PARTNERSHIP IN ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION

SCHEMES IN THE MIDLAND REGION

1995 - 1996

Qctober 1996 INDEX /

PAGE

Introduction...... 1

Upper Severn ...... 2

Lower Severn ...... 9

Upper Trent ...... 13

Lower Trent ...... 17

Abbreviations ...... 20

Environment Agency Information Centre t

f t PARTNERSHIP IN ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION.

Introduction

The Environment Agency’s principal aim is to "protect or enhance the environment, taken as a whole and to contribute toward achieving sustainable development." It cannot do this on its own. The Agency needs to develop appropriate relationships, such as partnerships and voluntary agreements, with all other sectors in the wider Community to work toward this end.

The predecessor bodies of the Agency, the National Rivers Authority, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Pollution, Waste Regulation Authorities and some parts of the Department o f the Environment have all engaged previously in a variety of activities with different organisations to the benefit of the environment. This will continue. The Portfolio is a collation of some of the "Partnership" arrangements that have been used to protect or enhance the environment and shows how the "Partnership in Environment Protection" initiative can be taken forward. ■’ ■ i Partnerships are applicable in all kinds of situations,j in all places and necessary if sustainable solutions are to be found to the many environmental problems with'which.the Agency and other Organisations are concerned. The Environment Agency’s work is divided into eight main functions: Flood Defence," Water Resources, Pollution Control, Waste Regulation, Fisheries, Navigation, Recreation and Conservation. This range of statutory functions provides scope for "added value" schemes, the Agency takes advantage of this opportunity and develops projects with the various sectors within the Community! to the benefit of the environment. i The projects [featured in the Portfolio demonstrate this ‘clearly. Those included are either recently completed, ongoing or planned to start in the very near future. These projects provide the opportunity for ownership, openness and participation with the Community and allow an innovative and flexible approach to be taken when addressing environmental problems. The Portfolio is designed to promote an even more proactive approach to "Partnership Working Arrangements" and serve as a record of projects within the Midlands Region.

The Portfolio is in four sections, one for each of the Areas within the Midlands Region. It will be regularly updated and expanded upon as more partnership schemes are planned or completed.

Midlands Region October 1996

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UPPER SEVERN • ’ •. * • ' ’ . i ■

,^pj«)jEcr^v ;■ K* :■ -y; -'y. \ * * %y ' ’ '• * ■•: ' AGENCY FUNDING

Environmental Working with the different sectors of the Landowners, Core Ongoing Reduced environmental impact. Assessment of Community to agree the best practical 1 Wildlife Trusts. business Sustainable developments. Developments environmental option for new developments. More informed public.

Monitoring of To set Statutory Water Quality objectives for Local Community Core Stages Advice to government on what Water Quality the river. One of seven rivers to benefit from including, landowners, business 2000, targets should be set for 48 in the River a national pilot scheme which will lay down anglers, general public, 2005 stretches of the Stour and the Stour legally binding targets for improved water STW, businesses, farmers and quality. 1 and LAs. Canal: HM Government

Ironbridge Site Management Plan for Ironbridge Gorge Wrekin District Council %5 man 1995 Promotion of the Agency Gorge World English Heritage days for LEAPs Link with Management Heritage Site Dist. Council steward­ 1998 Plan. Support for good Management CC ship environmental credentials Plan Ironbridge Gorge Trust projects. Severn Gorge Countryside Trust

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Joint SSSI A workshop in Peterborough to discuss the English Nature 4 man 1996 Coordinated SSSI management Initiative for development o f SSSI initiative for Rivers and days for ongoing plan and CMP/LEAP actions Rivers ongoing joint action plan steward­ ship

3 I : \ wordproc\oh»daiin\wpwm\dunta\004. oil PR oiE C T AGENCY PARTNERS FUNDING , BATES / o m c 6 u £ $

Air Quality The Agency lias agreed "to provide a site and Shrewsbury and Atcham 2 man .1996 The provision of local air Monitoring services for the LAs Air Quality Monitoring! Borough Council days per ongoing quality information. Raised Station at Hafren House in 1977 annum awareness of the Agency. Improved working relationship with Local Authority.

