Draft Scoping Report

Sustainability Appraisal & Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Local Development Framework

October 2006

Contents

1. Introduction

2. Sustainable Development and Sustainability Appraisal

3. Sustainability Appraisal Methodology

4. The Scoping Report

5. Stage A1: Review of Plans, Policies and Programmes

6. Stage A2: Sustainability Baseline

7. Stage A3: Sustainability Issues / Environmental Problems

8. Stage A4: Developing the Sustainability Framework

9. Stage A5: Consultation and Next Steps

Appendices

Appendix A The Preparation Process of Development Plan Documents and Supplementary Planning Documents

Appendix B Equality Impact Assessment

Appendix C Relevant Policies, Plans and Programmes

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline

Appendix E Sustainability Issues and Problems

Appendix F Sustainability Objectives

Appendix G Sustainability Appraisal Framework

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006 Tables

Table 1: Documents forming the Local Development Framework

Table 2: Stages in the Sustainability Appraisal process

Table 3: Documents considered during the review of plans, policies and

programmes

Table 4: Summary of review of Baseline Conditions

Table 5: Sustainability Issues in North Warwickshire

Table 6: Suggested Sustainability Objectives for North Warwickshire

Table 7: Compatibility Matrix for Sustainability Objectives

Consultation Questions

Q1: Are there any other plans, policies and programmes that are relevant to North Warwickshire that have not yet been covered?

Q2: Are there any other areas of baseline information relevant to North Warwickshire that should be included?

Q3: Are there any other problems, opportunities or issues that are relevant to North Warwickshire that have not yet been covered?

Q4: Is there anything else that should have been included in this Scoping Report but has not?

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006 1. Introduction

1.1 North Warwickshire Borough Council is currently in the process of developing a Local Development Framework in line with the requirements of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. The Local Development Framework will eventually replace the North Warwickshire Local Plan, which was adopted on 4 July 2006. The Local Development Framework will take the form of a collection of documents (Local Development Documents) which will contain policies and proposals to help guide future development in North Warwickshire.

1.2 The Borough Council has prepared a Local Development Scheme, which is a 3-year project plan, setting out what Local Development Documents the Council intends to prepare over the next three years, including a timetable for their preparation. As new documents are produced in the Local Development Framework, they will replace relevant policies and proposals of the North Warwickshire Local Plan. However, policies contained within the Local Plan are ‘saved’ for 3 years from adoption i.e. they remain valid policies within the development plan for that period.

1.3 The current Local Development Scheme became effective as of 31 July 2006. The Local Development Scheme includes two types of documents:

• Development Plan Documents (DPDs) – which have development plan status, are subject to independent examination and contain various policies and proposals. • Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) – which expand on and provide further information on policies and proposals contained in the DPDs.

1.3 Under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, during preparation of Development Plan Documents and Supplementary Planning Documents, consideration must be given to their potential economic, environmental and social effects. This is undertaken through the production of a sustainability appraisal. Table 1 below sets out the documents that will make up the North Warwickshire Local Development Framework (further information on the timing of the production of these documents is given in the Council’s Local Development Scheme) and highlights whether they require sustainability appraisal under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and Strategic Environmental Assessment under European Directive 2001/42/EC.

Table 1: Documents forming the Local Development Framework Document in the North Sustainability Strategic Warwickshire Local Development Appraisal Environmental Scheme Required? Assessment Required? Local Development Scheme No No Annual Monitoring Report No No Statement of Community Involvement No No Development Plan Documents Yes Yes Proposals Map No No Supplementary Planning Documents Yes Yes

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006

2. Sustainable Development and Sustainability Appraisal

2.1 Sustainable development is a key theme of the new planning system introduced in the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. The phrase was first used in Rio at the Earth Summit in 1992, with the Government subsequently setting out the main themes of sustainable development in ‘A Better Quality of Life: A Strategy for Sustainable Development in the UK’ (1999) as being:

• Maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment • Social progress recognising the needs of everyone • Effective protection of the environment • Prudent use of natural resources

2.2 The Government launched a new sustainable development strategy in 2005, taking account of more recent policy context and following on from the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002. The document highlights 4 priorities for action for the UK:

• Sustainable consumption and production • Climate change • Natural resource protection • Sustainable communities

2.3 The purpose of sustainability appraisal is to promote sustainable development through the integration of social, environmental and economic considerations into the preparation of new or revised Development Plan Documents (DPDs) and Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs). The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 made it compulsory for local authorities to produce sustainability appraisals for new or revised DPDs and SPDs. They must also conduct an environmental assessment in accordance with European Directive 2001/42/EC (known as the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive), which ensures that due consideration is given to environmental issues during the preparation and adoption of plans.

2.4 Whilst the requirement to carry out both a sustainability appraisal and a strategic environmental assessment is mandatory, both pieces of legislation can be satisfied through a single appraisal process. The sustainability appraisal process takes into account the requirements of Strategic Environmental Assessment, but is more wide ranging, giving consideration to impacts on society and the economy as well as those which affect the are environment. Both the SA and the SEA processes help planning authorities fulfill the objective of contributing to the achievement of sustainable development in preparing their plans through a structured assessment of the objectives and core strategies against key sustainability issues.

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006

3. Sustainability Appraisal Methodology

3.1 The methodology for undertaking a sustainability appraisal is set out in the Government guidance ‘Sustainability Appraisal of Regional Spatial Strategies and Local Development Documents’ (2005) taking into account the requirements of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive.

3.2 The sustainability appraisal process is set out into 5 stages, as highlighted in Table 2 below. The table also demonstrates which section of the SEA Regulations applies to each stage of the sustainability appraisal process to ensure that it is clear that the two processes are linked. The final output of the process is a combined Sustainability / Environmental Report.

Table 2: Stages in the sustainability appraisal process Stage In Sustainability Appraisal Process Section in SEA Regulations Stage A: Setting the context and objectives, establishing the baseline and deciding on the scope A1 Identifying other relevant policies, plans and programmes and Article 5 sustainability objectives. Annex 1 (a) (e) A2 Collecting baseline information. Annex 1 (b) (c) A3 Identifying sustainability issues and problems. Annex 1 (d) A4 Developing the SA framework. No Match A5 Consulting on the scope of the SA. Article 5.4 Production of Scoping Report Stage B: developing and refining options and assessing the effects B1 Testing the DPD objectives against the SA framework. Annex 1 (f) B2 Developing the DPD options. No Match B3 Predicting the effects of the DPD. Annex 1 (f) B4 Evaluating the effects of the DPD. Annex 1 (f) B5 Considering ways of mitigating adverse effects and maximising Annex 1 (g) beneficial effects. B6 Proposing measures to monitor the significant effects of Annex 1 (i) implementing the DPDs. Stage C: Preparing the Sustainability Appraisal Report C1 Preparing the SA Report. Article 5 Production of Draft Sustainability / Environmental Report Stage D: Consulting on the preferred options of the DPD and SA report D1 Public participation on the preferred options of the DPD and Article 6 the SA Report. D2(i) Appraising significant changes. Annex 1 (f) D2(ii) Appraising significant changes as a result from Annex 1 (f) representations. D3 Making Decisions and providing information Articles 8 and 9 Production of Final Sustainability / Environmental Report Stage E: Monitoring the significant effects of implementing the DPD E1 Developing aims and methods for monitoring. Article 10 E2 Responding to adverse effects. Article 10

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006 3.3 It is important that the production of the sustainability appraisal is carried out in tandem with work being carried out on the Development Plan Document or Supplementary Planning Document itself. Appendix A shows how sustainability appraisal production ties in with the preparation of Development Plan Documents and Supplementary Planning Documents.

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006

4. The Scoping Report

4.1 The Strategic Environmental Assessment Regulations require that the four consultation bodies1 be consulted when deciding on the scope and level of detail of the information which must be included in the environmental report. Government guidance2 recommends that this should be undertaken using a Scoping Report.

4.2 The Scoping Report will be made more widely available, to others than the four consultation bodies. In this way, any subsequent assessment can take account of issues raised from a wider spectrum of consultees. This will be particularly important when considering social and economic impacts which fall outside the remits of the environmental bodies. The information in this Scoping Report will be revised and updated as work progresses and in light of consultation feedback.

4.3 This Scoping Report has been prepared in accordance with Government guidance3 and presents the findings of the work which has been undertaken in accordance with Stage A of the sustainability appraisal process. The overall purpose of the Scoping Report is to identify baseline sustainability issues and objectives by which to create a Sustainability Appraisal Framework against which Development Plan Documents and Supplementary Planning Documents can be assessed.

Equalities Impact Assessment

4.4 An equality impact assessment is a way of systematically assessing the effects that a policy or proposal will have on an ‘Equalities Group’ such as people from a minority ethnic background, women or disabled people. The main purpose of these assessments is to improve the work of the Council by making sure it does not discriminate in the way that it provides services and employment and that, where possible, it does all it can to promote equality and good relations between different groups.

4.5 An initial Equalities Impact Assessment has been carried out on this scoping report and the results of this are attached as Appendix B. The process will be repeated when the Council begins work on the Sustainability / Environmental Report.

1 Countryside Agency, English Heritage, English Nature, and the Environment Agency 2 ODPM (2005) Sustainability Appraisal of Regional Spatial Strategies and Local Development Documents, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, London 3 ODPM (2005) Sustainability Appraisal of Regional Spatial Strategies and Local Development Documents, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, London

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006 5. Stage A1: Review of Plans, Policies and Programmes (Article 5 and Annex I (a) and (e) of the SEA Regulations)

5.1 A review has been undertaken of relevant plans, policies and programmes in accordance with Stage A1 of the sustainability appraisal process. The purpose of the review is to take account of the relationships between these documents and the Development Plan Document or Supplementary Planning Document that the Council is producing and ensures that the sustainability objectives of the scoping report are not in conflict with those which are in other relevant documents.

5.2 A list of all of the documents considered in the review can be found in Table 3 below. A more comprehensive look at the full findings of the review is set out in Appendix C. For each relevant document, the overall aim and purpose of the document was highlighted, alongside its more general objectives. Following on from this, consideration is given to any targets in the document which are relevant to the Local Development Framework, together with any particular issues or objectives which the Sustainability Appraisal needs to take into account.

Table 3: Documents considered during the review of Plans, Policies and Programmes International Level Plans, Policies and Programmes Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat Bonn Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats The Convention on Biological Diversity Kyoto Protocol to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change The World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg - Commitments arising from the Johannesburg Summit

European Level Plans, Policies and Programmes Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds (The Birds Directive) EU Waste Framework Directive EU Nitrates Directive Conservation of Natural Habitats and Wild Fauna and Flora (The Habitats Directive) EU Directive on Ambient Air Quality and Management European Biodiversity Strategy EU Waste to Landfill Directive EU Directive Establishing a Framework for the Community Action in the Field of Water Policy (The Water Framework Directive) Aarhus Convention EU Directive to Promote Electricity from Renewable Energy Environment 2010: Our Future, Our Choice – EU Sixth Environmental Action Programme Renewed EU Sustainable Development Strategy

National Level Plans, Policies and Programmes Planning Policy Statement 1: Delivering Sustainable Development Planning Policy Guidance 2: Green Belts Planning Policy Guidance 3: Housing Planning Policy Guidance 4: Industrial, Commercial Development and Small Firms

Planning Policy Statement 6: Planning for Town Centres Planning Policy Statement 7: Sustainable Development in Rural Areas Planning Policy Statement 8: Biodiversity and Geological Conservation

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006 National Level Plans, Policies and Programmes …continued Planning Policy Statement 10: Planning for Sustainable Waste Management Planning Policy Statement 12: Local Development Frameworks Planning Policy Guidance 13: Transport Planning Policy Guidance 14: Development on Unstable Land Planning Policy Guidance 15: Planning and the Historic Environment Planning Policy Guidance 16: Archaeology and Planning Planning Policy Guidance 17: Planning for Open Space, Sport and Recreation Planning Policy Guidance 21: Tourism Planning Policy Statement 22: Renewable Energy Planning Policy Statement 23: Planning and Pollution Control Planning Policy Guidance 24: Planning and Noise Planning Policy Guidance 25: Development and Flood Risk Wildlife and Countryside Act (as amended) UK Biodiversity Action Plan A better Quality of Life, A Strategy for Sustainable Development for the UK England Forestry Strategy The Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: Working Together for Clean Air By Design: Urban Design in the Planning System – Towards Better Practice Countryside and Rights of Way Act (CRoW) Out Towns and Cities: The Future – Delivering an Urban Renaissance – Urban White Paper Ten year Plan UK Waste Strategy Our Countryside: The Future – A Fair Deal for Rural England (Rural White Paper) The Historic Environment: A Force for Our Future Water Resources for the Future – A Strategy for England and Wales Education and Skills: Delivering Results, a Strategy to 2006 Working with the Grain of Nature: A Biodiversity Strategy for England The Future of Air Transport – White Paper and the Civil Aviation Bill Tackling Health Inequalities – A Programme for Action Our Energy Future – Creating a Low Carbon Economy (Energy White Paper) Choosing Health: Making Healthy Choices Easier The Future of Transport: A Network for 2030 (White Paper) The First Soil Action Plan for England: 2004-2006 Safer Places: The Planning System and Crime Prevention England Rural Strategy Cleaner, Safer, Greener: Streets for All Securing the Future – UK Government Sustainable Development Strategy Making Design Policy Work – How to Deliver Good Design Through Your Local Development Framework Climate Change: The UK Programme 2006

Regional Level (West Midlands) Plans, Policies and Programmes West Midlands Regional Innovation Strategy Regional Cultural Strategy Cultural Life in the West Midlands – A Call For Action Delivering Advantage: The West Midlands Regional Economic Strategy and Action Plan 2004-2010 West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy West Midlands Regional Energy Strategy West Midlands Regional Forestry Framework

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006 West Midlands Visitor Economy Strategy Restoring the Region’s Wildlife: The Regional Biodiversity Strategy for the West Midlands West Midlands Regional Housing Strategy Sign Up For Sport – A Regional Plan for Sport in the West Midlands Rural Renaissance – Advantage West Midlands Rural Framework Enriching Our Region: An Environmental Manifesto for the West Midlands Rural Renaissance: Advantage West Midlands’ Rural Framework Regional Sustainable Development Framework Water Resources Strategy for the West Midlands

Sub-Regional (Warwickshire) Level Plans, Policies and Programmes Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Solihull and Coventry – A Framework for Rural Action Warwickshire Local Transport Plan Warwickshire Waste Local Plan Warwickshire Minerals Local Plan Warwickshire Landscape Guidelines Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull Local Biodiversity Action Plan An Engine For Growth – The Economic Regeneration Strategy for the Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire Sub-Region

Local (North Warwickshire) Level Plans, Policies and Programmes North Warwickshire Borough Council Housing Needs Survey North Warwickshire Borough Council Housing Strategy North Warwickshire Borough Council Economic Strategy North Warwickshire Framework for Sustainable Rural Action and Delivery Plan North Warwickshire Sustainable Community Plan North Warwickshire Corporate Plan

Consultation Question

Q1: Are there any other plans, policies and programmes that are relevant to North Warwickshire that have not yet been covered?

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006

6. Stage A2: Sustainability Baseline (Annex I (b) and (c) of the SEA Regulations)

7.1 By creating a sustainability baseline, it provides a basis for the prediction and monitoring of effects. It also assists in the identification of sustainability problems and alternative ways of dealing with them.

7.2 The Strategic Environmental Assessment Regulations set out a number of sustainability issues on which information should be collected. As sustainability appraisal also requires consideration of social and economic issues, for the purpose of this Scoping Report two other issues ‘society and accessibility’ and ‘economy, employment and skills’ have been included. The topic areas by which the baseline information has been collected are as follows:

• Population and Demographics • Biodiversity, Fauna and Flora • Society and Accessibility • Human Health • Economy, Employment and Skills • Geology and Soils • Water • Air • Climatic Factors • Material Assets and Resources • Cultural Heritage • Landscape • Transport

7.3 Information has been collected on a variety of subjects within the above topic areas. Table 4 below summarised the information that has been collected, whilst the full baseline study results are set out in Appendix D.

7.4 Currently there are a number of data gaps. It is expected that it is still possible to fill some of these gaps, and information collected during the consultation period may assist in this. It may not be possible to fill all of these data gaps as data at a local level may not yet be available for all indicators. A more thorough examination of data gaps will be included in this document once it has been out for consultation.

Consultation Question

Q2: Are there any other areas of baseline information relevant to North Warwickshire that should be included?

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006 Table 4: Summary of Review of Baseline Conditions

Population North Comparators North Date Warwickshire West Warwickshire Source Target Indicator Warwickshire Data Midlands Trend Increased from Population 61,860 505,860 5,267,308 - 60,747 in 1991 Decreased from Males 49.2% 49.1% 48.9% -

er 49.6% in 1991

Gend Increased from Females 50.8% 50.9% 51.1% - 50.4% in 1991 Decreased from Population under 18 22.3% 21.9% - - 22.6% in 1991 2001 Census Increased from www.warwickshire.gov.uk/research Age Population 75 and over 6.6% 7.6% - - 2001 5.5% in 1991 and www.statistics.gov.uk (trend information taken from 1991 Largest Age Groups 30 - 44 30 - 44 - 30 – 44 in 1991 Census) - Decreased from White 98.74% 95.58% - - 99.2% in 1991

in Mixed 0.52% 0.79% - - - g Increased from Asian or Asian British 0.49% 2.81% - - 0.4% in 1991 Decreased from

Ethnic ori Black or Black British 0.19% 0.40% - - 0.2% in 1991 Chinese or Other 0.16% 0.43% - - -

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006 Biodiversity, Fauna and Flora North Comparators North Date Warwickshire West Warwickshire Source Target Indicator Warwickshire Data Midlands Trend Number of SSSI’s 13 62 447 - -

t % of SSSI’s in 49.33 77.68 36.64 - Favourable Condition English Nature’s

Interes % of SSSI’s in Unfavourable 18.87 10.16 34.81 - National Public ) Condition, Recovering ientific Service 2006 English Nature Agreement % of SSSI’s in www.english-nature.org.uk

ial Sc target is for (SSSI’s Unfavourable 12.55 2.00 23.48 - Condition, No Change 95% of % of SSSI’s in SSSI’s to be favourable/ of Spec Unfavourable 19.25 10.16 4.71 - Condition, Declining recovering

Sites by 2010. % of SSSI’s Destroyed 0.00 0.00 0.00 - / Part Destroyed Local Biodiversity Action Plan - ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Species Local Biodiversity Action Plan - ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Habitats Number of Local English Nature 2006 0 18 128 - Increase Nature Reserves www.english-nature.org.uk Number of designated Increase Sites of Importance for number of 2006 46 ? - - Warwickshire Museum Field Services Nature Conservation designated (SINCs) sites Number of Ecosites 2006 328 2871 - - Increase Warwickshire Museum Field Services Non Statutory Sites Non Statutory Area of Ecosites 2006 1419.94 ha 11952.49 ha - - Increase

North Warwickshire Borough Council Number of Country Parks 2006 4 8 - - - Warwickshire County Council

