State of the Environment Report 2011
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State of the Environment Report | ii | State of the Environment Report | Renfrewshire Council | August 2011 Contents | 1 | Introduction ....................................................................2 Community Learning and Development .................... 32 | 9 | Geology and Landscape ........................................... 70 Renfrewshire Council Area .............................................. 3 Colleges and Universities .............................................. 32 Geology ............................................................................71 Libraries ........................................................................... 32 Bedrock Geology .............................................................71 | 2 | Biodiversity..................................................................... 4 Museums ......................................................................... 32 Superficial Deposits ........................................................72 Local Biodiversity Action Plan .........................................5 Sports and Leisure Facilities ......................................... 32 Mineral Deposits ............................................................ 73 Designated Sites ................................................................5 Implemented Developments and Future Projects ....33 Land Capability for Agriculture .....................................74 The Birds Directive ........................................................... 6 Soils .................................................................................. 75 National Designations......................................................7 | 5 | Waste .............................................................................34 Landscape .........................................................................77 Local Designations ........................................................... 9 Baseline Situation .......................................................... 35 Green Belt ....................................................................... 78 Local Nature Reserves ....................................................10 Waste Generation .......................................................... 35 Vacant and Derelict Land .............................................. 78 Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation ............ 11 Waste Disposal ...............................................................38 Woodland ......................................................................... 11 | 10 | Population and Human Health ..............................80 | 6 | Air ....................................................................................40 Population ........................................................................81 | 3 | Historical and Cultural Heritage ............................14 Legislation ........................................................................41 Deprivation .....................................................................82 Archaeological Resource ................................................15 Local Air Pollutants ........................................................42 Health ..............................................................................82 Listed Buildings ...............................................................16 Background Pollutant Concentrations ........................44 Crime ...............................................................................84 Buildings at Risk ..............................................................17 Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) .....................45 Employment ...................................................................84 Conservation Areas .........................................................19 Local Air Quality Management Areas .........................45 Housing ...........................................................................85 Battlefields .......................................................................19 Complaints ...................................................................... 47 Environmental Linkages ................................................88 Historic Gardens and Designed Landscapes ...............19 Measures to Improve Air Quality ................................. 47 Museums and Historical Attractions ..........................20 | 11 | Noise and Light ............................................................89 Townscape Heritage Initiative and | 7 | Water ..............................................................................48 Noise and Nuisance Complaints .................................89 Conservation Regeneration Scheme ............................21 Water Quality .................................................................49 Environmental Noise Complaints ...............................90 River Flow ........................................................................ 53 Candidate Quiet Areas ..................................................90 | 4 | Material Assets ........................................................... 22 Standing water bodies...................................................54 Light Pollution .................................................................91 Recreational Open Space and Green Space ............... 22 Water Pollution ..............................................................54 Regional and Country Parks ......................................... 24 Drinking Water Quality .................................................54 | 12 | Transport ....................................................................... 92 Gleniffer Braes Country Park ........................................ 24 Flooding ........................................................................... 55 Walking and Cycling Trips .............................................93 Allotments ...................................................................... 26 Renfrew North Flood Prevention Scheme ................. 57 Travel to Work / Education ...........................................99 Countryside Access – Core Path Network/Public Car Ownership ..............................................................100 Rights of Way/Cycling Network/Green Network ..... 27 | 8 | Climate Change ...........................................................58 Traffic Growth ..............................................................100 Arts and Craft facilities .................................................. 29 Renfrewshire’s Climate ..................................................58 Transport Network Performance ................................101 Community Centres and Halls ..................................... 29 Climate Change Commitments ...................................60 Transport Emissions ......................................................101 Housing ...........................................................................30 Greenhouse Gas Emissions ...........................................60 Road Safety ................................................................... 102 Primary Schools .............................................................30 Scottish Energy Production and Consumption .........63 Data Gaps/Limitations ................................................ 103 Secondary Schools ..........................................................31 Road and Transport Fuel ............................................... 65 Statutory Quality Bus Partnership ............................ 103 Other Schools ..................................................................31 Ecological and Carbon Footprint ................................. 65 State of the Environment Report | Renfrewshire Council | August 2011 | 1 | | 1 | Introduction This is the first State of the Environment (SoE) Report for the The environmental baseline information attractive and varied rural and urban set out in this report forms the basis for environment. About 20% of the area Renfrewshire Council area and provides a snapshot of the current state the preliminary stage of the SEA process. of Renfrewshire is urbanised with the of the environment of the area. It provides a baseline of environmental The baseline data provides an overview of remainder rural countryside. The land in the information and should be viewed as a starting point to be built upon environmental conditions, allowing the east and north of Renfrewshire, adjacent to key objectives of individual policy areas the main towns, is relatively flat and much as more information becomes available and reporting evolves further. to be appraised against locally identified of it is given over to agricultural uses. The Data has been gathered from internal and external sources, and environmental issues. The use of indicators River Clyde provides the northern boundary where possible data has been gathered over a time series to enable and the analysis of the trends within (and for Renfrewshire and the river valleys of the across) the data sets provides a monitoring White and Black Cart provide important identification of whether there are improvements or deterioration in mechanism with the report that allows corridors. The land rises to the Gleniffer that environmental issue. the Council to monitor the environmental Braes in the south and the Renfrewshire consequence of the individual policies. Hills in the west. The rural area provides The Report is structured around 11 The Environmental Assessment (Scotland) a rich diversity