Milestones The installation of interpretation points on the Wrekin Council, West £5,000 1994 - Raised awareness of the River at Ironbridge. Midlands Arts 1996 for educational purpose.

Worcester The extension of a riverside cycleway which is Hereford and Worcester £15,000 1994 Extra Kms of cycleway Cycleway part of the Worcestershire Cycleway and the CC Guide to Worcester Cycleway. production of a guide to the cycleway. 1996

Moorings at The installation of a mooring for a wheeley Shropshire £6,000 1994 A mooring for a Wheeley Ellesmere boat at Ellesmere and a contribution for the Handicapped Anglers Trust Boat. Boat for Handicapped provision of a boat 1996 Anglers Trust

Chelmarsh Management of a neglected wetland habitat to South Staffordshire Water ‘ £29,000 1994 - Better breeding environment Nature Reserve encourage breeding Snipe and other waders.! Company, Shropshire 1996 for Snipe and other waders. Wildlife Trust

4 g:\wordproc\ohadmsi\wpwia\duutn\004.oh :: D ^ciom oN ; , v V&GENC* PARTOERS > - ■'FUNDINGS d a t e s Severn Way Completion of the Severn Way Footpath to Shropshire, , 1! £13,800 ' 1994 / Promotion-and marketing ?

Newtown (Powys). Completion o f a promotion Hereford and V strategy. and marketing strategy for the whole route Worcestershire Councils, ;i996 Footpath along the Severn 1 ’ from source to sea Feasibility study for and Countryside Way. extending the route between Newtown and Commission Llanidloes.

Severn/ Determination of the numbers of breeding Shropshire Wildlife Trust, £3,000 1994 Information on the impact of Vymwy wading birds in the Severn Vymwy confluence English Nature Countryside agricultural improvements on - ; Wading Birds and the possibility of their extinction. Commission. 1996 the Curlew and Lapwing * -within the area.

H2000 Umbrella for 15/20 Specific Environmental Hereford and Worcester 5 man 1995 . Promotion of the Agency. Worcestershire Enhancement Projects County Council days for .Good relationship s wi th r / *■<$ Water Focus Worcester City Council and steward­ v2000; ^rhriiuhity; : 1/5 $ Millennium other development groups ship

i ; Project ***

5 f:\wordpToc\oltMlnun\wpwba\4hiuui\001.olt PROJECT 1 D ^ C R im O N ; AGENCY PARTNERS FUNDING BATES . OUTCOMES Environmental Environmental panel which advises GO-WM on GO-WM 10 man 1994 Suitable environmental appraisal of environmental credentials of development MAFF days per development projects development proposals submitted for Eurofund support under H&W CC annum 1999 supported proposals in objective 5B Forestry Authority for English •' . i Shropshire Marches steward­ Marches Partnership ship I i English Nature Shropshire CC Countryside Commission Shropshire Wildlife Trust i Nature Trust English Heritage

+ River Teme - Study into the physical state and the DNA of Forestry Commission £20,000 1994 Information on the status of Black Poplars indigenous B1 Poplars. The genetic base of Shropshire County council this rare species of tree. these trees is rate and can be affected by Shropshire Wildlife Trust, 1996 propagation through "cuttings" or the Bees and Trees hybridisation of seeds. Only 2600 such trees

exist in of which 150 are female, j

This work supports the UK’s Biodiversity ;

policy. ■ '* i

Severn Valley The creation of a wetland nature reserve a t ! i Severn Trent Water, £51,400 1994 A wetland nature reserve. Wetlands Newtown Sewage Works j Montgomery Wildlife Trust i Project t < 1996