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006 North Comparators North Indicator Date Warwickshire West Warwickshire Source Target Warwickshire Data Midlands Trend Heritage Counts: The State of the Number of Registered Parks 2005 2 31 153 - West Midlands Historic Environment - and Gardens 2005 www.english-heritage.org.uk Society and Accessibility Housing Structure Plan Monitoring Briefing Increase by Note 2005/1 House Prices in 2004 Average House Price £157,110 £193,056 £156,420 19.2% from Warwickshire (2004, Quarter 4) Reduce Q4 2003 Q4 www.warwickshire.gov.uk and the Land Registry www.landreg.gov.uk Ratio in Warwickshire RSS Review Section 4(4) Briefing as a whole Note – analysis of the level of Mean House Price to Mean 2005 5.44 5.70 - has been housing affordability in Staffordshire Reduce Income Ratio increasing and the West Midlands since the late www.wmra.gov.uk 1990s The Local plan target is for maximum *West Midlands RSS Annual of 1,850 2004/ Down from Monitoring Report 2005 Housing Completions 117** 2,569* 18,676* dwellings to 5 125 in 2003/4 www.wmra.gov.uk and **NWBC be completed Annual Monitoring Report 2004-5 in the plan period 2001- 2011 Requirement *West Midlands RSS Annual in Local Plan Affordable Housing Down from 6 Monitoring Report 2005 2004/5 2** 497* 2,925* for 40% of all Completions in 2003/4 www.wmra.gov.uk and **NWBC new units to Annual Monitoring Report 2004-5 be affordable

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006 North Comparators North Date Warwickshire Warwickshire Source Target Indicator West Data Warwickshire Trend Midlands Owner Occupied 75.4% 75.6% 69% 73% in 1991 - Rented from Local 12.7% 9.2% 14% 17.9% in 1991 - Authority 2001 Census www.statistics.gov.uk Rented from 2001 2.8% 5.1% 6% 1.1% in 1991 (trend information taken from 1991 - Housing Association Census) Private Landlord 6.3% 7.0% 10% - 8% in 1991 Household Tenure Tenure Household Other 2.7% 3.1% 1% - By 2007, 66% reduction in homes not Council Properties 2006 16.7% ? - ? meeting Decent North Warwickshire Sustainable Homes Communities Plan 2006 - 2009 Target Private Rented 2006 14.8% ? - ? - Properties Unsuitable Housing Housing Unsuitable Owner-occupied 2006 5.0% ? - ? - Properties Crime Decreased Domestic Burglary 11.3 12.4 14.3 since 2003/4 per 1,000 households from 15.5 Reduce by Decreased 16.75% by Violent Crime per Quality of Life in Warwickshire 2005 2004/5 10.3 14.2 23.0 since 2003/4 2007/8 1,000 population www.warwickshire.gov.uk/qualityoflife 4 from 13.5 period

Crime Rates Rates Crime Decreased Vehicle Crime per 14.0 13.0 13.0 since 2003/4 1,000 population from18.7

4 North Warwickshire Crime & Disorder & Drugs Misuse Reduction Strategy 2005-2008

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006 North Comparators North Date Warwickshire Warwickshire Source Target Indicator West Data Warwickshire Trend Midlands Having their home Up from 61% in broken Into and 65% 61% - 2004 something stolen

Warwickshire County Council Public Reduce fear Being physically 2005 Up from 39% in Satisfaction Survey, January 2005 – of crime by 43% 50% - 5 attacked by strangers 2004 www.warwickshire.gov.uk 3% worried about: about: worried Fear of Crime % of Crime Fear of

respondents very or fairly very or respondents Having their car Up from 54% in 61% 50% - stolen 2004 Decrease 2 Super Output Areas are within the 25 most Index of Multiple Deprivation 2004 in number of IMD Crime 2004 deprived in Warwickshire: Curdworth & Wishaw - Warwickshire report deprived (23rd) and Corley (24th) www.warwickshire.gov.uk SOAs Accessibility 2 Super Output Areas are within the 25 most deprived in Warwickshire: Atherstone Central Income Centre (7th) and Mancetter South and Ridge Decrease Lane (12th). Index of Multiple Deprivation 2004 in number of 3 Super Output Areas are within the 25 most Warwickshire report deprived Geographical Access deprived in Warwickshire: Marston & Water www.warwickshire.gov.uk SOAs Deprivation Deprivation to Key Services Park (8th), New Arley South & Over Whitacre Index of Multiple Index of Multiple (14th) and Fillongley & the Packingtons (21st) Mean Household Increased by 2004 £28,900 £32,000 £25,100 Increase Income Levels 8.2% from 2002 % Households Household Income Levels in Earning Less than 13.4% 11.1% ? ? Decrease Warwickshire Research Report Feb £10,000 2005

Income 2005 www.warwickshire.gov.uk % Households Household Household Earning Less than 5.0% 4.1% ? ? Decrease £5,000

5 North Warwickshire Sustainable Community Plan 2006 – 2009

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006 Human Health

North Comparators North Indicator Date Warwickshire Warwickshire Source Target West Data Warwickshire Trend Midlands Males Males 76.3 Life Expectancy at Birth July 75.9 Females - - - (years) 2003 Females 80.3 80.6 - Standard Mortality Ratios 2003 109 98 104 Decrease

% of People who 67.85 69.91 67.21 - www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk Increase

th have Good Health % of People who have Fairly Good April 22.98 21.96 23.06 - Increase

ral Heal Health 2001 % of People who do

Gene not Have Good 9.17 8.13 9.73 - Decrease Health National Coronary Heart 112.5 per 96.5 per Decreased target to Disease and 100,000 100,000 - from 118.2 in reduce by < 75 Strokes population population 1993 Research Report – North two fifths by Illness in Illness Warwickshire Health Indicators, 2010 2001 January 2004 National e aged 106.24 per 110.79 per Increased www.warwickshire.gov.uk target to nces of Cancer 100,000 100,00 - from 92.33 in reduce by peopl population population 1993 one fifth by Incide 2010 Number of People with April 11,350 84,795 993,458 Long Term Limiting Illness - www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk Decrease 2001 (18.4%) (16.8%) (18.9%) (percentage of population) 2 Super Output Areas are within the 25 most Decrease Index of Multiple Deprivation 2004 in deprived in Warwickshire: Atherstone Central - number of IMD Health 2004 Warwickshire report Centre (8th) and New Arley West & Old Arley deprived www.warwickshire.gov.uk (23rd) SOAs

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006 Economy, Employment and Skills North Comparators North Indicator Date Warwickshire West Warwickshire Source Target Warwickshire Data Midlands Trend Has remained relatively flat in Unemployment (Number of 582 4,701 96,358 May the period 2003- Quality of Life in Warwickshire 2005 people claiming Job Seekers individuals individuals individuals Reduce 2005 2004, fluctuating www.warwickshire.gov.uk/qualityoflife Allowance) (1.5%) (1.5%) (3.0%) between 1.4% and 1.5%. % of people aged 16-74 who Reduced from 68.1% 68.1% - - are economically active 78.6% in 1991 Agriculture, hunting, 1.8% 1.8% - - - forestry and Fishing Mining & Quarrying 0.6% 0.2% - - - Manufacturing 20.2% 19.2% - - - Electricity, gas & water 1.0% 0.9% - - - supply Construction 7.6% 5.8% - - - Wholesale & Retail trade; repair of motor 17.0% 17.1% - - - vehicles 2001 Census Hotels and Catering 2001 4.8% 4.8% - - www.warwickshire.gov.uk/research - Transport Storage and 10.2% 7.3% - - - Communication Financial 3.1% 3.3% - - - Intermediation

Industry of Employment of Employment Industry Real Estate, renting 10.6% 13.5% - - - and business activities Public administration 3.8% 4.2% - - - and defence Education 6.9% 7.9% - - - Health and Social Work 8.4% 9.4% - - - Other 4.0% 4.6% - - -

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006 North Comparators North Date Warwickshire West Warwickshire Source Target Indicator Warwickshire Data Midlands Trend Floorspace Developed Warwickshire 2

for B1/B2 Industry 9321m ? - - Structure Employment Use Plan has Floorspace Developed target for 279

pment 2 - for B1 Offices 6319m ? - hectares of

velo industrial land Employment Use North Warwickshire Borough Council in the period Floorspace Developed 2004/5 Annual Monitoring Report 2004-5 for B8 Storage / 2 1996-2001.

ent De 4867m ? - - www.northwarks.gov.uk Warehousing Monitoring Employment Use indicates that Employment Land Lost this level of provision has

Employm to Residential 1.25ha ? - - Development already been exceeded. Mean Gross Annual Wage Increase from £22,640 £22,261 £21,004 - (workplace) £20,863 in 2004 Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2005 Mean Gross Annual Wage Increase from (ASHE) www.statistics.gov.uk £23,061 £25,213 £21,174 - (residence) £20,719 in 2004

% of 16-74 year olds with qualifications at 14.2% 20.7% 16.2% - Increase degree level or higher 2001 Census – North Warwickshire 2001 District and Warwickshire Profiles

www.warwickshire.gov.uk/research % of 16-74 year olds 34.2% 27.8% 34% - Reduce with no qualifications

Qualifications Qualifications

% of pupils achieving 62% by 45.2% 54% - - 2001 Census 5+ GCSE grades A* -C 2007

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006

North Comparators North Indicator Date Warwickshire West Warwickshire Source Target Warwickshire Data Midlands Trend 2 Super Output Areas are within the 25 most deprived in Warwickshire: Atherstone Central Employment 2004 - Centre (4th) and Mancetter South & Ridge Lane (19th) 4 Super Output Areas are within the 25 most deprived in Warwickshire: Mancetter South Education, Skills and 2004 and Ridge Lane (8th), Atherstone Central - Training Centre (14th), Atherstone North St Georges & Decrease Carlyon (15th) and Dordon Village (25th) Index of Multiple Deprivation 2004 in number of 3 Super Output Areas are within the 25 most Warwickshire deprived deprived in Warwickshire: Mancetter South & www.warwickshire.gov.uk SOAs Educational Attainment Ridge Lane (11th), New Arley East, Hill Top & - Ansley (22nd) and Atherstone Central Centre (23rd) 2004

Index of Multiple Deprivation Deprivation Index of Multiple 3 Super Output Areas are within the 25 most deprived in Warwickshire: Mancetter South & Skills Ridge Lane (4th), Atherstone North St Georges - & Carlyon (8th), Atherstone Central Centre (9th) and Dordon Village (11th) Geology and Soils Best and Most Versatile ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Agricultural Land

Derelict Land ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Contaminated Land ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Number of Regionally Important Geological and 2006 20 86 ? ? Warwickshire Museum Field Services Geomorphological Sites

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006

Water North Comparators North Indicator Date Warwickshire West Warwickshire Source Target Warwickshire Data Midlands Trend % of rivers achieving Decreased from good or fair chemical 73% - 91% 75% in 2003 ?

y quality % of rivers achieving Increased from good or fair biological 90% - 89% 83% in 2003 ?

r Qualit quality E-Digest Statistics About Inland 2004 % of rivers with high Remained the Water Quality and Use

nitrate concentration 71% - 63% same since 2003 www.defra.gov.uk ? e Wate (relative to other rivers) % of rivers with high Remained the

Surfac phosphate same since 2003 77% - 73% ? concentration (relative to other rivers) Ground Water ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Air Number of Air Quality 2006 1 5 34 - www.airquality.co.uk Reduce Management Areas (AQMAs) Air Quality ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Climatic Factors 43.061 1.255 million 5.666 million Local and Regional CO Emissions Total CO Emissions 2003 million ? 2 ? 2 tonnes tonnes Estimates for 2003 www.defra.gov.uk tonnes Regional Sustainable Development Planning Applications Given Framework www.wmra.gov.uk and Permission Against 2004/5 0 ? 11 ? ? NWBC Annual Monitoring Report Environment Agency Advice 2004-5 www.northwarks.gov.uk % of New Homes Built in ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Flood Zone

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006 North Comparators North Date Warwickshire West Warwickshire Source Target Indicator Warwickshire Data Midlands Trend

m Increased from d Domestic 317 7235 - ? 297 in Jan 2005 ediu ses s

: Zone n i

dre

Increased from Risk Floo d Non-Domestic Sept 104 1116 - ? e

Low - M 94 in Jan 2005 t

a 2005 c o d Increased from Warwickshire County Council Quality L Domestic 131 4296 - Reduce 69 in Jan 2005 est of Life in Warwickshire Report 2005 www.warwickshire.gov.uk/qualityoflife Estimated Ad Estimated Zone Increased from High Non-Domestic 47 754 - Reduce

Risk Floo 32 in Jan 2005

Premises Number of 133 604 - ? Increase? Benefiting Domestic Sept from Flood 2005 Defence Number of 9 385 - ? Increase? Systems Non-Domestic

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006 Material Assets and Resources Minerals North Comparators North Indicator Date Warwickshire West Warwickshire Source Target Warwickshire Data Midlands Trend Amount of construction and demolition waste used as 2003 ? 4.29 tonnes ? ? ? recycled aggregate

d Active 1 3 17 (2003) ? ? he ck us Ro r Inactive 1 5 10 (2003) ? ? C s Active 2 7 57 (2003) ? ? el

v 2005

Gra Sand & Inactive 1 2 43 (2003) ? Minerals and Waste Development ? Framework Annual Monitoring Report Minerals Site Minerals Active 1 3 ? ? 2004/5 www.warwickshire.gov.uk ? -

gate

Non Inactive 0 0 ? ? ? Aggre

Coal Production (tonnes) 2004/5 2,997,425 2,997,425 2,997,425 ? ?

s 0.83 million 9.56 million Sand and Gravel ? ? ? tonnes tonnes gate

ction of 2003

Primary 0.70 million 5.43 million Crushed Rock ? ? ? Aggre tonnes tonnes Produ

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006

North Comparators North Indicator Date Warwickshire West Warwickshire Source Target Warwickshire Data Midlands Trend Waste Decreased by Waste Production (kg per 2004/5 560 519 - 31kg from ? head) 2003/4 period Increased by % Waste Recycled 2004/5 11.90 14.01 - 0.19% from Warwickshire County Council ? 2003/4 period Increased by % Waste Composted 2004/5 10.84 13.77 - 0.21% from ? 2003/4 period Energy National target for 10% of energy to be Capacity of Electricity from ? 2004 No Data ? 174.5MW RSS Annual Monitoring Report 2005 generated Renewable Sources from renewable sources by 2010 BREEAM Rated Buildings ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006 North Comparators North Date Warwickshire West Warwickshire Source Target Indicator Warwickshire Data Midlands Trend Efficient Use of Land Resources Local Plan Housing built at a policy Density Below 30 60% 22% 18% ? requires that Dwellings / Ha development should not ity

s Housing built at a North Warwickshire Borough Council be below 30 Density of 30 – 50 11% 38% 38% ? Annual Monitoring Report 2004-5 dwellings Dwellings / Ha

g Den 2004/5 www.northwarks.gov.uk and RSS per hectare.

in Annual Monitoring Report 2005 A minimum s www.wmra.gov.uk density of 50

Hou Housing built at a dwellings Density of more than 29% 40% 44% ? per hectare 50 Dwellings / Ha is promoted within town centres % of Floorspace Developed for B1/B2

? Industry Use on 94% ? ? Warwickshire Previously Developed Structure

pment Land Plan target to % of Floorspace

velo provide 62% Developed for B1 North Warwickshire Borough Council ? of new Offices Use on 2004/5 90% ? ? Annual Monitoring Report 2004-5 employment www.northwarks.gov.uk ent De Previously Developed development Land on previously % of Floorspace developed Developed for B8 ? land Employm Storage/ Warehousing 96% ? ?

Use on Previously Developed Land

Development in Green Belt ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006

Cultural Heritage North Comparators North Indicator Date Warwickshire West Warwickshire Source Target Warwickshire Data Midlands Trend Number of Scheduled Ancient 2005 29 180 1,421 ? Heritage Counts: The State of the ? Monuments West Midlands Historic Environment Number of Listed Buildings 2005 586 5992 34,307 ? 2005 www.english-heritage.org.uk ? No change from English Heritage Buildings at Risk Number of Buildings at Risk 2006 9 20 193 Reduce 2005 Register www.english-heritage.org.uk Heritage Counts: The State of the Number of Conservation Areas 2005 10 134 751 ? West Midlands Historic Environment ? 2005 www.english-heritage.org.uk Draft Atherstone Number of Conservation Area 1 ? ? Appraisal North Warwickshire Borough Council Increase Appraisals Completed published 2006 2006 Number of Conservation Area Management Reports 0 - - - North Warwickshire Borough Council Increase Completed Landscape ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Transport

l l a nt)

f o Increased from % oyme ( Car 77.18% 73.51% 69.53% Decrease 73.3% in 1991 k r Wo

o in empl T 4 2001

l Census 2001 www.statistics.gov.uk

e v 16-7 a r T

f

o Decreased from Public Transport 4.58% 4.87% 10.82% Increase d

e aged 7.3% in 1991 o h t e M peopl

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006 North Comparators North Indicator Date Warwickshire West Warwickshire Source Target Warwickshire Data Midlands Trend

Percentage of Households Decreased from 2001 17.9% 19% - Census 2001 www.statistics.gov.uk ? without a car 23.2% in 1991

The development Number of Existing Railway 2005 3 ? ? of Coleshill North Warwickshire Borough Council Stations in North Warwickshire Parkway Transport Increase Number of Existing Bus Interchange is Routes Serving North 2005 17 ? ? currently Warwickshire County Council Warwickshire underway

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006

7. Stage A3: Sustainability Issues / Problems (Annex I (d) of the SEA Regulations)

7.1 Stage A3 of the Sustainability Appraisal process requires the identification of Sustainability Issues that may affect North Warwickshire. A number of sources of information have assisted in the identification of sustainability issues and problems relevant to North Warwickshire. These include the review of plans, policies and programmes in Stage A1, the collection of sustainability baseline data at State A2 and discussion between planning officers, based on past experience. Information gathered through consultation on the Scoping Report may result in new issues being identified.

7.2 Table 5 below summarises the key sustainability issues and problems which have been identified as being relevant in North Warwickshire. Further detailed information and discussion on the issues can be found in Appendix E.

Table 5: Sustainability Issues in North Warwickshire North Warwickshire Sustainability Issues An aging population coupled with a declining birth rate Loss of the 15-29 year old age group The need to improve the condition of SSSIs The need to protect statutory and non statutory sites designated for their nature conservation value The need to protect Biodiversity, including the species and habitats which are listed in the Biodiversity Action Plan The need to protect North Warwickshire’s Country Parks and Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest Housing affordability Improvement of unsuitable properties Reducing Crime Reducing the Fear of Crime Access to key services, especially for residents in the more isolated rural areas of the Borough Income deprivation and low income levels Mortality rates higher than the national average Health deprivation Employment deprivation ad mismatch between skills and job opportunities Over provision of employment land compared to the target in the Warwickshire Structure Plan Low levels of qualification and educational attainment Protection of Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphological Sites (RIGs) Improving River Quality Air quality around the Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) Reducing carbon dioxide emissions Flooding risk The need to reduce waste production Increasing levels of recycling and composting Reliance on Fossil Fuels for Energy Generation

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006

Consultation Question

Q3: Are there any other problems, opportunities or issues that are relevant to North Warwickshire that have not yet been covered?

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006 8. Stage A4: Developing the Sustainability Framework

8.1 The development of a sustainability framework is central to the sustainability appraisal process. It provides a way in which sustainability effects can be described, analysed and compared. The sustainability framework consists of a number of sustainability objectives which should be (where possible) expressed in the form of targets, the achievement of which is measurable using indicators.

8.2 The sustainability objectives provide a way of checking whether the objectives of the Development Plan Document or Supplementary Planning Document are the best possible ones for sustainability and can be seen as a methodological ‘yardstick’ against which the social, environmental and economic effects of a plan can be tested.

