................................................................20 3.2 E d u ca tio n ................................................................................................................................................... ..20 3.3 Key Partnerships.......... ...........................................................................................................................21 4.0 Issues and P rop o sa ls .............................................................................................................................................25 P A R T 11 5.0 U ses, A ctiv ities and P r e s s u r e s ......................................................................................................................... ..47 5.1 E c o n o m ic ................................................................................................................................................... ..48 5.2 Waste Management ........................................'.......................................................................................70 5.3 Surface Water and Groundwater Abstraction .............................................................................82 5.4 Flood Storage and Flood D e f e n c e ....................................................................................................86 5.5 Recreation and A m enity .................................................................................................................... ..98 5.6 C onservation .............................................................................................................................................103 6.0 C u rren t S tate o f th e L ocal A r e a .................................................................................................................... 112 6.1 In tro d u ctio n ................................................................................................................................................113 6.2 A i r ................................................................................................................................................................ ..113 6.3 W a s t e .................................................................................................................................