6 g: \wordproc\oludmm\wp,wm\ r:Y t m m r n n ji rrnC'C — V otrrcoMEs ^ i Wilden Marsh The improvement of the wetland for Worcester Nature i £5,000 1994 The long term management of conservation included fencing and removal of Conservation Trust the site by the Worcester / willow scrub i 1996 Nature Conservation Trust. t i Improved conservation site. i Grimley The pollarding and coppicing of overgrown Worcestershire Wildlife £7,800 1994 Improved wildlife habitat. Cultural trees around medieval fish ponds. Trust Protection of an SMR site. Landscape English Heritage 1996 Project Hereford and Worcester County Council j i Homer Lake Installation of fishing pegs Wrekin District Council Better fishing facilities for and Castle persons with physical Pools * disability. Stour Valley - The installation of fishing platforms for persons Dudley and Sandwell £8,000 1994 The Local Authority will Bumble Hole with physical disability to a controlled wildlife Metropolitan Borough manage this site in the longer habitat. Improvement to a controlled wildlife Council 1996 term. habitat. .

Upton Warren Project involved, the construction of subsidence Worcestershire Wildlife Better management of river .! River Salwarpe ponds, fen and inland salt marshes to improve Trust, NRA. i catchment plain. Better i • habitat for breeding wading birds. facilities for! educational visits. . * i A Boardwalk.

7 f :\wortpro\oh»dmin\wpwtnVhijj»n\004 .oh PROJECT * V \ ; DESCRIPTION AGENCY PARTNERS FUNDING BATES OOTCOMES

Production of This project involved the collation in single Shropshire CC, Shrewsbury 2 man 1996 Manual to inform small and "Red Tape format of all the recent regulations and and Atcham BC, The days per onwards medium sized businesses on Guide" recommendations for good business practice. Business Community/Clubs annum the rules and regulations It also informed SMEs of how they should Business Link, DTI and pertaining to them. apply and secure licenses and authorisations for NRA. prescribed processes.

Training The NRA (Environment Agency) provided NRA (Agency) and Local Core Ongoing Improved response to pollution Pollution pollution control equipment and trained the Fire Fire Services. Business emergencies. Control for . Service in its use to improve response times in Fire Service emergencies^• v v‘;-'/*. ' |

Reducing NRA (Environment Agency) to secure ! Water companies: 20 man 1996 Restored streamflows, pools, -Water agreement for Waiter companies to invert its ] (Severn Trent Water and days per SSSIs and associated wildlife Abstraction works which will enable reduced rates of South Staffs Water) annum 2005 habitats. from over- groundwater abstraction in areas which need Landowners plus i pumped flow restoration in depleted intercourses or capital aquifers protection of groundwater - supported from (AMP3 joint conservation sites. water initiative) companies

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LOWER SEVERN

• PROJECT/ : •3::*J: ii < J ?

Water Gloucester rivers and groundwater provide County £6,000 1996 Sustainable river management. Resources drinking water for over 1 million people. This Council, Sumerfield Trust, Ongoing Improved fish numbers in the Management project is directed at residents to raise 3 District Councils. river. in awareness about the necessity to manage the Global Action Plan Better use of a scarce Gloucestershire water supply and to prevent low flows in the resource water. Severn estuary. Low flows can impose stress Reduced impact of drought on salmon during their migration from the conditions. estuary into the river.

Hewell Grange To return water to a 10 hectare ornamental lake Prison Governor, Hereford £9,000 1995 Failed bid but investigations in the grounds of Hewell Grange - focal point and Worcester Gardens Ongoing carried out by NRA Water of Rep ton’s original landscape design. £1.9m Trust, English Nature, Resources demonstrated a way bid made to Millennium fund to restore the Hereford and Worcester in which additional water could lake to its former condition. County Council, NRA be returned to the lake.

Ryeford The repair and refurbishment of an old sluice Stroudwater Canal £2,500 1995 Repaired and refurbished old Sawmill gate structure on the River Frame at Company, NRA sluice gate structure where Stonehouse. Stroudwater Canal is close to the River Frome.