8.3 The starting point for identifying a draft list of sustainability objectives specific to North Warwickshire was the objectives considered in the West Midlands Regional Sustainability Development Framework 2006 (shown in Appendix F). Officers considered the Regional objectives alongside information contained within the North Warwickshire Sustainable Community Plan and previous experience of the issues in North Warwickshire. The suggested sustainability objectives for North Warwickshire are shown in Table 6 below, alongside an indication of which SEA Directive issue the sustainability objective is linked to.

Table 6: Suggested Sustainability Objectives for North Warwickshire Relevant SEA North Warwickshire Sustainability Objectives Directive Issue Equal access to services, facilities and opportunities for all, 1 regardless of income, age, health, disability, culture or Population ethnic origin. Developing and supporting vibrant and active communities 2 and voluntary groups, who are able to express their needs Population and take steps towards meeting them. Tackling health inequalities and improve health by 3 supporting local communities and by improving access and Human Health raising awareness Providing decent and affordable housing to meet local 4 Population needs. 5 Reducing crime, fear of crime and antisocial behaviour. Population Providing opportunities to participate in recreational and 6 Human Health cultural activities. Valuing, enhancing and protecting the assets of the natural 7 environment of North Warwickshire, including landscape Landscape character. Valuing, enhancing and protecting the quality and 8 distinctiveness of the built environment, including the Cultural Heritage cultural heritage. Valuing, enhancing and protecting the biodiversity of North Biodiversity, Fauna 9 Warwickshire and Flora

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006 Relevant SEA North Warwickshire Sustainability Objectives Directive Issue Ensuring development makes efficient use of previously 10 developed land, buildings and existing physical Material Assets infrastructure in sustainable locations. Maintaining the resources of air, water and productive soil, 11 Soil, Water and Air minimising pollution levels. Minimising North Warwickshire’s contribution to the causes 12 of climate change whilst implementing a managed Climatic Factors response to its unavoidable impacts. Reducing overall energy use through sustainable design, 13 increasing energy efficiency and increasing the proportion Material Assets of energy generated from renewable sources. 14 Using natural resources efficiently Material Assets Increasing use of public transport, cycling and walking and 15 - reducing use of the private car. Encouraging and enabling waste minimisation, reuse, 16 recycling and recovery to divert resources away from the Material Assets waste stream. 17 Encouraging local sourcing of goods and materials. Material Assets Creation of a modern, healthy and diverse economy which 18 is able to adapt to changes in the wider economy while Human Health remaining relevant to the needs of local people. Maintaining and enhancing employment opportunities and 19 reducing the disparities arising from unequal access to - jobs. Ensuring that people of all ages are provided with the 20 opportunity to obtain the skills, knowledge, confidence and - understanding to achieve their full potential.

8.4 Once the sustainability objectives had been drawn up, their compatibility with each other was considered. The compatibility matrix is shown in Table 6 below. At this stage it is important to identify if there are any potential conflicts between the sustainability objectives. One of the roles of the Sustainability Appraisal therefore is to predict the level of potential incompatibilities and suggest possible measures to minimise these conflicts.

8.5 As can be seen from Table 6 below, many of the sustainability objectives are compatible or have no apparent incompatibility. However, there are some objectives that are showing an incompatibility with each other, in particular

• Incompatibilities between Objective 18 (Creation of a modern, healthy and diverse economy which is able to adapt to changes in the wider economy while remaining relevant to the needs of local people) and those objectives concerned with protection of environmental assets, resource use and climate change.

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006 • Incompatibilities between Objective 4 (Providing decent and affordable housing to meet local needs) and many of the objectives concerned with protection of environmental assets, resource use and climate change.

At this stage, these two objectives will remain within the list of sustainability objectives for North Warwickshire, but the incompatibility issues will have to be addressed in the sustainability / environmental report.

Table 7: Compatibility Matrix for the Sustainability Objectives

Sustainability Objectives 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 9 9 9 19 9 9 9 9 9 9 18 9 9 X X X X X X X X X 17 9 9 9 9 9 9 16 9 X 9 9 9 9 9 15 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 14 X 9 9 9 9 13 X 9 9 12 X 9 11 9 9 9 9 9 10 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 X 9 8 9 9 9 Sustainability Objectives 7 9 X 9

6 9 9 Key: 5 9 9 X Likely Tension / Incompatibility 4 9 9 9 Likely Compatibility

3 9 No Apparent Link 2 1

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006 8.6 The final part of this section of the scoping report involves bringing all of the information gained together in the sustainability framework. The sustainability framework is shown in Appendix G. This considers each sustainability objective in turn, giving criteria by which the objective can be achieved and the possible indicators that could be used to assess this.

Consultation Question

Q4: Is there anything else that should have been included in this Scoping Report but has not?

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006 9. Stage A5: Consultation and Next Steps (Article 5.4 of the SEA Regulations)

9.1 In order to comply with the requirements of the SEA Regulations, the Council will consult the following four bodies on the Scoping Report.

• Countryside Agency • English Heritage • English Nature • Environment Agency

9.2 However, it is important that the Council consults more widely than the four bodies outlined above in order to gain views which encompass the economical, environmental and social factors of sustainability. The Council will therefore consult with a variety of organisations.

9.3 Following on from the consultation, the Council will take on board the comments received and amend the document accordingly. The Scoping Report will continue to be updated as additional consultation comments are submitted through the Sustainability Appraisal process and development of the Local Development Framework

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006

North Warwickshire Local Development Framework Draft Scoping Report: August 2006 Appendix A The Preparation Process of Development Plan Documents and Supplementary Planning Documents

Figures are taken from ODPM (2004) PPS12: Local Development Frameworks

The Development Plan Document Process

Appendix A: The preparation process of Development Plan Documents and Supplementary Planning Documents A1

The Supplementary Planning Document Process

Appendix A: The preparation process of Development Plan Documents and Supplementary Planning Documents A2

Appendix B: Equality Impact Assessment

Initial Equality Impact Assessment

Section Forward Planning Officer responsible for the assessment Dorothy Barratt (undertaken with Jodie Ball)

Name of Policy to be Sustainability Appraisal - Scoping Date of Assessment 080806 Is this a new or existing New assessed Report policy?

1 Briefly describe the aims, objectives and The initial scooping report sets out what areas we should be looking at to assess sustainability purpose of the policy. in relation to the development of policies.

2 Are there any associated objectives of the policy? Please explain.

3 Who is intended to benefit from this policy, • We are – so that areas are identified that we have not covered in the scooping report and in what way? • Community – to understand more clearly the type of issues contribute to a sustainable community 4 What outcomes are wanted from this policy? • Better understanding of the impacts on certain factors from other policies

5 What factors/forces could contribute/ • The Community not choosing to get involved detract from the outcomes? • Lack of resources in terms of manpower as well as budget • It is not a simple process to understand 6 Who are the main • Community 7 Who implements the policy, • Forward Planning Team stakeholders in relation to • Commercial interest and who is responsible for • Planning Control Team the policy? • Agents the policy? • Assistant Director • National, sub-regional and local (Planning & interest groups and organisations Development) 8 Are there concerns that the policy could have a Please explain. differential impact on racial groups? Y N

Appendix - Equality Impact Assessment B1

What existing evidence (either presumed or otherwise) do Logo of National Interpreting Service used at front of document with the reference to you have for this ? availability in other languages

9 Are there concerns that the policy could have a differential impact due to gender? Y N

What existing evidence (either presumed or otherwise) do you have for this?

10 Are there concerns that the policy could have a differential impact due to disability? Y N

What existing evidence (either presumed or otherwise) do At front of document reference made to availability of document in other formats you have for this?

11 Are there concerns that the policy could have a differential impact due to sexual orientation? Y N

What existing evidence (either presumed or otherwise) do you have for this?

12 Are there concerns that the policy could have a differential impact due to their age? Y N

What existing evidence (either presumed or otherwise) do you have for this?

13 Are there concerns that the policy could have a differential impact due to their religious belief? Y N

What existing evidence (either presumed or otherwise) do you have for this?

Appendix - Equality Impact Assessment B2

14 Are there concerns that the policy could have a differential impact due to them having dependants/ Y N Caring responsibilities?

What existing evidence (either presumed or otherwise) do you have for this?

15 Are there concerns that the policy could have a differential impact due to them having an offending Y N past?

What existing evidence (either presumed or otherwise) do you have for this?

16 Are there concerns that the policy could have a differential impact due to them being trans-gendered Y N or transsexual?

What existing evidence (either presumed or otherwise) do you have for this?

17 Could the differential impact identified in 8 – 16 Please explain. amount to there being the potential for adverse Y N impact in this policy?

18 Can this adverse impact be justified on the grounds Please explain for each equality heading (questions 8-16 on of promoting equality of opportunity for one group? Y N a separate piece of paper). Or any other reason?

19 Should the policy proceed to a partial impact assessment? Y N

Appendix - Equality Impact Assessment B3

20 If Yes, is there enough to a full EIA? Y N 21 If no please detail the steps taken to minimise the adverse impact?

22 Date on which Partial or Full assessment to be completed by. Y N

Comments

Signed (Completing Officer): Dorothy Barratt

Date : 8th August 2006

Signed (Head of Section): Mick Lambert

Date: 8th August 2006

Appendix - Equality Impact Assessment B4 Appendix C: Relevant Policies, Plans and Programmes

International Policies and Programmes

Overall Aim / Purpose of the Objectives Targets relevant to the LDF / Issues / objectives to be Document SA taken into account Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat (1971) The Convention on Wetlands is an The Convention makes the following commitments: Does not contain any targets Need for careful intergovernmental treaty that provides • Article 2: Signatories will designate wetland sites to be management of wetlands the framework for national action and included in the list of wetlands of international importance in North Warwickshire international co-operation for the and promote the conservation and wise use of these. conservation and wise use of wetlands • Article 3: Under the Convention there is a general obligation and their resources. for the Contracting Parties to include wetland conservation considerations in their national land-use planning. They have The Convention’s Mission Statement is undertaken to formulate and implement this planning so as ‘the conservation and wise use of all to promote, as far as possible, “the wise use of wetlands in wetlands through local, regional and their territory”. national actions and international co- • Article 4: Contracting Parties have also undertaken to operation, as a contribution towards establish nature reserves in wetlands, whether or not they achieving sustainable development are included in the Ramsar List. They are also expected to throughout the world’. promote training in the fields of wetland research, management and stewardship. Bonn Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (1979) This Convention aims to conserve The Convention was agreed based on: Does not contain any targets Recognition of the need terrestrial, marine and avian migratory • Recognition that wild animals in their innumerable forms are for careful planning in species throughout their range. It is an an irreplaceable part of the earth’s natural system which areas of importance for intergovernmental treaty, concluded must be conserved for the good of mankind; migratory species. under the aegis of the United Nations • Awareness that each generation of man holds the resources Environment Programme, concerned of the earth for future generations and has an obligation to with the conservation of wildlife and ensure that this legacy is conserved and where utilised, is habitats on a global scale. used wisely; • Consciousness of the ever-growing value of wild animals Particular objectives set out for the from environmental, ecological, genetic, scientific, aesthetic, involved parties are that they shall: recreational, cultural, educational, social and economic • Promote, co-operate and support points of view; research relating to migratory • Concern particularly with those species of wild animals that Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B1

species; migrate across or outside national jurisdictional boundaries; • Endeavour to provide immediate • Recognition that the States are and must be the protectors of protection for migratory species the migratory species of wild animals that live within or pass included in Appendix I ; and through their national jurisdictional boundaries; and • Endeavour to conclude Agreements • The conviction that conservation and effective management covering the conservation and of migratory species of wild animals require the concerted management of migratory species action of all States within the national jurisdictional included in Appendix II. boundaries of which such species spend any part of their life cycle. Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (1979) An important instrument for the The Convention aims to ensure conservation of wild flora and Does not contain any targets. • Conserve wild flora protection of wildlife and natural fauna species and their habitats. and fauna and natural habitats, the Convention now has 45 habitats; Contracting Parties. It includes help The Parties undertake to take all appropriate measures to • Give attention to for implementation and the setting up ensure the conservation of the habitats of the wild flora and endangered and of the Emerald Network – a network of fauna species. Such measures should be included in the vulnerable species; Areas of Special Conservation Interest Parties planning and development policies and pollution control, and created in 1998 and compatible with with particular attention to the conservation of wild flora and • Promote education the EU Network Natura 2000, as well fauna and their habitats. and disseminate as work on monitoring and control of general information threatened species. The aims of the convention are threefold: concerning need to • To conserve wild flora and fauna and natural habitats; conserve species of • To promote co-operation between States; and wild flora and fauna. • To give particular emphasis to endangered and vulnerable species, including endangered and vulnerable migratory species.

There is a general obligation for each Contracting Party to take action individually, with respect to the conservation of wild flora and fauna and all natural habitats in general, through: • Promotion of national policies; • Having regard for conservation in regional planning policies and pollution abatement; and • Promotion of education and dissemination of information. The Convention on Biological Diversity (UN, 1993) This convention was agreed among the Article 6a requires each Contracting Party to develop national No targets identified. SA should consider vast majority of the world’s strategies, plans or programmes for the conservation and biodiversity impacts

Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B2 governments and sets out their sustainable use of biological diversity. Article 6b requires that within its objectives. It commitments to maintaining the the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity are should take a holistic world’s biodiversity so to achieve a integrated, as far as possible and as appropriate, into relevant view of ecosystems more sustainable economic sectoral or cross-sectoral plans, programmes and policies. rather than focusing on development. The Convention ‘islands’ of protected establishes 3 main goals: the species. conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits from the use of genetic resources. Kyoto Protocol to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (1997) The UN Framework Convention on The ultimate objective of the Convention is “to achieve Does not contain any local Encourage development Climate Change set out to achieve stabilisation of atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse targets but does contain the which reduces the stabilisation of greenhouse gas gases at levels that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic following higher level targets: concentration of concentrations in the atmosphere at (human induced) interference with the climate system…”. The Limit the emissions of 6 greenhouse gases. safe levels. Convention does not define what levels might be ‘dangerous’, greenhouse gases; although it does state that ecosystems should be allowed to Reduce greenhouse gas adapt naturally, food supply should not be threatened and emissions by 5% below 1990 economic development should be able to proceed in a levels by 2008-12. sustainable manner. UK has agreed to reduce

emissions by 12.5% below 1990

levels by 2008/12 and a goal to a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions below 1990 levels by 2010. The World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg (2002) Commitments arising from the Johannesburg Summit The World Summit on Sustainable Key outcomes from the summit were the Johannesburg There are a number of follow-up • Remove market Development represents a Declaration on Sustainable Development - from our origins to processes but no specific barriers and create a reaffirmation of international the future and a Key Outcomes statement mapping out targets level playing field for commitment to sustainable commitments made by all parties. Many of these commitments renewable energy and development coming 30 years after the and outcomes relate to international efforts to tackle global energy efficiency; Stockholm commitment to tackle development issues, such as poverty and hunger, however • Greater resource environmental degradation and 10 others are commitments to modifying behaviour and actions in efficiency; years after the Rio Summit and each nation. A number of the sustainable development • Support business Declaration of 1992 commitments are relevant to land use planning, and include: innovation and take-up • Integrate energy into country-led poverty reduction of best practice in processes; technology and Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B3

• Remove market barriers and create a level playing field for management; work on renewable energy and energy efficiency; waste and producer • Greater resource efficiency; responsibility. • Support business innovation and take-up of best practice in technology and management; work on waste and producer responsibility.

European Policies and Programmes

Overall Aim / Purpose of the Objectives Targets relevant to the LDF / Issues / objectives to be Document SA taken into account Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds (Directive 79/409/EEC) (The Birds Directive) The Directive addresses the long-term The main provisions of the Directive include: No specific targets identified Ensure conservation of conservation of all wild birds • The maintenance of the favourable conservation status of all all wild bird species. throughout the EU, including marine wild bird species across their distributional range (Article 2) areas and covers their protection, with the encouragement of various activities to that end management, control and exploitation. (Article 3); Applies to the birds, their eggs, nests • The identification and classification of Special Protection and habitats. It places a broad Areas for rare or vulnerable species listed in Annex I of the requirement on Member States to take Directive, as well as for all regularly occurring migratory necessary measures to maintain the species, paying particular attention to the protection of populations of all wild birds at levels wetlands of international importance (Article 4); determined by ecological, scientific and • The establishment of a general scheme of protection for all cultural needs. In doing so, Member wild birds (Article 5); States must also consider economic • Restrictions on the sale and keeping of wild birds (Article 6); and recreational needs. • Specification of the conditions under which hunting and falconry can be undertaken (Article 7); • Prohibition of large-scale non-selective means of bird killing (Article 8); • Procedures under which Member States may derogate from the provisions of Articles 5-8 (Article 9); • Encouragement of certain forms of relevant research (Article 10); • Requirements to ensure that introduction of non-native birds do not threaten other biodiversity (Article 11). Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B4

EU Waste Framework Directive (91/156/EEC) To set up a system for the co-ordinated Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure No specific targets identified LDF should consider management of waste within the that waste is recovered or disposed of without endangering impacts of waste disposal European Community in order to limit human health and without using processes or methods which on water, air, soil, plants waste production. Member states must could harm the environment, and in particular: and animals and the promote the prevention, recycling and • Without risk to water, air, soil and plants and animals; possible nuisance caused conversion of wastes with a view to • Without causing a nuisance through noise or odours by odours and noise. their re-use. • Without adversely affecting the countryside or places of special interest EU Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC) Directive is an environmental measure • Reducing water pollution caused or induced by nitrates from No specific targets identified The LDF should give due designed to reduce water pollution by agricultural sources; and consideration to nitrate from agricultural sources and to • Preventing further such pollution standards set out in this prevent such pollution occurring in the Directive. future. Conservation of Natural Habitats and Wil d Fauna and Flora (Directive 92/43/EC) (The Habitats Directive) At the centre of the policy is the • Contribute towards ensuring biodiversity through the No specific targets identified Maintain or restore, at creation of a coherent ecological conservation of natural habitats and of wild flora and fauna in favourable conservation network of protected areas across the the European territory of the Member States to which the status natural habitats EU – known as NATURA 2000 for Treaty applies; and species of wild fauna habitats and species considered to be • Maintain or restore, at favourable conservation status, and flora of community of outstanding international natural habitats and species of wild fauna and flora of interest significance and therefore of Community interest; and importance to the maintenance of • Take account of economic, social and cultural requirements biodiversity in the European Union. Its and regional and local characteristics. purpose is to maintain or restore the habitats and species at a favourable conservation status in their natural range. EU Directive on Ambient Air Quality and Management (96/62/EC) This Directive stipulates that in zones Objectives which may relate to regional planning: The atmospheric pollutants to be The LDF should be aware and agglomerations in which levels of • Obtain adequate information on ambient air quality and considered includes sulphur of the impact that one or more pollutants exceed certain ensure that it is made available to the public, inter alia by dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, planning decisions have limit values Member States shall means of alert thresholds; particulate matter, lead, ozone on air quality. The SA prepare and implement a plan or • Maintain ambient air quality where it is good and improve it benzene, carbon monoxide, poly- should reflect the programme for attaining the limit value in other cases. aromatic hydrocarbons, importance of air quality. within the specific time limit. In zones cadmium, arsenic, nickel and and agglomerations, where the level of mercury. Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B5 more than one pollutant is higher than This Directive covers the revision of previously existing the limit values, member states must legislation and the introduction of new air quality standards for provide an integrated plan covering all previously unregulated air pollutants, setting the timetable for the pollutants concerned. The main the development of daughter directives on a range of pollutants. purpose of these plans is to improve air quality. European Biodiversity Strategy (February 1998) The Strategy aims to anticipate, The EBS is developed around 4 major themes: No targets identified. Consider biodiversity prevent and attack the causes of • Conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity; impacts within objectives significant reduction or loss of • Sharing of benefits arising out of the utilisation of genetic of the LDF. biological diversity at the source. This resources; will help both to reverse present trends • Research, identification, monitoring and exchange of in biodiversity reduction or losses and information; and to place species and eco-systems, • Education, training and awareness. which includes agro-ecosystems, at a satisfactory conservation status, both within and beyond the territory of the European Union.

