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£TA - iMiOL/^DS CJETVfS - S o * S' local environment agency plan SEVERN VALE ENVIRONMENTAL OVERVIEW AUGUST 1999 CHELTENHAM under-Edge AVONMOUTH ▼ T En v ir o n m e n t H A g e n c y T All enquiries relating to this document should be made to: The Environment Agency Lower Severn Area Office Riversmeet House North way Lane Newtown Industrial Estate Tewkesbury Gloucestershire GL20 8JG Tel: 01684 850951 Fax: 01684 293599 Sharpness Docks The Severn Vale Local Environment Agency Plan, public registers of environmental information, and a wide variety of publications on the work of the Environment Agency can be gained from our Lower Severn Area office, at the above address. You can also find us at www.environment- agency.gov. uk Severn Vale Environmental Overview August 1999 CONTENTS Maps ........................................................................................................................................iv Tables ............................................................. ...................................................................... ."...v Figures ........................................................................................................................................ vi 1.0 IN T R O D U C T IO N .........................................................................................................1 1.1 Purpose and Scope of the Environmental Overview......................................................1 1.2 Structure of the Environmental Overview...................................................................... 1 1.3 The Severn Vale - Key Details........................................................................................... 3 2.0 L A N D U S E A N D E N V IR O N M E N T A L R E S O U R C E S ..............................6 2.1 Administrative Areas & Land Use Planning................................................................... 6 2.1.1 Development Plans........................................................................................................ 7 2.2 Geology and Topography................................................................................................... 8 2.3 Climate and Hydrology..................................................................................................... 10 2.4 L andU se..............................................................................................................................12 2.4.1 Agriculture and Forestry............................................................................................ 12 2.4.2 Industry and Commerce.............................................................................................15 2.4.3 Minerals..................................................................................................................... 2.4.4 Housing........................................................................................................................ 18 2.4.5 Infrastructure........................................................ .......................................................19 2.4.6 Waste Management Facilities....................................................................................21 2.4.7 Stresses and Strains: Waste Production.....................................................................23 2.4.8 Stresses and Strains: Contaminated Land.................................................................24 t 2.5 Air Quality...........................................................................................................................25 2.5.1 Stresses and Strains: Emissions from Transport.................. ........ :.........................25 2.5.2 Stresses and Strains: Power Generation....................................................................29 2.6 Water Quantity and Q uality............................................................................................30 2.6.1 Water Resources.......................................................................................................... 30 2.6.2 Water Abstraction........................................................................................................31 2.6.2 Water Quality.............................................................................................................. 34 2.6.3 Flood Defence............................................................................................................. 34 2.6.4 Stresses and Strains: Water Demand......................................................................... 37 2.6.5 Stresses and Strains: Climate Change including Sea Level Rise........................... 38 2.6.6 Stresses and Strains: Waste Water Disposal............................•................................39 2.6.7 . Stresses and strains: Surface Water Runoff............................................................. 43 2.6.8 Stresses and Strains: Development in the Flood Plain............................................ 44 2.7 Conservation, Landscape & Heritage Resources......................................................... 45 2.7.1 Countryside Character Areas & Natural Areas................. :..................................... 45 ENVIRONMENT AGENCY Severn Vale Environmental Overview 030395 August 1999 2.7.2 Landscape Designations..............................................................................................49 2.7.4 Nature Conservation Designations............................................................................ 50 2.7.6 Agricultural Incentive Schemes................................................................................53 2.7.7 Archaeology and Cultural Heritage................................................... ....................... 53 2.7.8 Stresses and Strains: Development in Areas of Heritage Interest..........................54 2.7.9 Stresses and Strains: Habitat Loss and Barriers to Species Movement................ 54 2.8 R ecreation............................................................................................................................. 56 2.8.1 Boating and Navigation...............................................................................................58 2.8.2 Canoeing........................................................................................................................ 58 2.8.3 Fishing............................................................................................................................58 2.8.4 Access to Waterways..................................................................................................59 3.0 STATUS OF KEY BIOLOGICAL POPULATIONS, COMMUNITIES AND BIODIVERSITY .............................. ,...................... 61 3.1 Biodiversity Action Plans.................................................................................................. 61 3.1.1 The Role of the Environment Agency.......................................................................61 3.2 Habitats.................................................................................................................................61 3.2.1 Habitats for Which the Environment Agency is the National Contact................. 62 3.2.2 Other Key Habitats for Which the Environment Agency has a Role to Play.......62 3.2.3 Habitats for Which at Present There Is No National Action Plan..........................63 3.3 Species................................................................................................................................... 66 3.3.1 Species for which the Environment Agency is the National Contact Point..........66 3.3.2 Other Key Species for Which the Agency has a Role to Play............................... 69 3.4 Fisheries......................... .......................................................................................................71 4.0 COMPLIANCE WITH ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY S T A N D A R D S , T A R G E T S A N D S T R A T E G IE S .......................................75 4.1 W aste M anagem ent.................................................................................................... 75 4.1.1 The Key Players.......................................................................................................... 75 4.1.2 National Waste Management Strategy..................................................... ................75 4.1.3 Waste Management in the Severn V ale................................................................... 77 4.2 Contam inated L and............................................................................................................80 4.2.1 The Key Players.......................................................................................................... 80 4.2.2 The Contaminated Land Regulations........................................................................80 4.2.3 Environment Agency National Contaminated Land Strategy................................ 80 4.2.4 Contaminated Land Management in the Severn Vale............................................. 81 4.3 Air Q uality........................... ............................................................................................... 82 4.3.1 The Key Players.......................................................................................................... 82 4.3.2 International and European Standards...................................................................... 82 4.3.3 UK National Air Quality Strategy............................................................................