I

I 9 g:\wrwdpror.lottiAnio\wpwm\rtuyym\004 .oh PROJECT description ; .AGiENC^ V:. \-fond’in g :Jdat^si Bittell Recurring Blue Green algae blooms are causing Local landowners, farmers, 1 man 1995 The information will be used Reservoirs nuisance to anglers and sailors. industrialists, leisure year to run a model - Protech - The project involved the collection of groups, reps form Cost of 1996 which has been adopted by the information on the nutrient, nitrogen and phos­ B/Waterway, Sampling Toxic and Persistent , , phorus status of the reservoirs and their English Nature, Local Substances Centre in inflows. Councils. Peterborough - to predict the Bittell Reservoirs Action! nutrient and algae dynamics in,. Plan Committee. 1! the reservoirs which will help ■ « * < * * " * ' \ t them formulate management plans for their control.

Water ‘ A substantial timber structure which is Three £25,000 1994 Raised awareness of public, Environment integrated into the landscape by earth shaping Showground organisers, local teachers and school Centre at and planting. It houses educational display Hereford and Worcester 1996 children about the Malvern material, pond dippings platforms and other County Council and NRA environment. sampling equipment. Reedbed and.other (Agency). planting has been carried out.

Hereford and Initial study of water resources viability for Canal Trust £1,500 Start Information will be used to Worcester restoration Birmingham University 1 5/96 plan canal restoration on a Council Agency social environmental and commercial basis.

10 g:\wordproc\otudmin\wpwm\duuefl\OOl.oh *-j •'./jm M im m m noy---. : * ,• If % V'A FUNDING D A tE S OUTCOMES Stoneleigh The construction of a simulated river channel Royal Agricultural Society £60,000 1995 Practical method to Royal with pools, riffles and conservation pool. of England, the Otter demonstrate aspects of river Agricultural Water recirculates around the system by means Project, Flyghts Pumps, 1996 management, such as Society of of underground pipework and flows down the Forest Products, traditional management of \ England channel. Yarning dale Nurseries, timber coppicing, pollarding Hereford and Worcester and spicing. Raised awareness The channel is sinuous and the banks varied, County Council, Landline. of the interdependence of land with ferns and prolific marginal vegetation and water. alongside unimproved grassland with wild flowers.

Parish Pride Competition between parishes to select the best Parishes of Hereford and Prize Annual Conservation projects in environmental project involving the Worcester County Councils money event different parishes. community. Winner was a conservation pool NRA (Agency). and 5 in Holme Lancey - excavated with guidance; man days and help by the village school children.

11 g :\wordpiucVoh»rtnua\wpwm\dugg«a\0()4. oh PROJECT •: V- V- < ii’ ■■ v ;f v r ^ ^ PTJTGOMES c*| Environmental Multi-disciplined project concerning all aspects Stratford DC, ! £600 1996;v I Financial anil environmental . Best Practice of the environment as a business issue Warwickshire County Ongoing benefits to participating for Business - Waste minimisation Council, British businesses. Project - - Energy efficiency and management. Waste Waterways, Severn Trent, Raised awareness with the Stratford. disposal/recycling Coventry and Warwickshire local businesses of - Site clean ups Business Park, environmental issues - Risk management and legal awareness Tidy Britain Group Establishment of a local - Business Opportunity Protection organised by South Waste Register and recycling Warwickshire scheme. Environmental Business Link.

12 g:\wortyre\oltftdinfa\wpafa\duggia\004 .ott PARTNERSHIP IN ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION

UPPER TRENT

0 ^ t e c t ' ' DESCRIPTION ' j ;:.i

Clinical Waste Promotion of best practice in the management West Midland Waste Internal Ongoing Increased awareness of of clinical waste. Regulation and West Revenue problems of clinical waste Midlands Regional Health cost disposal. Authority.

West Midlands Commenced in 1994 £200k project to promote NRA (Agency) ETSU, £200,000 1994 Reduced waste in the waste Waste best practice with regard to waste management, BOC Foundation for the Ongoing stream. Increased profits to Minimisation - launched by Ed Gallagher. Environment, S.T.W. businesses. ^ Regional Scheme lead from Walsall Office

Yardley Brook Removal of an old concrete channel to form a Birmingham City Council £13,000 1995 Improved habitat and visual natural watercourse over a 200 metre stretch NRA appearance o f the brook.