EU Waste to Landfill Directive (99/31/EC) The object of the Directive is to prevent The Landfill Directive introduces requirements that are The Directive also establishes These targets are or reduce as far as possible negative particular to landfills: guidelines and targets for the incorporated into UK effects on the environment from the • Sites must be classified as hazardous, non-hazardous or quantity of biodegradable waste legislation. The LDF landfilling of waste, by introducing inert waste landfills; being sent to landfill which are should adhere to these stringent technical requirements for • Waste acceptance procedures have to be in place at the legally binding. where appropriate. waste and landfills. landfill; • Waste must be pre-treated before being landfilled; By the following years, • Certain waste types cannot be landfilled anymore, e.g. biodegradable municipal waste clinical, liquid, certain hazardous waste, tyres etc.; must be reduced to a particular % • Technical standards are set out in the Directive and its of the total amount (by weight) of Annexes; biodegradable municipal waste • Introduces a specific closure procedure; and produced in 1995 (or the latest • Ongoing training and development of staff must be provided. year before 1995 for which standardised Eurostat data is available): Not later than 2006 = 75% By 2010 = 50% Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B6

By 2015 = 35% EU Directive Establishing a Framework for the Community Action in the Field of Water Policy (2000/60/EC) (The Water Framework Directive) This Directive seeks to establish a This Directive aims to establish a framework for the protection Does not contain any targets. The LDF will have a structured framework for action in the of inland surface waters, transitional waters, coastal waters and significant role to play in field of water policy. groundwater which: protecting and managing • Prevents further deterioration and protects and enhances the water resources. It is status of aquatic ecosystems and, with regard to their water important that the issues needs, terrestrial ecosystems and wetlands directly and measures presented depending on the aquatic ecosystems; in the Directive are • Promotes sustainable water use based on a long-term considered in the LDF, in protection of available water resources; particular: • Aims at enhanced protection and improvement of the aquatic • Protect and enhance environment, inter alia, through specific measures for the aquatic ecosystems; progressive reduction of discharges, emissions and losses of • Protect water priority substances and the cessation or phasing-out of resources; discharges, emissions and losses of the priority hazardous • Reduction of pollution substances; of groundwater; and • Ensures the progressive reduction of pollution of • Mitigation of the groundwater and prevents its further pollution; and effects of floods and • Contributes to mitigating the effects of floods and droughts. droughts. Aarhus Convention (1998, ratified February 2005) The Convention establishes a number The Convention creates obligations in three fields or ‘pillars’: No targets identified. Public consultation and of rights of the public (citizens and their • Public access to environmental information; access to information associations) with regard to the • Public participation in decision-making on matters related to supporting the decision- environment. Public authorities (at the environment; and making process must be national, regional or local level) are to • Access to justice (i.e. administrative or judicial review introduced in the contribute to allowing these rights to proceedings) in environmental matters. procedures for the become effective. The Convention drawing up of the LDF in provides for: respects of matters • The right of everyone to receive covered by the legislation environmental information that is and Directives held by public authorities. This can mentioned. include information on the state of the environment, but also on policies The SEA Directive or measures taken, or on the state requires that public of human health and safety where consultation is carried out this can be affected by the state of on the Draft Plan and its the environment. Public authorities accompanying Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B7

the environment. Public authorities Environmental Report. are obliged, under the Convention, to actively disseminate environmental information in their possession; • The right to participate from an early stage in environmental decision- making. Arrangements are to be made by public authorities to enable citizens and environmental organisations to comment on, for example, projects affecting the environment, or plans and programmes relating to the environment; and • The right to challenge, in a court of law, public decisions that have been made without respecting the two aforementioned rights or environmental law in general. EU Directive to Promote Electricity from Renewable Energy (2001/77/EC) This Directive on ‘the promotion of The purpose of this Directive is to promote an increase in the The UK target is for renewables Spatial planning can have electricity produced form renewable contribution of renewable energy sources to electricity to account for 10% of UK a major influence on the energy sources in the internal production in the internal market for electricity and to create a consumption by 2010. viability and take up of electricity market’ addresses an basis for a future Community framework thereof. renewable energy and obligation to member states to policies and supporting establish a programme to increase the text should reflect this. gross consumption of renewable energy based electricity (“green The relationship between electricity”) by 2010. The Directive renewables technology also calls on Member States to adopt and the economic and publish a report setting national benefits should be indicative targets for future considered. consumption of electricity produced from renewable energy sources for the next 10 years. Environment 2010: Our Future, Our Choice – EU Sixth Environmental Action Programme (2002)

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The 6EAP sets the environmental The 6EAP proposes 5 priority areas of strategic action to hep No specific targets identified The LDF should give objectives and priorities that will be an achieve environmental objectives: due consideration to integral part of the EU Sustainable • Improve the implementation of existing legislation; objectives and Development Strategy. The • Integrating environmental concerns into other policies; programme sets out the major priorities • Encouraging citizens and changing behaviour; targets set out in this and objectives for environmental policy • Greening land use planning and management decisions Strategy. over the next 5 to 10 years and details the measures to be taken. The 6EAP focuses attention on 4 priority areas for action: • Tackling climate change; • Nature and biodiversity – protecting a unique resource; • Environment and health; and • Sustainable use of natural resources and management of waste. Renewed EU Sustainable Development Strategy (June 2006) The document sets out a single, The strategy sets overall objectives, targets and concrete There are a number of targets The LDF should give due coherent strategy on how the EU will actions for seven key priority challenges for the coming set out in the document that are consideration to more effectively live up to its long- period until 2010, many of which are predominantly relevant to the different objectives and targets set standing commitment to meet the environmental: objectives of the Strategy out in this Strategy. challenges of sustainable development. It recognises the need to • Climate change and clean energy gradually change our current • Sustainable transport unsustainable consumption and • Sustainable production and consumption production patterns and move towards • Public health threats a better integrated approach to policy- • Better management of natural resources making • Social inclusion, demography and migration • Fighting global poverty

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National Policies and Programmes

Overall Aim / Purpose of the Objectives Targets relevant to the LDF / Issues / objectives to be Document SA taken into account Planning Policy Statement 1: Delivering Sustainable Development (ODPM, February 2005) PPS1 sets out the Government’s vision PPS1 supports the reform programme and, in particular, the Does not contain any targets • Provide an integrated for planning and the key policies and Government’s objectives for planning culture change, by setting approach meeting the principles that should underpin the out the Government’s vision for planning and the key policies environmental, planning system. PPS1 sets out the and principles that should underpin the planning system. These economic and social Government’s high level policy are build around three themes: objectives; objectives for planning. It sets a • Sustainable development – the purpose of the planning • Address cause and framework for specific policies, which system potential impacts of are set out in thematic Planning Policy • The spatial planning approach climate change; Statement. PPS1 complements those • Community involvement in planning • Promote high quality documents but is not a substitute for inclusive design in the the detailed guidance in those PPS’. In The key policy messages are: layout of new particular, the way in which sustainable • The need for planning authorities to take an approach based developments; objectives should be approached in on integrating the four aims of sustainable development: • Provide clear policies on detail in specific policy areas will be economic development, social exclusion, environmental improved access in covered as appropriate in the relevant protection and prudent use of resources; terms of location and thematic PPS’. • The need for positive planning to achieve sustainable external physical access development objectives and proactive management of to meet diverse needs development, rather than simply regulation and control; of community; • The need for plans to set clear visions for communities and • Recognise importance help to integrate the wide range of activities relating to of community development and regeneration; and involvement in • The need for the planning system to be transparent, delivering sustainable accessible and accountable, and to actively promote development and the participation and involvement. need to set clear visions for communities; and • Be transparent, accessible and accountable. Planning Policy Guidance 2: Green Belts (January 1995, amended March 2001) This PPG outlines a range of issues The use of land in the Green Belt has a positive role to play in Consider North Warks. relating to Green Belts. fulfilling the following objectives: Green Belt protection and control that only allows Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B10

• Provide opportunities for access to the open countryside for appropriate development. the urban population; SEA / SA objectives to • Provide opportunities for outdoor sport and recreation near include measures to urban areas; protect and enhance • Retain attractive landscapes and enhance townscapes hear biodiversity, promote where people live; healthy lifestyles and to • To improve damaged and derelict land around towns; preserve local • To secure nature conservation interest; and countryside. By keeping • To retain land in agricultural, forestry and related uses. land permanently open, Green Belt policies may help in reaching these objectives. Planning Policy Guidance 3: Housing (March 2000, two updates published January 2005) This PPG outlines a range of issues The objectives of the guidance are to: By 2008 achieve 60% of new The LDF should take relating to the provision of housing. It • Provide everyone with the opportunity of a decent home; housing should be provided on account of these provides guidance on planning the • Offer a greater choice of housing, without social distinctions, previously developed land and objectives relating to: provision of new housing on a regional with both affordable and special housing in urban and rural through conversions of existing • Equal opportunities for basis and on the allocation of land for areas; buildings. a decent home; housing by local authorities. • Promote sustainable patterns of development and make • Provision of affordable better use of previously developed land; housing; • Promote urban renaissance and improve quality of life • Promotion of the use through well designed new housing and residential of previously environments. developed land; and • Good design. Additional factors to be taken into account in planning the regional provision of new housing are: • The Government’s latest published household projections; • The needs of the regional economy; • The capacity of urban areas to accommodate more housing; • The environmental implications; and • The capacity of the existing or planned infrastructure. Planning Policy Guidance 4: Industrial, Commercial Development and Small Firms (November 1992) Guidance on the provision in planning Industrial and commercial developments are vital for the wealth No targets identified LDF should ensure for economic development married to of an area but need to be carefully placed so to minimise integration of all respect for the environment. dependency of businesses and customers from road transport developments (industrial, and integration with existing and planned transport and housing commercial, housing, developments and plans. mixed use, infrastructure)

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with transport to ensure sustainability of the economic growth. Planning Policy Statement 6: Planning for Town Centres (ODPM, March 2005) This guidance promotes a “town centre The objectives of the guidance are: There are no specific targets or Development plans first” sequential approach to • To promote and enhance existing centres by focusing indicators. should promote the development with the aim of creating development in such centres and encouraging a wide range vitality of town centres thriving town centres that provide a of services in a good environment; whilst increasing range of facilities for local people. • Encouraging town centre development to promote vitality accessibility and reducing and viability and to enhance consumer choice with a wide social exclusion. This provision of shopping, leisure and local services to meet the can be achieved through needs of the whole community; access by a range of • To ensure development is accessible by a range of means of transport options, high transport and to encourage a cleaner, safer, greener town quality design, high centre environment; density, mixed use and • To promote social inclusion by encouraging investment in creation of sense of place disadvantaged areas to provide improved services and more through retention of employment opportunities; heritage and architectural • To promote high quality and inclusive design and make features. efficient use of land in town centres to deliver more sustainable development; • Exploit locations through high density, mixed use development and promotion of sustainable transport choices; • Promote high quality and inclusive design improving the quality of the public realm and open spaces; and • Protect and enhance architectural and historic heritage of centres to provide a sense of place and focus for the community and for civic activity. Planning Policy Statement 7: Sustainable Development in Rural Areas (ODPM, August 2004) Quality of life and the environment in • To raise the quality of life and the environment in rural areas No targets identified Ensure the LDF rural areas needs to be enhanced through the promotion of sustainable rural communities, framework is co-ordinated through the sustainable development sustainable economic growth and diversification, respect and with rural transport of communities and their environment. enhancement of local distinctiveness and continued initiatives. Requires that development within and protection of the open countryside; outside existing villages should be • To promote more sustainable patterns of development permitted where it meets local focusing most development in, or next to, existing towns and economic and community needs, villages; - preventing urban sprawl; - discouraging the Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B12 where it maintains or enhances the development of ‘greenfield’ land, maximising the potential environment and does not conflict with benefits of the countryside fringing urban areas and – other policies. providing appropriate leisure opportunities to enable urban and rural dwellers to enjoy the wider countryside; • Promoting the development of the English regions by improving their economic performance so that all are able to reach their full potential – by developing competitive, diverse and thriving rural enterprise that provides a range of jobs and underpins strong economies; • To promote sustainable diverse and adaptable agricultural sectors where farming achieves high environmental standards, minimising impact on natural resources and manages valued landscapes and biodiversity; contributes both directly and indirectly to rural economic diversity; is itself competitive and profitable; and provides high quality products that the public waqnts.

Planning Policy Statement 9: Biodiversity and Geological Conservation (ODPM, August 2005) PPS9 sets out planning policies on Key principles for regional planning bodies and local planning None identified. • Ensure adequate protection of biodiversity and authorities are outlined: provision of geological conservation through the • Development plan policies and planning decisions should be information upon planning system. based upon up-to-date information about the environmental which to make characteristics of their areas (resources and potential for planning decisions; sustaining and enhancing those resources); • Maintain, restore and • Plan policies and planning decisions should aim to maintain, enhance biodiversity; and enhance, restore or add to biodiversity and geological • Ensure sufficient conservation interests. In taking decisions, local planning protection is afforded authorities should ensure that appropriate weight is attached to designated sites; to designated sites of international, national and local • Ensure a strategic importance, protected species, and to biodiversity and approach to geological interests within the wider environment; conservation, • Plan policies on the form and location of development should recognising value of take a strategic approach to the conservation, enhancement individual sites as well and restoration of biodiversity and geology, and recognise as their value as part the contributions that sites, areas and features, both of a wider individually and in combination, make to conserving these environment; resources; • Encourage the • Plan policies should promote opportunities for the incorporation of Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B13

incorporation of beneficial biodiversity and geological incorporation of features within the design of development; beneficial biodiversity • Development proposals where the principal objective is to and geological conserve or enhance biodiversity and geological features within conservation interests should be permitted; and development design; • The aim of planning decisions should be to prevent harm to • Encourage biodiversity and geological conservation interests. Where development, where granting planning permission would result in significant harm appropriate, for the to those interests other alternative sites should be given due sole purpose of consideration and where no alternative exists mitigation or conserving or appropriate compensation should be put into place. If that enhancing biodiversity; significant harm cannot be prevented, adequately mitigated and against, or compensated for, then planning permission • Where biodiversity is should be refused. threatened ensure suitable alternative sites are considered as well as options for mitigation or compensation. Planning Policy Statement 10: Planning for Sustainable Waste Management (ODPM, July 2005) This PPS replaces PPG10 on Planning All planning authorities should, to the extent appropriate to their No targets identified Give due consideration to and Waste Management and forms responsibilities, prepare and deliver planning strategies that: objectives identified here part of the national waste management • Help deliver sustainable development through driving waste relating to waste plan for the UK. management up the waste hierarchy, addressing waste as a management. resource and looking to disposal as the last option, but one which must be adequately catered for; • Provide a framework in which communities take more responsibility for their own waste, and enable sufficient and timely provision of waste management facilities to meet the needs of their communities; • Help implement the national waste strategy, and supporting targets, are consistent with obligations required under European legislation and support and complement other guidance and legal controls; • Help secure the recovery or disposal of waste without endangering human health and without harming the environment, and enable waste to be disposed of in one of the nearest appropriate installations; Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B14

• Reflect the concerns and interests of communities, the needs of waste collection authorities, waste disposal authorities and business, and encourage competitiveness; • Protect green belts but recognise the particular locational needs of some types of waste management facilities when defining detailed green belt boundary; and • Ensure the design and layout of new development supports sustainable waste management. Planning Policy Statement 12: Local Development Frameworks (ODPM, September 2004) This planning policy statement sets The policies in this statement focus on procedural policy and PPS12 does not set out any Development of the LDF out the Government's policy on the the process of preparing Local Development Documents which specific objectives but instead for North Warwickshire preparation of local development comprise the Local Development Framework provides Governmental policy should adhere to the documents which will comprise the on the preparation of LDDs. requirements set out in Local Development Framework this PPS. Planning Policy Guidance 13: Transport (March 2001) The objectives of PPG13 are to In order to deliver the objectives of this guidance, when Does not contain any targets • Concentrate urban integrate planning and transport at the preparing development plans and considering planning growth near public national, regional, strategic and local applications, local authorities should: transport interchanges; level to: • Actively manage the pattern of urban growth to make the • Locate day to day • Promote more sustainable transport fullest use of public transport and focus major generators of facilities, shopping, choices for both people and for travel demand in city, town and district centres and near to leisure and jobs in moving freight; major public transport interchanges; areas easily • Promote accessibility to jobs, • Locate day to day facilities which need to be near their accessible by walking / shopping, leisure facilities and clients in local centres so that they are accessible by walking cycling; services by public transport, walking and cycling; • Locate new housing in and cycling; and • Accommodate housing principally within existing urban existing urban areas or • Reduce the need to travel, areas, planning for increased intensity of development for areas with good public especially by car. both housing and other uses at locations which are highly transport access; accessible by public transport, walking and cycling. • Ensure compatibility • Ensure that development comprising jobs, shopping, leisure between LDF and and services offers a realistic choice of access by public LTP; transport, walking and cycling, recognising that this may be • Give public transport, less achievable in some rural areas; cyclist and pedestrians • In rural areas, locate most development for housing, jobs, more priority than car shopping, leisure and services in local service centres which users; are designated in the development plan to act as focal points • Incorporate crime for housing, transport provision in the countryside; reduction design

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• Ensure that strategies in the development and local transport where possible; plans complement each other and that consideration of • Ensure accessibility for development plan allocations and local transport investment disabled; and and priorities are closely linked; • Protect sites which • Use parking policies, alongside other planning and transport have potential for measures, to promote sustainable transport choices and widening transport reduce reliance on the car for work and other journeys; choices in the future. • Give priority to people over ease of traffic movement and plan to provide more road space to pedestrians, cyclists and public transport in town centres, local neighbourhoods and other area with a mixture of land uses; • Ensure that the needs of disabled people as pedestrians, public transport users and motorists – are taken into account in the implementation of planning policies and traffic management schemes and in the design of individual developments; consider how best to reduce crime and the fear of crime and seek by the design and layout of developments and areas, to secure community safety and road safety; and • Protect sites and routes which could be critical in developing infrastructure to widen transport choices for both passenger and freight movements.