Project Creation of a small pool to improve habitat and Birmingham City Council Improved habitat. Kingfisher - act as a silt end pollution trap before water NRA ^ A small pool. Bobbs Mill reaches lake. ■ Lake

I 13 g :\wordprocVotUdmin\vpw m\duggia\004. oh ; . PROJECT FUNDING ;M p : ...... i Stone Canoe The planting of trees and general site Stone Town Council 1 Refurbished old canoe! slalom^ Course improvements to an old canoe slalom course. Staffordshire Borough ! TOjjrse. i V'" r- Council i i V British Canoe Club I NRA

Old River The de-silting of an ox-bow lake which is Burton Mutual Angling £40,000 1994 Improved value of site as a Dove designated as an SSI to maintain its Society fishery. conservation importance. NRA 1996 Maintenance of conservation site.

Wilton Area Tree planting and landscaping. Groundwork Trust Improved local habitat and Local landowners amenity value. NRA

Trees on the 3 separate tree planting schemes between Local landowners Improved local habitat and Trent Hereford and Wychnor NRA amenity value of the. River l Trent. v . ■>. ■ i ‘ Goscote Valley In the Cartbridge Lane area habitat and amenity Walsall Metropolitan 1 j £19,000 1994 - ■ Improved habitat and amenity improvements were carried out. Borough Council .! 1996 value. NRA \

14 C:\wordpiix\otladmia\wpw in \duu«n\004 .oh 1 PROJECT , DESCRIPTION AGENCY PARTNERS FUNDING DATES OUTCOMES Sea Life in the £50,(XX) contribution from the Agency to the BCC - Vardon £50,000 1994 Raised awareness of the City new Sea Life Exhibition Centre in Enterprises.. 1995 Agency with the general Birmingham. public. Publicity materials for A working model of a river system with actual i school children have been water flowing from an upland source down developed as part of the through a small town. A reservoir supplies exhibition. water to a town for domestic use, shows usejof water in a power station as a coolant and management of water in the reservoir as rainfall increases level.

Brueton Park The completion of landscape works and tree Solihull Metropolitan Improved habitat and amenity planting Borough Council value of the site.

North Eastern This project is an assessment of Air Quality in Chesterfield, North East Data base of air quality in the the area. Its model releases both inside and Derbyshire, Bolsover West Midlands region. Air Quality outside the study area to predict impact. It also District Councils. The Agency to sit on Steering Inventory includes an assessment to the local river system Group for Project Extension - (River Rother) and the impact IPC processes work. have on the river quality. The Project was ' Demonstration Air Quality accepted by the DOE as a Demonstration Air Management Zone. Impact of Quality Management Zone who have provided IPC processes on river quality funding to extend the project to obtain further assessed. data on PMIOs and S02.

15 g:\wonipixx\oftadinin\ivpiym\dugf an\004 .oft PROJECT DESCJUFTION . AG ^CYrFARm g^ •'''' ; FOOTliNfG . OUTCOMES - Local Agenda Outreach approach through the development of Local universities, unions, Internal 1994 Consensus to an environmental 21 - an Environmental Forum Sub Committee and Friends of the Earth, Urban Revenue strategy for Birmingham, Birmingham liaison with local groups. Local Agenda 21 Wildlife Trust, BCC, Cost 1995 which will underpin all Ward Pack developed circulated to all resident Midlands Environmental structural planning proposals, groups to inform the local community of how Network, Chamber o f Agreed policies on: and why they should get involved in the Commerce, Midlands i Energy management process. Environmental Business; . Waste minimisation Club. | j , Environmental awareness i ; 1 | Environmental economics.

Advice and The formation of business partnerships and Environmental Management Internal 1995 Raised awareness of waste Seminars on membership of Committees to demonstrate Panels, Fire Service, Revenue regulation. Waste commitment to good practice in waste British Standard Institute, Cost More informed operators. Regulation management. West Midlands Waste \ Regulation (Walsall M.B.C).