Planning Policy Guidance 14: Developm e nt on Unstable Land (April 1990) The purpose of this guidance is • In preparing and altering their development plans, local Does not contain any specific LDF should give principally to advise local authorities, authorities need to take into account the possibility of ground targets consideration to the landowners and developers on the instability. requirements of this exercise of planning controls over • Policies should set out the criteria which will be used in guidance. development on land which is unstable determining planning applications and the types of planning or is potentially unstable. The aim is conditions normally expected to be met. not to prevent the development of such land, though in some cases that may be the appropriate response. Rather it is to ensure that development is suitable and that the physical constraints on the land are taken into account at all stages of planning. Planning Policy Guidance 15: Planning and the Historic Environment (September 1994) Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B16

This PPG provides a full statement of Does not contain a specific set of objectives, but does state that Does not contain any specific • Recognise the Government policies for the ‘the protection of the historic environment, whether individual targets. importance of the identification and protection of historic listed buildings, conservation areas, parks and gardens, historic environment in buildings, conservation areas and other battlefields will need to be taken fully into account both in the particular its role in elements of the historic environment. It formulation of authorities’ planning policies and in development creating local explains the role played by the control’. distinctiveness and it’s planning system in their protection. role in leisure and recreation; • Reconcile the need for economic growth with the need to protect the natural and historic environment; • Avoid loss of fabric through neglect; • Recognise the importance of the historic environment in promoting tourism and leisure (within capacity limits); and • Protect and enhance recognised historic features such as Listed Buildings, Historic Parks and Gardens and Historic Battlefields as well as those historic features of the wider environment. Planning Policy Guidance 16: Archaeology and Planning (November 1990) This guidance is for planning Development plans should reconcile the need for development No specific targets identified Archaeological sites can authorities in England, property with the interests of conservation including archaeology. be potentially damaged owners, developers, archaeologists, Detailed development plans should include policies for the through the construction amenity societies and the general protection, enhancement and preservation of sites of of new build. The LDF public. It sets out the Secretary of archaeological interest and their settings. and other plans should State’s policy on archaeological take account of Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B17 remains on land and how they should preserving archaeological be preserved or recorded, both in an heritage. urban setting and in the countryside. It gives advice on the handling of archaeological remains and discoveries under the development plan and control systems, including the weight to be given to them in planning decisions and the use of planning conditions. Planning Policy Guidance 17: Planning for Open Space, Sport and Recreation (July 2002) Open spaces, sport and recreation all Does not contain a specific set of objectives, although local No specific targets identified • Ensure adequate land underpin people’s quality of life. Well- authorities are encouraged to undertake open space, sports and water resources designed and implemented planning and recreation assessments within their areas and devise with are allocated for sport policies for open space, sport and local standards. Well-designed and implemented planning and recreation; recreation are therefore fundamental to policies for open space, sport and recreation are fundamental to • Take account of delivering broader Government delivering broader Government objectives. community needs for objectives. recreational space. Open spaces, sport and recreation all underpin people’s quality Resist pressures from of life. Well designed and implemented planning policies for development of open open space, sport and recreation are therefore fundamental to space which conflict delivering broader Government objectives. These include: with the wider public • Supporting an urban renaissance interest. • Supporting a rural renewal • Promotion of social inclusion and community cohesion Policies and proposals • Health and well being should generally cover: • Promoting more sustainable development • Needs for mainstream and specialist sports facilities; • Recreational needs of the elderly and disabled people; • Protection of open land of recreational, conservation, wildlife, historical or amenity value; • Availability of public Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B18

rights of way; • Playing fields; • Access to be managed to protect historic environments or conserve wildlife habitats; • Council to develop their own standards of provision Planning Policy Guidance 21: Tourism (November 1992) This PPG outlines the economic This PPG focuses on broad principles and general criteria that No targets identified • Consider opportunities significance of tourism and its are relevant to most types of tourist development. Although it to utilise tourism as an environmental impact and therefore its does not deal in detail with each type of development, Chapter element of urban importance in land-use planning. It 5 of the guidance contains advice on large scale and innovative regeneration; explains how the needs of tourism projects, whilst Annexes A and B provide policy guidance on • Protect designated should be dealt with in development hotel and holiday and touring caravan developments. areas which attract plans and development control. tourism; • Careful management required to resolve potential conflicts which may arise as a result of conflicts between visitors and residents; and • The need for good design. Planning Policy Statement 22: Renewable Energy (ODPM, August 2004) This Statement sets out the Local development documents should contain policies designed Should be expressed as the Prioritise policies that Government’s planning policies for to promote and encourage, rather than restrict, the minimum amount of installed protect designated site in renewable energy, which planning development of renewable energy resources. Except where capacity for renewable energy in relation to renewable authorities should have regard to when these developments are likely to have an adverse effect on the region, expressed in energy developments. preparing local development designated conservation sites (historic and natural), or megawatts, and may also be documents and when taking planning designated landscapes. expressed in terms of the LDF and other plans decisions. percentage of electricity should include policies consumed or supplied. Targets which encourage the use should be set for achievement by of renewable energy.

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2010 and by 2020. Regional targets have been set and these have been expressed for each strategic planning authority. Planning Policy Statement 23: Planning and Pollution Control (ODPM, November 2004) This Guidance advises on matters A strategic approach should be taken to the location of There are no specific targets or The LDF should set out relating to how the development control potentially polluting developments and the location of sensitive indicators the criteria against which process should deal with pollution developments. applications for potentially which may arise from or may affect polluting developments land use. Development presents the opportunity of remediating and will be considered. developing on contaminated land in order to reduce the risks currently posed by such land. The LDF should consider the potential impacts of Where new potentially polluting activities are planned, a pollution resulting from proactive approach should be taken between the developer and certain types of the pollution control authorities. development, their proximity to communities and the knock-on effects on the surrounding environment.

Both the precautionary and proximity principles should be taken into account when developing the LDF. Planning Policy Guidance 24: Planning and Noise (September 1994) This PPG gives guidance to Local Noise-sensitive developments should be located away from No targets identified The LDF to account for Authorities on the use of their planning existing sources of significant noise (or programmed potential impacts of noise powers to minimise the adverse impact development such as new roads) and that potentially noisy when developing policies of noise. It outlines the considerations developments are located in areas where noise will not be such and site specific to be taken into account in determining an important consideration or where its impact can be proposals. planning applications both for noise minimised. sensitive developments and for those Noisy developments are activities which will generate noise and located in areas where introduces the concept of noise noise will not be such an exposure categories, recommending important consideration, appropriate levels for exposure to or where its impact can Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B20 different sources of noise; and advising be minimised. on the use of conditions to minimise the impact of noise. Planning Policy Guidance 25: Development and Flood Risk (July 2001) The susceptibility of land to flooding is The PPG aims to strengthen the co-ordination between land- No targets identified The LDF should reflect a material planning consideration. use and development planning and the operational delivery of the objectives of this Flood risk should be considered at all flood and coastal defence strategy. It is based on a number of guidance. stages of the planning and general principles, which include: development process in order to • Planning authorities should apply the precautionary principle In particular: reduce future damage to property and to the issue of flood risk, using a risk-based search • That susceptibility to loss of life. Planning should seek, sequence to avoid such risk where possible and managing it flooding is a material where possible, to reduce and certainly elsewhere; consideration; not to increase flood risk. It should • Planning authorities should recognise the importance of • Policies in the help ensure that flood plains are used functional flood plains, where water flows or is held at times development plan for their natural purposes, continue to of flood, and avoid inappropriate development on should outline the function effectively and are protected undeveloped and undefended flood plains. consideration which from inappropriate development. will be given to flood issues; • A risk-based approach should be given to planning decisions; • Recognition of the importance of flood plains; • Developers to fund flood defences and warning measures required because of the development; and • Flood risk and management to be considered on a whole-catchments basis rather than individual flood plains. Wildlife and Countryside Act – (as amended) (1981) The Act implements the Bern Addresses the problem of species protection and habitat loss No targets identified. There is significant

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Convention and the Birds and Habitats by setting out the protection that is afforded to wild animals and interaction between Directives. It is concerned with the plants in Britain. wildlife and different types protection of wildlife and their habitats. of land use. The SA should consider the effects of the plans on biodiversity. UK Biodiversity Action Plan – UK BAP (1994) The UK BAP was published in It highlights a number of priority habitats and species with No targets identified LDF and other plans response to the requirements of the associated action plans. should take account of Convention on Biological Diversity priority habitats and (1992) species and integrate their action plan objectives within it wherever possible. See also available local BAP. A Better Quality of Life, A Strategy for Sustainable Development for the UK (DETR, 1999) This document brings the environment, For the UK, priorities for the future are: Does not contain any specific • Facilitate investment to social progress and the economy • More investment in people and equipment for a competitive targets. provide a competitive alongside each other at the heart of economy; economy; policy making. • Reducing the level of social exclusion; • Reduces social • Promoting a transport system which provides choice, and exclusion; The strategy has four main aims. also minimises environmental harm and reduces congestion; • Promotes a transport These are: • Improving the larger towns and cities to make them better system which provides • Social progress which recognises places to live and work; choice and minimises the needs of everyone; • Directing development and promoting agricultural practices environmental harm; • Effective protection of the to protect and enhance the countryside and wildlife; and environment; • Improving energy efficiency and tackling waste; • Improve energy • Prudent use of natural resources; • Working with others to achieve sustainable development efficiency. and internationally. • Maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment. England Forestry Strategy (1999) The England Forestry Strategy has 2 There are 4 strategic priorities: No targets identified LDF should seize upon aims: • Forestry for Rural Development – covering forestry’s opportunities to expand • The sustainable management of contribution to local economies; existing woodland or existing woods; and • Forestry for Economic Development – covering forestry’s create new woodlands

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• A continued steady expansion of role in strategic land use planning (industrial land restoration) areas. woodland areas to provide more in urban and urban fringe areas; benefits for society and the • Forestry for Access and Tourism; and environment. • Forestry for the Environment and Conservation covering the natural and historic environment and the Government’s objectives for biodiversity and climate change. The Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: Working Together for Clean Air (DETR, January 2000) The Strategy sets objectives for 8 main See strategy for detailed list of objectives. Contains a number of national air The LDF to give due air pollutants to protect health. quality targets that were updated consideration to the Performance against these objectives by DEFRA in August 2002. consequences of its will be monitored where people are proposals and policies on regularly present and might be air quality. exposed to air pollution. There are also 2 new objectives to protect vegetation and ecosystems. These will be monitored away from urban and industrial area and motorways. By Design: Urban Design in the Planning System – Towards Better Practice (CABE, 2000) Provides practical advice to help The document outlines a number of objectives of urban No targets Identified Objectives of urban implement Government’s commitment to design: design listed here should good design as set out in PPG1. • Character; be taken on board • Continuity and Enclosure; through the LDF and SA • Quality of the Public Realm; process so that • Ease of Movement; sustainable living • Legibility; environments are • Adaptability; and created. • Diversity. Countryside and Rights of Way Act (CRoW) (2000) CROW extends the public’s ability to Emphasises the public’s right of access to open country and No targets identified. Certain land uses and enjoy the countryside whilst also common land, and gives additional protection to Sites of development might hinder providing safeguards for landowners Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). accessibility to open and occupiers. It creates a new country and common statutory right of access to open land. The LDF and other country and registered common land, plans should consider modernises the right of way system, these issues which have gives greater protection to SSSIs, relevance to SA provides better management objectives on human Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B23 arrangements for AONB’s and health, population and strengthens wildlife enforcement severance. legislation. Our Towns and Cities: The Future – Delivering an Urban Renaissance – Urban White Paper (DETR, 2000) This White Paper explains how our The central purpose of this paper is to stop urban decline and it Does not contain any specific • Encourage well kept towns and cities can function as starts with a recognition of an holistic approach to policy which targets, but does refer to a towns and cities which economic powerhouses, helping to recognises the need to link together a range of initiatives on number of PSA targets. use buildings and achieve the Government’s core housing, planning, education, transport and law and order spaces well; objective of increasing sustainable issues. • Encourage design growth and employment for all and which reduces noise, bringing benefits not just to their own The overall vision is of towns, cities and suburbs offering a high pollution and traffic population but to the surrounding quality of life and opportunity for all, in particular the document congestion; region. It also targets those areas that wants to see: • Assist in good are striving to renew their economic • People shaping the future of their community, supported by provision of health, identity and which are seeking to take strong and truly representative local leaders; education, housing, full advantage of the rapid growth in • People living in attractive, well-kept towns and cities which transport, finance, the new industries. use space and buildings well; shopping and leisure; • Good design and planning which makes it practical to live in and a more environmentally sustainable way, with less noise, • Protection from crime. pollution and traffic congestion; • Towns and cities able to create and share prosperity, investing to help all their citizens reach their full potential; and • Good quality services – health, education, housing, transport, finance, shopping, leisure and protection from crime – that meet the needs of people and businesses wherever they are. Ten Year Plan (DfT, 2000) The key government transport The overarching strategy for transport is to tackle congestion Includes a variety of targets, • Improve public document. Sets out a 10-year vision and pollution by improving all types of transport – rail and road, including: transport choice so for transport in the UK, provides public and private – in ways that increase choice. The 10-year • 10% increase in bus more people will use detailed analysis of historic and plan sees the following as key: passenger journeys public transport; predicted use statistics and sets out • Integrated transport: looking at transport as a whole, • More park and ride schemes; • Explore possibility of spending priorities and investment matching solutions to specific problems by assessing all the • Safer cycling and walking park and ride schemes plans for UK transport over the next 10 options; routes, more 20mph areas and so people do not drive years. • Public and private partnership: government and the private Home Zones for safer roads, into town centres; sector working more closely together to boost investment; particularly around schools. • Access to jobs and

Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B24

and Rail: services through • New projects: modernising our transport network in ways • 50% increase in use; improved transport that make it bigger, better, safer, cleaner and quicker. • 80% increase in rail freight; links especially in • better integration with cars, regeneration areas; buses, taxis, bicycles and and better links to airports. • The role of integrated Roads: public transport • 40% reduction in the number information, booking of people killed or seriously and ticketing systems, injured in road accidents. with a single ticket or card covering the whole journey. UK Waste Strategy (2000) This strategy describes the • Reduce the amount of waste produced • By 2010 to reduce Recognise the objectives Government’s vision for managing • Increase re-use biodegradable municipal waste here in relation to the waste and resources better. It sets out • Increase supply of materials for recycling and composting landfilled to 75% of that development of the LDF. the changes needed to deliver more • Increase demand for secondary materials and waste derived produced in 1995 sustainable development. compost • By 2013 to reduce • Increase the use of waste as a fuel biodegradable municipal waste • Effective protection of human health and the environment landfilled to 50% of that • Reduce the quantity and hazardousness of hazardous produced in 1995 waste, and improve the management of that which is • By 2020 to reduce produced biodegradable municipal waste landfilled to 35% of that produced in 1995

Our Countryside: The Future – A Fair Deal for Rural England – Rural White Paper (DETR, 2000) Outlines the Government’s vision of a The paper list the Governments rural policy objectives: Contains Rural Services • Facilitate sustainable living, working, protected and vibrant • To facilitate the development of dynamic, competitive and Standard, which set out minimum economies in the countryside. The paper sets out 10 key sustainable economies in the countryside, tackling poverty in standards and targets covering countryside; actions which are intended to meet the rural areas; access to and the delivery of • Ensure good access to vis ion: • To maintain and stimulate communities and secure access public services in rural areas. facilities for those • Support vital village services to services which is equitable in all the circumstances, for Some of the more relevant living in rural areas; • Modernise rural services those who live or work in the countryside; standards and targets are listed • Conserve landscape • Provide affordable homes • To conserve and enhance rural landscapes and the diversity below: and biodiversity of the • Deliver local transport solutions and abundance of wildlife (including the habitats on which it • All Government services to be countryside; and available on line by 2005. • Rejuvenate market towns and a depends); • Encourage public jtfth Appendix B Relevant Policie s Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B25

thriving rural economy • To increase opportunities for people to get enjoyment fro the • Presumption against closure of enjoyment of the • Set a new direction for farming countryside. To open up public access to mountain, moor, rural schools; countryside. • Preserve what makes rural England heath and down and registered common land by the end of • Formal requirement on the special 2005; and Post Office to maintain the • Ensure everyone can enjoy an • To promote government responsiveness to rural rural network of post offices accessible countryside communities through better working together between and to prevent any avoidable • Give local power to country towns central departments, local government, and government closures of rural post offices. and villages agencies and better co-operation with non-governmental • Targets set for the proportion • Think rural bodies. of the rural population living within about 10 minutes’ walk These objectives will be taken forward in Departmental Public of an hourly or better bus Service Agreement targets and their subsidiary Service Delivery service to increase from 37% agreements. to 50% by 2010, with an intermediate milestone of 42% by 2004. The Historic Environment: A Force for Our Future (DCMS, 2001) This statement sets out the intention of The historic environment should be protected and sustained for No targets identified. The LDF and other plans the Government to protect the historic the benefit of our own and future generations. could influence the environment, recognising its major historic environment in contribution to the economy in rural several ways, including and deprived communities as well as in impacts upon townscape, traditional economic centres. It also historic structures and states the need for the future features. development of new policies to further realise economic and educational potential. Water Resources for the Future – A Strategy for England and Wales (Environment Agency, 2001) This strategy is part of a framework of • Promote water efficiency – expect household water metering No specific targets identified The LDF should aim to integrated water resources planning, to become widespread over the next 25 years. contribute to the looking 25 years ahead. It considers • Pay further attention to leakage control. achievement of the the needs for water both of the • Promote water sensitive agricultural practices; farmers objectives of the strategy environment and of society, and should consider crop suitability and the possibility of wherever relevant examines the uncertainties about increased winter storage. future water demand and availability. • Active promotion of water efficiency opportunities for commerce and industry. • Deliver the sustainable development of water resources through working together.

Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B26

• Enhancement of water supply by up to 1100 Ml/d above present levels by the improvement of existing schemes and the development of some new resources. Education and Skills: Delivering Results, a Strategy to 2006 (DfES, 2002) • The documents overall aims are: • Give children an excellent start in education so that they Document contains a wide range The LDF should aim to • To help build a competitive economy have a better foundation for future learning. of targets relating to education contribute to the and inclusive society by: • Enable all young people to develop and to equip themselves and skills, including a target of achievement of the • Creating opportunities for everyone with the skills, knowledge and personal qualities needed for two technology institutes in each objectives of the strategy to develop their learning. life and work. region to meet the rising demand wherever relevant. • Releasing potential in people to • Encourage and enable adults to learn, improve their skills for high-level technical skills. make the most of themselves. and enrich their lives. • Achieving excellence in standards of education and levels of skills.

Working with the Grain of Nature: A Biodiversity Strategy for England (2002) The Biodiversity Strategy for England • Agriculture: encouraging the management of farming and No specific targets identified. • Local action for ensures that biodiversity agricultural land so as to conserve and enhance biodiversity biodiversity has been considerations become embedded in as part of the Government’s Sustainable Food and Farming vital to the UK all the main sectors of economic Strategy Biodiversity Action activity, public and private. • Water: aiming for a whole catchment approach to the wise, • Plan since its sustainable use of water and wetlands inception. • Woodland: with the management and extension of woodland • The LDF should make so as to promote enhanced biodiversity and quality of life an effective • Urban areas: where biodiversity needs to become a part of contribution wherever the development of policy on sustainable communities, relevant to the urban green space and the built environment strategy’s aims.

The Future of Air Transport – White Paper and the Civil Aviation Bill (DfT, 2003) This White Paper sets out a strategic The Government proposes a balanced approach to expansion No targets identified Recognise the objectives framework for the development of of air travel which: here in relation to the airport capacity in the UK over the next • Recognises the importance of air travel to our national and development of the LDF. 30 years. It covers a broad range of regional economic prosperity and that not providing objectives relating to supply and additional capacity where it is needed would significantly demand for air travel as well as damage the economy and national prosperity; covering a number of environmental • Reflects people’s desire to travel further and more often by objectives relating to the expected air, and to take advantage of the affordability of air travel and Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B27 expansion of air travel. the opportunities this brings; • Seeks to reduce and minimise the impacts of airports on those who live nearby and on the natural environment; • Ensures that, over time, aviation pays the external costs its activities impose on society at large – in other words, that the price of air travel reflects its environmental and social impacts; • Minimises the need for airport development in new locations by making best use of existing capacity where possible; • Respect the rights and interests of those affected by airport development; • Provides greater certainty for all concerned in the planning of future airport capacity, but at the same time is sufficiently flexible to recognise and adapt to the uncertainties inherent in long-term planning.

Also includes a number of Environmental Objectives Tackling Health Inequalities – A Programme for Action (Department of Health, 2003) This Programme for Action sets out Includes a number of suggested actions and intervention in By 2010 to reduce inequalities on Actions likely to have plans to tackle health inequalities over dealing with specific health issues such as infant mortality and health outcomes by 10% as greatest impact over the the next 3 years. It establishes the life expectancy. Those issues influenced by planning decisions measured by infant mortality and long term to tackle health foundations required to achieve the are included in the final column. life expectancy at birth. inequalities are: challenging national target for 2010 to • Improvements in early reduce the gap in infant mortality Outlined key features for achieving better outcomes in deprived years support for across social groups, and raise life area: children and families; expectancy in the most disadvantaged • Ambition – challenging targets for improving outcomes in • Improved social areas faster than elsewhere. disadvantaged communities (including health, educational housing and reduced attainment and housing quality); fuel poverty among • Organisation – requiring LSPs in targeted areas to produce vulnerable neighbourhood renewal strategies which include focusing on populations; health issues; • Improved educational • Resources – funding for the 88 most deprived authorities attainment and skills through the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund; and development among • Action – testing new approaches through the New Deal for disadvantaged Communities, a 10-year programme for the most populations; disadvantaged communities. • Improved access to public services in

Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B28

disadvantaged communities in urban and rural areas; and • Reduced unemployment and improved income among the poorest. Our Energy Future – Creating a Low Carbon Economy (Energy White Paper) (2003) This White Paper defines a long-term Stimulate new, more efficient sources of power generation and • Reduction in carbon dioxide LDF should encourage strategic vision for energy policy cut emissions from the transport and agricultural sector. Kyoto emissions of some 60% from development of combining our environmental, security Protocol targets current levels by about 2050. renewable energy of supply, competitiveness and social • Renewables to supply 10% of facilities and along with goals. UK electricity in 2010, subject the LTP attempt to to the costs being acceptable reduce the need for long to the consumer. Doubling distance car travel. renewables’ share of electricity generation in the decade after that. • To hit the 10% target the UK will need to install approximately 10,000MW of renewables capacity by 2010, an annual build rate of over 1250MW. Choosing Health: Making Healthy Choices Easier (Department of Health, 2004) Health is inextricably linked to the way The overarching aim of the paper is to provide people with the None identified. Provide people with the people live their lives and the tools to help make better health choices. This includes infrastructure to: opportunities available to choose reducing smoking and drinking, improving people’s mental • Increase access to health in the communities where they health, encouraging exercise and reducing the number of exercise by ensuring live. This White Paper is about making people who are obese. adequate and a difference to the choices people accessible sports / make. open space provision; • Linking up places of work and leisure with good quality infrastructure for walking and cycling;

Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B29

• Assist in providing good conditions for a range of work opportunities to help address health inequalities caused by low income. The Future of Transport: A Network for 2030 – White Paper (DfT, 2004) This White Paper looks at the factors The main objective underpinning the transport strategy is Reducing the number of people Transport policies should that will shape travel and transport over ‘balancing the need to travel with the need to improve quality of killed or seriously injured in Great be aligned with the the next 30 years and sets out how the life’. This means seeking solutions that meet long-term Britain in road accidents by 40% objectives in the White Government will respond to the economic, social and environmental goals. and the number of children killed Paper. increasing demand for travel, or seriously injured by 50% by maximising the benefits of transport 2010 compared with the average whilst minimising the negative impact for 1994-98. on people and the environment. The First Soil Action Plan for England: 2004-2006 (DEFRA, 2004) The Action Plan contains 52 actions on The actions proposed in this plan work towards a common Does not contain any targets. The LDF should ensure issues ranging from soil management vision that recognizes the several vital functions that soils This is partly due to there being that consideration is on farms to soils in the planning perform for society. no right or wrong type of soil and given to the system, soils and biodiversity, so for many soil issues it is Government’s objectives contamination of soils and the role of The vision is to ensure that England’s soils will be protected difficult to set national targets in and measures for soil soils in conserving cultural heritage and managed to optimize the varied functions that soils perform the way that can be done for air protection. Where and landscape. for society (e.g. supporting agriculture and forestry, protecting or water. appropriate these plans cultural heritage, supporting biodiversity, as a platform for can contain policies for All of the actions make a step towards construction), in keeping with the principles of sustainable the sustainable use of more sustainable soil use and development and on the basis of sound evidence. soils. protection. In order to achieve this vision, the aims are to ensure: Soil is also important for • Soil managers will look after their soils with a view both to the SSA and it is their own and society’s short-term needs and to the interests specifically referred to in of future generations; the SEA Directive. • The regulatory, legislative and political framework will provide appropriate protection of soil as an irreplaceable natural resource and empower and encourage people with soil to manage it properly; • A better understanding of, and access to, information on the state of our soils and the physical, chemical and biological Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B30

processes which operate on and within them. Safer Places: The Planning System and Crime Prevention (ODPM, 2004) PPS1 has a central theme of planning The document outlines 7 attributes of sustainable communities None identified Give due consideration to for safe and sustainable communities. that are particularly relevant to crime prevention. They include: these objectives This guide is intended as a companion • Access and movement – places with well defined routes, throughout the LDF to PPS1. It is not solely about crime spaces and entrances that provide for convenient movement process. prevention. It is concerned with the without compromising security; promotion of safe, sustainable and • Structure – places that are structured so that different uses attractive environments that meet the do not cause conflict; full set of planning objectives. • Surveillance – places where all publicly accessible spaces are overlooked; • Ownership – places that promote a sense of ownership, respect, territorial responsibility and community; • Physical Protection – places that include necessary, well designed security features; • Activity – places where levels of human activity is appropriate to the location and creates a reduced risk of crime and a sense of safety at all times; and • Management and Maintenance - places that are designed with management and maintenance in mind, to discourage crime in the present and in the future. England Rural Strategy (DEFRA, 2004) This strategy sets out the • Providing thriving economies and communities in rural areas No specific targets identified. Policies relevant to the Governments new approach to rural and a countryside for all to enjoy rural areas of North planning, following on from the • Ensure that our economic and social strategies are Warwickshire should be Rural White Paper published in consistent with our aim of protecting and enhancing all aligned with the 2000. aspects of our natural heritage for this and future objectives in the White generations. Paper. • Increasing need to take action to prevent damage to and improve the quality of natural resources in the countryside • Ensuring that the potential of delivery through social enterprises is recognised and exploited. Defra will support development of social enterprise both as a regeneration tool in disadvantaged areas and as a means of sustaining services in more prosperous areas for which the commercial market is weak • Fair access to public services Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B31

• Improve the sustainable management of soils • Provide better access to the countryside and to enable more people from a wider range of backgrounds to enjoy its benefits Cleaner, Safer, Greener: Streets for All (English Nature, DfT, 2005) A reference manual of good practice Does not contain any objectives, but its general principles are Ensure careful on the management of streets and concerned with the subjects of: consideration of these open spaces. • Ground Surface; issues through the LDF. • Street Furniture; • New Equipment; • Traffic Management; and • Environmental Improvements

Securing the Future – UK Government Sustainable Development Strategy (March 2005) The Government has a new purpose The document sets out a new set of shared UK principles that No targets Identified Take account of UK and principles for sustainable will be used to achieve sustainable development. principles for sustainable development and new shared priorities • Living within Environmental Limits: Respecting the limits of development: agreed across the UK, including the the planet’s environment, resources and biodiversity – to • Living within Devolved Administrations. improve our environment and ensure that the natural environmental limits; resources needed for life are unimpaired and remain so for • Ensuring a strong, The strategy contains: future generations. healthy and just • A new integrated vision building on • Ensuring a Strong, Healthy and Just Society: Meeting the society; the 1999 strategy – with stronger diverse needs of all people in existing and future • Achieving a international and societal communities, promoting personal well-being, social cohesion sustainable economy; dimensions; and inclusion and creating equal opportunity for all. • Promoting good • 5 principles – with a more explicit • Achieving a Sustainable Economy: Building a strong, stable governance; and focus on environmental limits; and sustainable economy which provides prosperity and • Using sound science • 4 agreed priorities – sustainable opportunities for all, and in which environmental and social responsibly. consumption and production, costs fall on those who impose them (polluter pays) and climate change, natural resource efficient resource use is incentivised. protection and sustainable • Promoting Good Governance: Actively promoting effective, communities; and participative systems of governance in all levels of society – • A new indicator set, which is more engaging people’s creativity, energy and diversity. outcome focused, with commitments • Using Sound Science Responsibly: Ensuring policy is to look at new indicators such as on developed and implemented on the basis of strong scientific wellbeing. evidence, whilst taking into account scientific uncertainty (through the precautionary principle) as well as public Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B32

attitudes and values. Making Design Policy Work – How to deliver good design through your local development framework (CABE, 2005) This publication aims to help local Includes objectives on: No targets identified Ensure due consideration authorities and their partners develop • Character and local distinctiveness; is given to these LDF design policies. • Urban Form and scale; objectives during plan • Public realm and open space; formation. • Mixed use and tenure; • Connection, movement and inclusive areas; • Landscape and biodiversity; • Architecture; and • Historic environment conservation. Climate Change: The UK Programme 2006 (DEFRA, 2006) This Government believes that climate Sets out a number of objectives relating to: Reduce carbon emissions by 20% Give due consideration to change is the greatest long-term • Energy Supply; below 1990 levels by 2010 these objectives challenge facing the world today. There • Business; throughout the LDF is strong and indisputable evidence • Transport; process. that climate change is happening and • Domestic; that man made emissions are its main • Agriculture, Forestry and Land Use Management; and cause. • The Public Sector

This Climate Change Programme sets policies and priorities for action in the UK and internationally.

Regional Level (West Midlands) Policies and Programmes

Overall Aim / Purpose of the Objectives Targets relevant to the LDF / Issues / objectives to be Document SA taken into account West Midlands Regional Innovation Strategy (West Midlands First, 1998) The document sets out the strategies The strategy focuses on the following four ‘cornerstones’: No specific targets identified. Take document into and key policy priorities for innovation • Exploiting and improving regional capability via the constant account when producing in the West Midlands. review and evaluation of sectors, research and technology; LDF. • Catalysing collaborative innovation activity via business The overall aim of the RIS is to networks and networking between the science base and Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B33 improve living standards by promoting industry; innovation and strengthening the • Increasing investment in research, development and design, economic base of the region. new capital equipment and skills and training; and • Enhancing innovation culture and spreading best practice to ensure the widest adoption of generic technologies. Regional Cultural Strategy (West Midlands Life, January 2001) The purpose of the strategy is to set The strategy sets out the vision and aims of Culture West No specific targets identified. LDF should give out the aspirations for the future of the Midlands and identifies specific objectives that will help this consideration to the region's cultural and creative sectors visio n b ecome a reality, under the following 6 headings: objectives of the and to provide a strategic framework • The Product document. for the whole spectrum of cultural • Excellence interests throughout the region. • Choice • Access • Economy • Sustainability and • Influence

Cultural Life in the West Midlands – A Call For Action (West Midlands Life, 2001) The main principles of the document The document’s main objectives are: No specific targets identified The LDF should take into are to: • To ensure that the West Midlands is recognised as one of account the aims of the • Promote excellence and innovation the foremost regions for cultural activity both nationally and document • Ensure diversity, access and equity internationally • Increase investment, sustainability • To encourage people to visit because of the wealth of and effectiveness cultural and creative activities • To ensure that distinctive sub-regional and local cultural identity is celebrated • To ensure that the best is preserved and renewed and to encourage new cultural work to be created and provide opportunities for innovation and experimentation. • To ensure access to the very best in cultural education and experiences, throughout school and beyond. • To ensure that new cultural choices are created where there are strategic gaps or new demands. • To ensure that all residents and visitors have access to the very best range of cultural activities. • To ensure that the Cultural Strategy is fully recognised in all other strategic development plans. Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B34

Delivering Advantage: The West Midlands Regional Economic Strategy and Action Plan 2004-2010 (Advantage West Midlands, 2004) The overall vision of the document is The task of the strategy is to work in partnership to address No specific targets identified, Ensure that the LDF is that by 2010 “the West Midlands is factors inhibiting growth of the region’s economy and to build document sets out various action consistent wit the aims of recognised as a world-class region in upon those areas where the West Midlands outstrips other points rather than actual targets. the document. which to invest, work, learn, visit and regions. The document sets out 13 challenges that must be live and the most successful in creating overcome to make this happen. These are grouped under 5 wealth to benefit all of its people”. headings: • Develop a diverse and dynamic business base; The Strategy has 3 key principles: • Promote a learning and skilful region • A commitment to sustainable • Create the conditions for growth development; • Regenerate communities • A commitment to equality, diversity • Provide a powerful voice for the region and economic inclusion; and • A commitment to ensuring that the Strategy links with, and underpins, other strategies and policies which are delivering across the region. West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy (West Midlands Local Government Association, June 2004) The main purpose of Regional Spatial The Strategy provides general locational policies. Includes the A number of targets are set. The LDF should Strategy, which incorporates the Regional regional transport strategy and housing targets. recognise the West Transport Strategy, is to provide a Strategy • To make the MUAs of the West Midlands increasingly Midlands RSS key policy to guide the preparation of local authority attractive places where people want to live, work and invest; principles and targets. Local Development Frameworks and local transport plans so that they can deliver to a • Secure the regeneration of the rural areas of the Region; coherent framework for Regional • Create a joined-up multi-centred Regional structure where all development. areas / centres have distinct roles to play; • Retain the Green Belt, but allow an adjustment of boundaries where this is necessary to support urban regeneration; • Support the diversification and modernisation of the Region’s economy while ensuring that opportunities for growth are linked to meeting needs and reducing social exclusion; • Ensure the quality of the environment is conserved and enhanced; • Improve significantly the Region’s transport systems; • Promote the development of a network of strategic centres across the Region. West Midlands Regional Energy Strategy (West Midlands Regional Assembly, November 2004) The overall aim of the document is to The strategy has 4 headline objectives: Targets have been set against Ensure that LDF gives Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B35 make the West Midlands the most • Improving Energy Efficiency; each of the 4 headline objectives, consideration to these energy efficient region in the UK. Its • Increasing the use of Renewable Energy Resources; some of which are: issues. vision is that: “By 2020 we will have • Maximising Uptake of Business Opportunities; and • Industry: reduce CO2 delivered the West Midlands’ • Ensuring Focused and Integrated Delivery and emissions by 18% by 2010 and commitment to the climate change Implementation. an additional 32% by 2020; challenge, having ensured a • Commercial and public sector: sustainable, secure and affordable reduce emissions by 36% by supply of energy for everyone and 2010 and an additional 26% by strengthened the region’s economic 2020; capability”. • Domestic: reduce emissions by 19% by 2010 and an additional 29% by 2020; • Transport: stabilise emissions by 2010 and reduce by 7% by 2020; • Renewable generation equivalent to 5% of electricity consumption by 2010 and 10% by 2020; • Heat from renewable sources providing 0.3% of consumption by 2010 and 1% by 2020; • Production of 460 GWh of liquid biofuels per year (2% of current diesel sales) by 2010; West Midlands Regional Forestry Framework (Forestry Commission West Midlands, 2004) Sets out a long term strategy for the Key objectives address: No specific targets and The LDF should take planting and management of forests • Woodland cover indicators, although it does account of the role played • Forest industry provide links to key Government by woodland and forestry • Wood energy and recycling Public Services level agreement in achieving • Recreation and tourism targets environmental • Health and well being improvement and long- • Education and social exclusion term sustainable • Enhancing biodiversity development • Protecting natural assets • Supporting regeneration West Midlands Visitor Economy Strategy (Advantage West Midlands, 2004) Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B36

The Strategy sets out a challenging • Focus on key destinations and gateways • Volume of day and staying In developing the LDF, Vision for the sector to 2010 and • Integration with regeneration efforts visits; consideration should be beyond, and identifies the way this will • Managing the development of destinations • Amount spent by day and given to ensure policies be achieved. The strategy sets a staying visits; are developed which help framework for partnership working • Comparison of volume and facilitate development of among major organisations, local value the visitor economy. authorities and the tourism and leisure • Workforce in visitor economy industry. Such partnership working – at cluster all geographical scales and thematically – can add value to the West Midlands visitor economy, enhance places in the Region for residents and visitors, and support local businesses and cultural life. Restoring the Region’s Wildlife: The Regional Biodiversity Strategy for the West Midlands (West Midlands Biodiversity Strategy Partnership, 2005) The document aims to focus attention The document sets out 5 key challenges for the biodiversity of No specific targets identified The LDF should ensure on the most important priorities for the region, against which significant progress will need to be relevant to LDF / SA. that biodiversity is biodiversity in the region. made if the region’s wildlife is to be retained and restored: protected, retained and • Maintaining and improving the condition of habitats, species restored in North and ecosystems; Warwickshire. • Developing an area-based approach to restoring wildlife; • Monitoring the condition of habitats, species and ecosystems; • Re-connecting and integrating action for biodiversity with other environmental, social and economic activity; and • Coping with the impacts of climate change. West Midlands Regional Housing Strategy (West Midlands Regional Assembly, June 2005) The purpose of the Regional Housing The core aims of the document are: No specific targets identified, Ensure that the LDF is Strategy is to reinforce and apply the • To create mixed, balanced and inclusive communities; document sets out various action consistent wit the aims of principles of urban and rural • To assist in the delivery of West Midlands Regional Spatial points rather than actual targets. the document. renaissance to the Region’s housing Strategy policies of urban and rural renaissance; markets. • To influence the future development of new housing provision to facilitate and enhance the economic development of the Region; • To address the variety of needs across a range of specific sectors of housing circumstances; • To work towards the success of the two ODPM sponsored Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B37