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IX)WER TRENT

Sk m t e s ; 7;;.: otn’coiyffs ;" / . ; >

;"Wake Up" In 1995 a detailed study of all the materials Nottingham Trent NCC Phases Quantification of the Project being disposed of by the construction industry University, Provided 1 and 2 components of the waste at landfill sites was'started. DOE, Waste Regulation, £2,500 June 95 stream that could be reused or The quantification of materials within i Nottingham County Council "Gift in to recycled. construction site skips will highlight areas j (NCC). Kind” Nov 95 The establishment of a where materials are, being treated as disposable networked construction waste without investigating its potential for 1 industry leaders. recycling or reuse. The establishment of a potential database/register of usable waste products.

Corridors in Support for a Project Officer to produce Nottingham City £4,800 95/96 The production of a PR the strategies for the Rivers Leem, Trent and part Gedling Borough and (25% o f package for the project. Countryside of Fairham Brook and the production of Ashfield District Councils, Total) leaflets, signposts, finials, exhibition boards, a Nottingham Wildlife Trust, slide package, banners and way makers. Countryside Commission , i NRA

I I

17 PROJECT DESCRIJraON AGm GY PARTOE^< •. • OUTCOMES ' Scalford Brook The diversion of the river and the reveting of Milton Borough Council Total 95/96 Reinstatement of footpath in a the river banks with willow spiling. (MBC) and NRA j Cost country park. ti il £12,600 ' ! 1 (£3,500 - ’ ! i * « v *. » I MBC) . i. River Soar The provision of a small footbridge and picnic Sutton Bonington Parish* £2,500 ,95/96 A small footbridge. near Sutton tables on a site adjacent to the River Soar. Council Picnic tables. Bonington NRA

Abbey Lake Feasibility exercise to dredge a small Leicester City Council Internal 95/96 Feasibility study for the first Leicester ornamental lake in Abbey Park, Leicester to Revenue Vrindavin Garden in the create a Vrindavin Garden. Cost country.

Sustainable Series of projects: CIRIA national site group, Internal 1994 More informed community Development - Wind turbine development LCC, the voluntary sector Revenue directly involved in sustainable in - Self-build housing Cost 1996 development. - Return and refill systems/ Reuse/better management of directory scarce resources. J - Domestic waste reduction l i programme. [

18 I wordp roc\oludmhi\ wpwrnXduggtnUXX, oh PROJECT ^ s DESCRIPTION : AGENCY PARTNERS FUNDING DATES OUTCOMES Demonstration To demonstrate the practical application of the Foundation for Water Manpower Ongoing Urban Pollution Management Project - Urban Pollution Management Procedure. Research, Support Manual. Drainage Area Involved planning data collection, model Urban Pollution Raised awareness of practical Improvement development and solution evaluation of a Management Groups, solutions. Strategy possible upgrading option relative to the Severn Trent Water, NRA. Increased confidence in the use intermittent discharge standards. Project was Finance contributed of modelling tools for drainage very successful. nationally £5K manpower areas planning strategies. support.

Leicestershire Commenced in 1994 with a budget of £100k Leicestershire County £12,000 1994 Reduced waste in the waste Waste aimed to encourage businesses to evaluate the Council, NRA, Severn stream. quantities and types of waste they were Minimisation Trent, DTI, £12,000 1995 Increased profits for business. producing and to assess whether or not it could Leicestershire TEC, BOC Initiative be reduced, reused or recycled. Foundation for the Environment.

19 g:\wordproc\oltAdmin\wpwiii\dugf u\OM .oh INDEX OF ABBREVIATIONS

BC Borough Council BCC Birmingham City Council BOC British Oxygen Corporation CC County Council CIRIA Construction Industry Research and Information Association CMP Catchment Management Plan DC District Council DOE Department of the Environment DTI Department of Trade and Industry ETSU Energy Technology Support Unit GOWM Government Office of the West Midlands H&.W Hereford & Worcester HM Her Majesty’ s LAs Local Authorities LCC* Leicester County Council LEAPs Local Environment Agency Plans MAFF Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries MBC Metropolitan Borough Council NRA National Rivers Authority SSSI Site of Scientific Special Interest STW Severn Trent Water TEC Training and Enterprise Council UK