Housing Market Renewal Area Pathfinders; • To see that Government’s Decent Homes standards are met in the municipal, social sectors, and for those in vulnerable circumstances in the private sector; • To achieve social and other affordable housing; and • To achieve sustainable access to minimise environmental resource consumption and traffic and improve the quality of the environment. Sign Up For Sport – A Regional Plan for Sport in the West Midlands (Sport England, 2005) The vision for this plan is “to There are 7 key drivers to the Regional Plan for Sport There are numerous targets LDF to give consideration significantly increase participation in • Increasing participation in sport and active recreation associated with each of the 7 key to the aims of the sport within all age and social groups, • Improving levels of performance drivers document. leading to improvements in health and • Widening access other social and economic benefits and • Improving health and well being providing the basis for progression into • Creating stronger and safer communities higher levels of performance for those • Improving education with the talent and desire to progress”. • Benefiting the economy Rural Renaissance – Advantage West Midlands Rural Framework (Advantage West Midlands, 2005) Highlights and increases the relevance The aims of the document focuses on many issues, not just No specific targets identified The LDF should take into of the West Midlands Economic economic development: account the objectives of Strategy to rural areas. The overall • Fostering and supporting business growth; the Framework vision for rural renaissance is “Achieve • Identifying and supporting rural skills development; sustainable development in the rural • Developing a modern rural infrastructure and environmental West Midlands, by improving access to conditions; opportunity and the number and quality • Regenerating sustainable, well supported rural communities; of jobs available within sustainable and rural communities’. • Championing the rural West Midlands. Enriching Our Region: An Environmental Manifesto for the West Midlands (West Midlands Regional Sustainability Forum, 2005) The Manifesto presents a vision of the Considers how the vision of the Region in 2025 can be No specific targets identified The LDF should take into Region in 2025 coupled with a route achieved through consideration of the following topic areas: account the aims of the map for getting there, with practical • Links to the global environment document steps. • People and places • The natural environment • Land use and transport Rural Renaissance: Advantage West Midlands’ Rural Framework (Advantage West Midlands, 2005) Rural Renaissance sets out Advantage • To foster the sustainable development and diversification of No relevant targets identified The LDF should reflect West Midlands’ integrated approach to the rural economy of the West Midlands. the aims and objectives Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B38 rural development. It demonstrates our the rural economy of the West Midlands. of this document role and strategy for implementing the • To raise skills levels and improve access to skills West Midlands Economic Strategy development opportunities in rural areas, in support of the (WMES) in the rural West Midlands. ten business clusters. • To support restructuring in the West Midlands rural economy The document explains the context through development of an accessible, modern, social and and rationale for the main rural economic infrastructure and the environmental conditions development commitments and appropriate to the growth needs of rural areas. future actions. It will also help guide • To address the region’s most significant rural regeneration the actions of our partners in aligning needs through a locally targeted approach, which improves their activity with the WMES social infrastructure and capacity; through improving access and/or seeking support for rural to opportunity. development from the Agency. • To be an effective champion for the rural West Midlands at regional, national and international levels, ensuring that the West Midlands makes the most of all opportunities. Regional Sustainable Development Framework (West Midlands Regional Assembly, 2006) Provides a framework including targets Four main themes; Contains a list of key indicators Compare plan policies and indicators relating to the • Developing thriving sustainable communities with the four themes achievement of sustainable • Enhancing and protecting the environment contained within the development in the West Midlands. • Using natural resources prudently and efficiently RSDF to identify any • Developing a flourishing, diverse and stable regional gaps economy Water Resources Strategy for the West Midlands (Environment Agency, Undated) Overall vision is that there is enough Underpinning principles: • Water abstraction to be Future developments in water for all human uses with an • Prudent and sustainable use of natural resources to seek the reduced by 140 Ml/day by the North Warwickshire improved water environment. efficient use of water while bringing forward timely proposals 2025 should recognise the for resource development (the ‘twin-track’ approach) the • Targets for water efficiency limited availability of need for the strategy to be robust to uncertainty and change savings, reducing abstraction. water and incorporate where there is uncertainty about the consequences of a efficiency measures and proposal, decisions taken should ensure that the sustainable drainage environment is protected (the ‘precautionary principle’) systems at the planning • Water abstraction cutbacks are necessary in some areas to stage. The timing and improve the environment. location of new • Water resource options that are flexible to the possible development must impacts of climate change are preferred. respect water resources and environmental constraints.

Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B39

Sub-Regional (Warwickshire) Level Policies and Programmes

Overall Aim / Purpose of the Objectives Targets relevant to the LDF / Issues / objectives to be Document SA taken into account Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Solihull and Coventry – A Framework for Rural Action (2004) The Framework has been developed They key objectives are: There are a number of targets set LDF needs to reflect the with the aim of guiding partners in 1. Engaging and stimulating rural business, innovation and out in the Action Plan objectives of the modernising and diversifying the rural entrepreneurship Framework. economy and making it more 1A. Developing the tourism and leisure sector sustainable. The Framework provides 1B. Stimulating the food and farming sectors an overarching view of the key issues 2. Improving access, choice and quality of learning and skills and challenges facing the rural provision economy, opportunities for action and 3. Improving information and communications ways forward for partners to respond to 4. Increasing access to affordable housing the challenges. 5. Improving sustainable rural transport 6. Building greater community capacity and enhancing The overall aim of the document is “to community cohesion modernise and diversify the rural 7. Integrating and sustaining rural services economy and make it more 8. Creating more opportunities for young people sustainable”. Warwickshire Local Transport Plan (Warwickshire County Council) This document provides details of how The emphasis of the Local Transport Plan is on the A number of targets have been It is important that the the County Council and its partners deliverability of the following objectives: set for all mandatory and some LDF reflects the aims and intend to improve transport and • Accessibility – to improve accessibility to health and local indicators objectives of the Local accessibility over the next five years. educational facilities Transport Plan The document also begins to set out • Road Safety – to maintain a special focus on improving road the types of improvements that will be safety for children, particularly in disadvantaged areas needed over the next 15-20 years to • Congestion – to discourage traffic growth during peak deliver the quality of life that the periods in urban areas County Council would like to see for all • Air Quality – to tackle the declared Air Quality Management its citizens. Areas (AQMAs) and prevent any further areas being declared Warwickshire Waste Local Plan (Warwickshire County Council, 1995) The Waste Local Plan was prepared by The document sets out a number of policies and proposals The County Council’s strategy It is important that the Warwickshire County Council in order relevant to Waste in Warwickshire. has to reflect the Government's LDF reflects the aims and to identify the most suitable areas for 'primary targets' for “Making objectives of the Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B40 the processing and/or disposal of Waste Work” in the UK over the document waste. next 10 years as follows: • To reduce the proportion of The County Council is currently in the controlled waste going to process of preparing a Waste Local landfill to 60% (from 70%) by Development Framework which will 2005; eventually supersede this document. • To recover 40% of municipal waste by 2005; and iii) by the end of 1998, to set a target for overall waste reduction. Warwickshire Minerals Local Plan (Warwickshire County Council, 1995) LDF needs to reflect the requirements The document sets out a number of policies and proposals No specific targets It is important that the for biodiversity protection and relevant to Minerals in Warwickshire LDF reflects the aims and enhancement objectives of the document Warwickshire Landscape Guidelines LDF needs to reflect the requirements Guidelines reflect 5 topic areas: No specific targets LDF needs to reflect the for biodiversity protection and • Settlement and buildings requirements for enhancement • Highways landscape conservation, • Land Management restoration and • Field Boundaries enhancement. • Trees and Woodlands Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull Local Biodiversity Action Plan The Warwickshire Coventry and The plan contains 26 Species Action Plans for threatened There are a number of targets LDF needs to reflect the Solihull Local Biodiversity Action Plan plants and animals. There are 24 Habitat Action Plans covering contained within each Species requirements for outlines how landowners, land- farmland, woodlands, wetlands, grasslands, urban areas and and Habitat Action Plan. biodiversity protection managers and policy makers will post-industrial land. and enhancement protect the characteristic wildlife and landscapes of our sub-region. An Engine for Growth – The Economic Regeneration Strategy for the Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire Sub Region (2002) The Economic Regeneration • Creating conditions for growth: maintaining the Sub-region’s No specific targets, however it LDF to reflect the Strategy brings together a wide range role as an ‘Engine for Growth in the Region’; includes a comprehensive list of objectives of the sub- of policies and initiatives that aim to • Developing a diverse and dynamic business: modernising regional and sub-regional regional economic achieve the vision of an economically the economy and developing the high technology potential of indicators. development strategies in successful Sub-region of Coventry, the Sub-region; policies and plans Solihull and Warwickshire: • Regenerating communities: spreading market confidence north and regenerating communities; Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B41

• Promoting a learning and skilful Sub-region; • Building bridges to success: linking opportunity with need.

Local Level (North Warwickshire) Policies and Programmes

Overall Aim / Purpose of the Objectives Targets relevant to the LDF / Issues / objectives to be Document SA taken into account North Warwickshire Borough Council Housing Needs Survey (NWBC, 2003) The study gives consideration to all The study estimates that for all Affordable housing is one housing tenures with a view to housing need to be addressed, of the key priorities of the producing information which will assist there is a need to provide 303 Council. The need for policy making in relation to housing additional affordable dwellings affordable housing as and planning policy per annum. reflected in this study should be considered in the LDF. North Warwickshire Borough Council Housing Strategy (NWBC) The strategy carries forward issues The document sets out a number of priorities and a number of Many of the priorities highlighted The aims of the Housing from the previous housing strategy that options regarding how to meet them: in the Strategy are of relevance to Strategy should be key to remain as priorities and areas for • Ensuring that all of the Authority’s housing stock meets the the LDF, particularly: the LDF. action. The new strategy also Decent Homes Standard by 2010 • Make most appropriate use of recognises a changing housing picture, • Conclude works to Pre Cast Reinforced Concrete (PRC) council owned land held for with emergent priorities at national, homes housing regional, and local level. • Improving private sector housing conditions • Addressing evidenced housing • Make most appropriate use of council owned land held for needs housing • Address unmet needs for • Addressing evidenced housing needs special/supported housing • Address unmet needs for special/supported housing provision provision • Delivering an improved homelessness service North Warwickshire Borough Council Economic Strategy (NWBC) The Economic Strategy was developed The document sets out four objectives for the local economy: There are a number of actions The aims of the through the Economic Strategy Group • North Warwickshire will benefit from the growth and set out in the accompanying document should be of the North Warwickshire Community promotion in investment, employment development and North Warwickshire Economic taken into account in the Partnership. The document reflects diversification in the Borough Action Plan, based around the LDF the economic activities being • The Market Towns of Atherstone, Polesworth and Coleshill four objectives. Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B42 undertaken by a wide range of partners and rural areas beyond, be regenerated through a in order to address the issues crosscutting approach impacting on all the themes of the stemming from the North Warwickshire Community Plan. Community Plan. • Tourism will be developed and promoted throughout the Borough using an enlarging partnership • The Council will, with others, review derelict, polluted and brownfield land and encourage reclamation and re-use. North Warwickshire Framework for Sustainable Rural Action and Delivery Plan (NWBC, 2006) The Framework for Sustainable Rural The Framework is intended to help organisations check their The Delivery Plan includes a The aims of the Action is about equality, diversity and policies and initiatives for their impacts on North Warwickshire number of ‘aspirations’ through Framework should be choice for all who live and work in the and it will also help to address gaps or make improvements. which the aims will be achieved. embedded in the LDF. rural area which is North Warwickshire. The Delivery Plan for the Framework includes a number of aims: Aim A: Thriving, vibrant and sustainable rural communities • A1: To ensure that communities have fair and equal access to a wide range of services • A2: To encourage communities to see themselves as continually changing, with a mix of age, social class, income and ethnic background: to have a positive view of their future and to feel a sense of pride and belonging. Aim B: A diverse and dynamic rural economy • B1: North Warwickshire will be a place where business will want to invest, to succeed and remain • B2: Local people will benefit from a successful rural economy Aim C: An Attractive, varied and productive local environment • C1: To conserve and enhance the local environment • C2: To promote and develop local environmental sustainability North Warwickshire Sustainable Community Plan (North Warwickshire Community Partnership, 2006) The overall vision of the Strategy is: The aims that will contribute to delivering the vision include: There are a number of key The Community Plan and “Rural North Warwickshire; a • Listening to, responding and investing in children, young targets throughout the document, Local Development community of communities. A place people and their families; relating to the different themes of Framework will have a where people want to live, work and • Promoting opportunities for all members of the community to the Community Plan crucial relationship with visit, now and in the future, which play a full part in community life; one another, and it is meets the diverse needs of existing • Ensuring that people of all ages are provided with the important that the LDF is Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B43 and future residents, is sensitive to the opportunity to obtain the skills, knowledge, confidence and written in order to assist local environment, and contributes to a understanding to achieve their full potential; delivery of the aims of the high quality of life. A place which is • Maintaining, protecting and improving the quality of the Community Plan. safe and inclusive, well planned, built environment for people living in, working in and visiting the and run, and offers equality of area; opportunity and good services for all” • Tackling health inequalities by supporting local communities and by improving accessibility and raising awareness so that individuals can make informed choices about their health; • Contributing towards ensuring that the North Warwickshire economy is healthy, diverse and able to adapt to changes in the wider economy while remaining relevant to the needs of local people; and • Making North Warwickshire a safer place to live, work and enjoy where the fear of crime is low. North Warwickshire Corporate Plan (2006) The Corporate Plan is the Borough The document sets out the 10 priorities of the Council, also There are a number of targets Take into account the Council’s main policy and management setting out the progress the Council has made, is making and set out in the document that are relevant priorities when document. intends to make to deliver the priorities: relevant to the Sustainability drawing up the LDF. • Addressing equalities in all aspects of its Policies and Appraisal and the LDF Services • Enhancing Community Engagement and Access to Services • Improving the Broader Public Realm and increasing the amount of waste that is recycled • Working in partnership to improve our Market Towns and increase tourism and develop a Framework for Rural Action • Reviewing its Leisure Services and Facilities • Expanding its Borough Care service to a wider range of vulnerable people • Working with its partners to tackle crime and the fear of crime • Improving housing in the Borough by delivering more affordable housing and achieving the Decent Homes Standard for its own stock • Achieving a balanced budget • Developing its staff through a comprehensive Human Resources Strategy

Appendix B Relevant Policies Plans and Programmes – August 2006 B44 Appendix D: Sustainability Baseline

D1 This appendix gives an overview of the social, economic and environmental features of North Warwickshire in order to determine current sustainability issues. The baseline is a means of identifying current trends relating to North Warwickshire. This section starts with an overview of North Warwickshire to set a context, which is then followed by the information forming the sustainability baseline, by topic area. The different topics consist of:

• Population and Demographics • Biodiversity, Fauna and Flora • Society and Accessibility • Human Health • Economy, Employment and Skills • Geology and Soils • Water • Air • Climatic Factors • Material Assets and Resources • Cultural Heritage • Landscape • Transport

D2 For each topic area, the subjects for which information has been gathered are listed, followed by a record of the sources of information that have been used. The baseline information is then considered in detail.

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D1

Overview of North Warwickshire

D3 North Warwickshire is the most northern Borough in the County of Warwickshire, situated in the very heart of England and covering 110 square miles. Its neighbours include the urban areas of Nuneaton and Bedworth, Tamworth, Birmingham, Coventry and Solihull, and the shire counties of Leicestershire and Staffordshire. Figure C1 shows the location of the Borough of North Warwickshire within the county of Warwickshire.

D4 North Warwickshire is predominantly rural in nature, with over half of its area within the Green Belt. Nearly 62,000 people live in the Borough (Census 2001), its population being dispersed between the small market towns of Atherstone, Coleshill and Polesworth and a number of villages and smaller settlements, many of which are former mining communities.

Figure D1: Location of North Warwickshire Borough in the County of Warwickshire

Source: Warwickshire County Council

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D2

D5 Population and Demographics

Introduction and Sources of Information

D5.1 The information gathered to establish a baseline for this topic area relates to:

• Population • Gender • Age • Ethnic Origin

D5.2 Sources of Information for this topic area are:

• 2001 Census: www.statistics.gov.uk • Quality of Life in Warwickshire report, 2005: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/qualityoflife

Population

D5.3 The 2001 Census states that the population of North Warwickshire was 61,860, of which 30,457 (49.2%) were male and 31,403 (50.8%) were female. The population of North Warwickshire grew by 3.1% between 1981 and 2001. It is expected to grow by a further 2% in the period from 2003 to 2021. This is compared to a predicted growth in the same period of 13% in Warwickshire as a whole.

Gender

D5.4 In 2001, 49.2% of North Warwickshire’s population were male and 50.8% were female. This split is very similar to that for both Warwickshire and the West Midlands region.

Age

D5.5 Figure D2 below shows the population pyramid broken down by age for North Warwickshire. The pyramid shows that North Warwickshire’s population is well below the national average for those aged 20–24 and above the national average for those aged 50-59. Information from Warwickshire County Councils research department shows that, 22.3% of the population of North Warwickshire is aged under 18 and 6.6% is aged 75 or over. This is compared with 21.9% and 7.6% respectively for the county of Warwickshire.

D5.6 The two largest age groups in North Warwickshire are those aged 30-44 (23% of the population) and 45-59 (21.8% of the population). This is similar to the population of the county of Warwickshire which has 22.5% of its population aged 30-44 and 20.8% of its population aged 45-59.

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D3

Figure D2: Population Pyramid for North Warwickshire

Source: Census 2001 www.statistics.gov.uk

D5.7 Table D1 below shows the change in population between 1993 and 2003. It can be seen that the most significant population increase has been in the number of people aged 85+, followed by those aged 75-84.

Table D1 - Change in Population by Age Group 1993 – 2003 Age Cohort Change in Population (%) 0-4 -22% 5-14 3% 15-29 -20% 30-44 3% 45-59/64* 14.3% 60-65/74** 0% 75-84 22.2% 85+ 42% All ages 0.5% *Females aged 59, males 64 ** Females aged 60, males 65 Source: Quality of Life in Warwickshire, 2005

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D4 D5.8 By 2021 it is expected that North Warwickshire is likely to experience a decline in the number of people aged 49 and under as births continue to fall, and a significant increase in the numbers of people aged 50 and over. The number of people aged 85+ is expected to experience the most rapid growth of all age categories, highlighting the national issue of an aging population (Quality of Life in Warwickshire, 2005).

Ethnic Origin

D5.9 Table D2 below shows the make up of the populations of North Warwickshire and Warwickshire in terms of ethnic origin. It can be seen from the table that the population of North Warwickshire is predominantly white, mirroring the countywide situation. The ethnic composition of North Warwickshire’s population is changing, in 1991 99.2% of North Warwickshire’s population was white.

Table D2 – Ethnic Origin by Percentage of Population Ethnic Origin North Warwickshire Warwickshire White 98.74% 95.58% Mixed 0.52% 0.79% Asian or Asian British 0.49% 2.81% Black or Black British 0.19% 0.40% Chinese or Other 0.16% 0.43%

Key Sustainability Issues

D5.10 The key sustainability issues relating to population and demographics are: • An aging population coupled with a declining birth rate • Loss of the 15-29 year old age group

D6 Biodiversity, Fauna and Flora

Introduction and Sources of Information

D6.1 The information gathered to establish a baseline for this topic area relates to:

• Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) • Local Nature Reserves • Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs) • The Local Biodiversity Action Plan • Country Parks • Registered Parks and Gardens

D6.2 Sources of Information for this topic area are:

• English Nature: www.english-nature.org.uk/special/sssi/search.cfm • English Heritage: www.english-heritage.org.uk • Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull Biodiversity Action Plan: www.warwickshire.gov.uk • Warwickshire Geological Conservation Group • Warwickshire Museum Field Services

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D5

Statutory Sites

D6.3 There are no Ramsar Sites, Special Protection Areas or Special Areas of Conservation in North Warwickshire.

Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)

D6.4 SSSIs are sites which are statutorily protected for their nature conservation, geological or scientific value, designated under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). North Warwickshire contains 13 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), covering an area of 493.67 hectares. The SSSIs in North Warwickshire are:

• Alvecote Pools • Kingsbury Brickworks • Bentley Park Wood • Kingsbury Wood • Birches Barn Meadows • Middleton Pool • Boon’s Quarry • River Blythe • Coleshill and Bannerley Pools • Whitacre Heath • Hoar Park Wood • Woodlands Quarry • Illing’s Trenches

D6.5 English Nature undertakes monitoring of the condition of SSSIs on a regular basis. The condition of the SSSI sites in North Warwickshire can be seen in Table D3 below:

Table D3 – Condition of SSSI sites in North Warwickshire Condition Area (ha) Favourable Condition 243.54 Unfavourable Condition, Recovering 93.15 Unfavourable Condition, No Change 61.94 Unfavourable Condition, Declining 95.04 Total 493.67 Source: English Nature

D6.6 From this information it can be seen that 49.33% of the SSSI area in North Warwickshire is in a favourable condition, 18.87% is in an unfavourable condition but recovering, 12.55% is in an unfavourable condition with no change, and 19.25% is in an unfavourable condition and declining.

Non-Statutory Sites

Local Nature Reserves

D6.7 Local Nature Reserves are for both people and wildlife. They are places with wildlife or geological features that are of special interest locally, which give people opportunities to study and learn about them or simply enjoy and have contact with nature. Local authorities designate these sites in consultation with English Nature.

D6.8 Currently, there are no Local Nature Reserves within North Warwickshire. However, the North Warwickshire Local Plan 2006 identifies 3 sites at Atherstone, Kingsbury and New Arley as being potential Local Nature Reserves.

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D6

Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs)

D6.9 SINCs are sites which have been selected locally by English Nature, Warwickshire Museum Field Services and Warwickshire Wildlife Trust for their nature conservation value. These areas of ecological or geological importance are identified to protect habitat and species diversity. SINCs are currently being identified as part of the county wide Wildlife Sites project and include sites of geological value referred to as Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphological sites (see section on Geology and Soils).

D6.10 There are 46 SINCs within North Warwickshire, with many more potential SINCs which have not yet gone through the formal designation system.

Ecosites

D6.11 The use of Ecosites is a system operated by Warwickshire Museum Field Services to identify sites of acknowledged nature conservation value. This includes the location of approximately 2,800 statutory and non statutory sites within Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull. Each site contains information on flora, fauna and habitat descriptions and is being used to enable the identification of Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation.

D6.12 Just over 11% (328 sites) of Warwickshire’s Ecosites (2871 sites) are situated within North Warwickshire. Within the Borough, there are 1419.94 hectares designated as Ecosites, comparable to 11952.49 hectares within Warwickshire as a whole.

The Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP)

D6.13 The Warwickshire Coventry and Solihull Local Biodiversity Action Plan outlines how landowners, land-managers and policy makers will protect the characteristic wildlife and landscapes of our sub-region.

D6.14 The LBAP provides a local response to the UK Government’s National Action Plans for threatened habitats and species. It will contribute to national targets (wherever these are relevant to Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull) and also sets out local targets. The LBAP also contains action plans for local habitats and species which are not a priority in the UK BAP. The relevant habitats and species for North Warwickshire are set out below:

Species

National BAP Species Local BAP species • Bats • Adder • Bittern • Black Poplar • Common Dormouse • Dingy Skipper Butterfly • Farmland Birds • Lapwing • Great Crested Newt • Red Wood Ant • Otter • Small Blue Butterfly National BAP Species Local BAP species • Rare Bumblebees • Snipe • Scarce Arable Plants • Song Thrush • Water Vole • White-clawed Crayfish

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D7

Habitats

National BAP Habitat Local BAP Habitat • Eutrophic Ponds, Lakes & • Allotments Reservoirs • Canals • Fen and Swamp • Churchyards & Cemeteries • Field Margins • Disused Industrial and Railway • Gardens Land • Hedgrows • Parks & Public Open Spaces • Lowland Acid Grassland • Quarries & Gravel Pits • Lowland Heathland • Rivers and Streams • Lowland Neutral Grassland • Roadside Verges • Reedbeds • School Grounds • The Built Environment • Scrub and Carr • Wood Pasture, Old Parkland & • Traditional Orchards Veteran Trees • Woodlands

D6.15 Each species and habitat action plan contains within it a number of clear, measurable objectives and targets. A number of local actions are then set out in order to achieve the overall objectives and targets.

D6.16 Monitoring of the Local Biodiversity Action Plan is currently in its early stages. Therefore due to the current lack of information available, coupled with the significant number of overall local actions to be considered, it is difficult to include much information on the LBAP in this sustainability baseline. However, due to it’s significant importance in the environment, it is important to note its existence to help provide a context to the rest of the baseline information. As monitoring of the LBAP increases, there may be scope to include more information in the baseline in future.

Country Parks

D6.17 Country Parks are areas designated for people to visit and enjoy recreation in the countryside. There are 8 Country Parks in the county of Warwickshire, four of which are located in North Warwickshire. North Warwickshire’s four Country Parks are:

• Alvecote Priory • Pooley Country Park and Heritage Centre • Kingsbury Water Park • Hartshill Hayes Country Park

Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest

D6.18 Since the 1980s, there has been a national record of the historic parks and gardens which make a rich and varied contribution to our landscape. This is known as the Register of Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England and now contains over 1,400 sites. It was established, and is maintained, by English Heritage.

D6.19 There are two sites in the Borough that are included in English Heritage’s Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest. These are the Merevale and Packington Estates. Their inclusion within the list is a reflection of their national importance.

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D8

Key Sustainability Issues

D6.20 The key sustainability issues relating to biodiversity, fauna and flora are: • The need to improve the condition of SSSIs • The need to protect statutory and non statutory sites designated for their nature conservation value • The need to protect Biodiversity, including the species and habitats which are listed in the Biodiversity Action Plan • The need to protect North Warwickshire’s Country Parks and Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest

D7 Society and Accessibility

Housing

Introduction and Sources of Information

D7.1 The information gathered to establish a baseline for this topic area relates to:

• Average House Price • Housing Affordability • Housing Completions • Affordable Housing Completions • Household Tenure • Unsuitable Properties

D7.2 Sources of Information for this topic area are:

• 2001 Census: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/census2001 • Quality of Life in Warwickshire report, 2005: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/qualityoflife • North Warwickshire Annual Monitoring Report 2004-2005 www.northwarks.gov.uk • Warwickshire County Council – House Prices in Warwickshire report 2004, Quarter 4: www.warwickshire.gov.uk • North Warwickshire Sustainable Community Plan 2006 - 2009

Average House Price

D7.3 The average house price in North Warwickshire was £157,110 in the final quarter of 2005. Following the national trend, house prices have increased significantly in North Warwickshire since the 1990’s, with an increase by 19.2% between Quarter 4 of 2003 and the same period in 2004 alone.

Affordability

D7.4 Housing affordability can be measured by giving consideration to the Mean House Price to Mean Income Ratio. In 2005, the Ratios for North Warwickshire and Warwickshire were 5.44 and 5.70 respectively. Effectively, this means that the average house price in North Warwickshire is 5.44 times greater than the average income of the Borough.

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D9 D7.5 This Ratio has been increasing in Warwickshire as a whole since the late 1990’s, mirroring the significant increase in house prices that have been experienced in the county.

Housing Completions

D7.6 During the period 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2005, 117 houses were completed in North Warwickshire, compared to 2,569 and 18,676 in Warwickshire and the West Midlands respectively. The number of housing completions in North Warwickshire has dropped from 125 in the period 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004.

D7.7 Figure D3 below shows the housing trajectory from North Warwickshire’s Annual Monitoring Report 2004-5, this provides information on housing completions from the 1996-7 period to the 2004-5 period and projected delivery up until 2010-11.

Figure D3 Housing Trajectory to 2011

350 Actual Gross completions

300 Actual Net Completions 250 llings

200 Projected Net Additional Delivery 150 Net Target Completions 100 (max) to Comply with Number of Dwe RSS 50 Gross Target 0 Completions (min) to Comply with WASP 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 /9 /9 /9 /0 /0 /0 /0 /0 /0 /0 /0 /0 /0 /1 /1 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 9 9 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 9 9 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Monitoring Year

Affordable Housing Completions

D7.8 Out of the total housing completions in the period 2004-5, only 2 dwellings were affordable. This compares to 6 affordable housing completions in the period 2003-4. The previous North Warwickshire Local Plan did not require affordable housing, which has assisted in the low rate of affordable housing provision in the Borough. However the new Adopted Local Plan (Adopted July 2006) requires 40% affordable housing on sites of 15+ dwellings or 0.5 hectares within the Main Towns and Green Belt Market Town, and on sites of 5+ dwellings or 0.2 hectares within the Local Service Centres.

Household Tenure

D7.9 Table D4 below shows the breakdown in household tenure for North Warwickshire, Warwickshire and the West Midlands, taken from the 2001 Census. North Warwickshire and Warwickshire have very similar levels of owner occupation, but both are above the level for the West Midlands.

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D10 Table D4 – Household Tenure Tenure North Warwickshire Warwickshire West Midlands Owner Occupied 75.4% 75.6% 69% Rented from Local Authority 12.7% 9.2% 14% Rented from Housing Association 2.8% 5.1% 6% Private Landlord 6.3% 7.0% 10% Other 2.7% 3.1% 1%

Unsuitable Properties

D7.10 According to the North Warwickshire Sustainable Communities Plan 2006-2009, 16.7% of the Councils housing stock is considered unsuitable, compared with 14.8% of private rented housing in the Borough and 5.0% of owner occupied housing in the Borough. These properties are considered unsuitable due to the repairs and alterations which are required in order to enable people to stay in their properties.

Key Sustainability Issues

D7.11 The key sustainability issues relating to Housing are: • Housing affordability • Improvement of unsuitable properties

Crime

Introduction and Sources of Information

D7.12 The information gathered to establish a baseline for this topic area relates to:

• Crime Rates • Fear of Crime • Index of Multiple Deprivation on Crime

D7.13 Sources of Information for this topic area are:

• Quality of Life in Warwickshire report, 2005: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/qualityoflife • Index of Multiple Deprivation in Warwickshire, 2004: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/research • Warwickshire County Council Public Satisfaction Survey, January 2005 www.warwickshire.gov.uk • North Warwickshire Crime & Disorder & Drugs Misuse Reduction Strategy 2005-2008

Crime Rates

D7.14 Baseline information on crime rates in North Warwickshire shows that there has been a general decrease in recorded crime rates in the period 2003/4 to 2004/5. Recorded crime rates of domestic burglary, violent crime and vehicle crime has also decreased during this period. Table D5 below shows information on recorded crime rates in North Warwickshire.

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D11 Table D5 -Recorded crime rates in North Warwickshire 2003/2004 2004/2005 All Crimes 88.3 72.3 Domestic Burglary 15.5 11.3 Violent Crime 13.5 10.3 Vehicle Crime 18.7 14.0 Rates are per 1,000 population except for domestic burglary (per 1,000 households) Source: Quality of Life in Warwickshire, 2005

Fear of Crime

D7.15 Warwickshire County Council undertake an annual public satisfaction survey in order to find out levels of satisfaction with the County Council and its key services. 4,000 questionnaires were sent to a random sample of Warwickshire residents, of which 1019 (25.5%) responses were received. One of the sections of the survey gave consideration to fear of crime. Information collected can be seen in Table D6 below.

Table D6 – Fear of Crime North Warwickshire % of Respondents Very or Warwickshire Fairly Worried About: 2004 2005 2004 2005 Having their home broken 61% 65% 62% 61% into and something stolen Being physically attacked by 39% 43% 45% 50% strangers Having their car stolen 54% 61% 52% 50%

D7.16 North Warwickshire was the only district in Warwickshire to experience an increase in fear of all types of crime between 2004 and 2005. Fear of crime has been identified as a significant issue in the borough by the North Warwickshire Sustainable Community Plan 2006-2009. It notes that many people may feel vulnerable to crime as they live in isolated rural locations.

Index of Multiple Deprivation: Crime

D7.17 This domain gives consideration to the incidence of recorded crime for four major crime themes. 16 of North Warwickshire’s Super Output Areas are within the 25% most crime deprived in Warwickshire and 7 feature in the 30% most crime deprived Super Output Areas in England. Two North Warwickshire Super Output Areas are within the 25 most deprived in Warwickshire: Curdworth & Wishaw (23rd) and Corley (24th).

Key Sustainability Issues

D7.18 The key sustainability issues relating to crime are: • Reducing crime • Reducing the fear of crime

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D12 Accessibility

Introduction and Sources of Information

D7.19 The information gathered to establish a baseline for this topic area relates to:

• Index of Multiple Deprivation on Income • Index of Multiple Deprivation on Geographical Access to Key Services • Household Income

D7.20 Sources of Information for this topic area are:

• Index of Multiple Deprivation in Warwickshire, 2004: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/research • Household Income Levels in Warwickshire Research Report February 2005 www.warwickshire.gov.uk

Index of Multiple Deprivation: Income

D7.21 This domain captures the proportion of the population who are experiencing income deprivation in an area. North Warwickshire Borough has significantly fewer pockets of deprivation than Nuneaton and Bedworth, Rugby and Warwick.

D7.22 However, there are two Super Output Areas in North Warwickshire that are in the 25 most deprived in Warwickshire. These are Atherstone Central Centre (7th) and Mancetter South and Ridge Lane (12th).

Index of Multiple Deprivation: Geographical Access to Key Services

D7.23 This sub-domain is part of the Barriers to Housing and Services domain, and gives consideration to issues relating to difficulty with accessing key services such as GPs, supermarkets or convenience stores, primary schools and post offices.

D7.24 North Warwickshire has 13 Super Output Areas within the 25% most deprived in Warwickshire. Furthermore, 3 Super Output Areas are within the 25 most deprived in Warwickshire: Marston & Water Park (8th), New Arley South & Over Whitacre (14th) and Fillongley & the Packingtons (21st)

Household Income

D7.25 According to the Household Income Levels in Warwickshire Research Report February 2005, the mean household income in North Warwickshire is £28,900. This is below the mean level in Warwickshire (£32,000) but above that for the West Midlands (£25,100).

D7.26 Whilst it is useful to know the mean household income level of an area, it can mask real income related issues. In 2005, 13.4% of households in North Warwickshire were earning less than £10,000 a year, with 5% of households earning less than £5,000. This is compared to 11.1% and 4.1% in Warwickshire respectively.

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D13 Key Sustainability Issues

D7.27 The key sustainability issues relating to accessibility are: • Access to key services, especially for residents in the more isolated rural areas of the Borough • Income deprivation and low income levels

D8 Human Health

Introduction and Sources of Information

D8.1 The information gathered to establish a baseline for this topic area relates to:

• Life Expectancy • Standard Mortality Ratios • General Health • Incidence of Illness • Long Term Limiting Illness • Index of Multiple Deprivation on Health

D8.2 Sources of Information for this topic area are:

• Neighbourhood Statistics – www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk • Research Report – North Warwickshire Health Indicators, January 2004 www.warwickshire.gov.uk • Index of Multiple Deprivation in Warwickshire, 2004: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/research

Life Expectancy at Birth

D8.3 Table D7 below gives information on Life Expectancy (in years) for people living in North Warwickshire. Life expectancy for Males in North Warwickshire is slightly above that for the West Midlands by 0.4 years. Life expectancy for Females in North Warwickshire however, is slightly below that for the West Midlands, by 0.3 years.

Table D7: Life expectancy at Birth North Warwickshire West Midlands Males 76.3 75.9 Females 80.3 80.6

Standardised Mortality Ratios

D8.4 Standardised Mortality Ratios (SMR) compare the number of deaths in an area with the expected number of deaths based on mortality rates of a reference population (i.e. North Warwickshire), thus giving a ratio of observed to expected numbers of deaths (the national average). If the SMR for an area is higher than 100, this means that the local mortality rate in that area is higher than the national average. The SMR for North Warwickshire is 109, indicating that local mortality rates in the Borough are high compared to national rates.

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D14 General Health

D8.5 Table D8 below gives information on how people in North Warwickshire, Warwickshire and the West Midlands describe the state of their general health. Health in North Warwickshire is similar to that in Warwickshire and the West Midlands. Just under 68% of North Warwickshire’s population describe themselves as being in good health, compared to nearly 70% in Warwickshire and 67% in the West Midlands.

Table D8: General Health North Warwickshire West Midlands Warwickshire Number % Number % Number % Good Health 41,974 67.85 353,669 69.91 3,540,365 67.21 Fairly Good Health 14,213 22.98 111,074 21.96 1,214,417 23.06 Not Good Health 5,673 9.17 41,117 8.13 512,526 9.73 Source: 2001 Census

Incidences of Illness

D8.6 Table D9 below gives information on the mortality rates due to Coronary Heart Disease, Strokes and Cancer in North Warwickshire and Warwickshire. The rate is per 100,000 population.

Table D9 Mortality Rates (Per 100,000 population) North Warwickshire Warwickshire Coronary Heart Disease and Strokes 112.5 96.5 Cancer 106.24 110.79 Source: Warwickshire County Council Research Report – North Warwickshire Health Indicators, January 2004

D8.7 North Warwickshire is above the rate of Warwickshire for Coronary Heart Disease and Strokes, but below the rate for Cancer.

Long-Term Limiting Illness

D8.8 Table D10 below gives an indication of the number of people who are living with a long-term limiting illness in North Warwickshire, Warwickshire and the West Midlands. The percentage of people living with a long-term limiting illness in North Warwickshire is similar to that for the West Midlands Region, but is 1.6% higher than the equivalent value for the county of Warwickshire.

Table D10: People Living with a Long-Term, Limiting Illness North Warwickshire West Midlands Warwickshire All People 61,860 505,860 5,267,308 Number of People with long- 11,350 (18.4%) 84,795 (16.8%) 993,458 (18.9%) term limiting illness Source: 2001 Census

Index of Multiple Deprivation: Health

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D15 D8.9 This domain identifies those areas which have relatively high rates of people who die prematurely and those areas where the populations’ quality of life is impaired by poor health or who are disabled.

D8.10 Six North Warwickshire Super Output Areas (SOA) are within the 25% most deprived in Warwickshire. Furthermore, Two SOAs within North Warwickshire are within the top 25 most deprived SOAs in Warwickshire. These are: Atherstone Central Centre (8th) and New Arley West & Old Arley (23rd)

Key Sustainability Issues

D8.11 The key sustainability issues relating to Health are: • Mortality rates higher than the national average • Health deprivation

D9 Economy, Employment and Skills

Introduction and Sources of Information

D9.1 The information gathered to establish a baseline for this topic area relates to:

• Unemployment • People who are Economically Active • Industry of Employment • Employment Development • Gross Annual Wage • Qualifications • Index of Multiple Deprivation Employment • Index of Multiple Deprivation Education, Skills and Training • Index of Multiple Deprivation Educational Attainment • Index of Multiple Deprivation Skills

D9.2 Sources of Information for this topic area are:

• Quality of Life in Warwickshire report, 2005: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/qualityoflife • Labour Market Profiles, National Statistics: www.nomisweb.co.uk/ • 2001 Census: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/research

Unemployment

D9.3 Unemployment is calculated using the number of claimants of Job Seekers Allowance. Claimant count rate is the number of JSA claimants expressed as a percentage of the resident working age population of an area. Information can be seen in Table D11 below.

Table D11 – Unemployment Rates Area Year Claimant Count Number Rate (%) May 2003 585 1.5 North Warwickshire May 2004 538 1.4 May 2005 582 1.5

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D16 May 2003 5,178 1.6 Warwickshire May 2004 4,653 1.4 May 2005 4,701 1.5 May 2003 96,838 3.0 West Midlands May 2004 89,726 2.8 May 2005 96,358 3.0 Note: Rates are calculated using the resident working-age population (16-64 for males; 16-59 for females) as Denominators (Source: Quality of Life in Warwickshire, 2005)

D9.4 The claimant rate in North Warwickshire has remained relatively consistent between 2003 and 2005, fluctuating only between 1.4% and 1.5%. The claimant rate in North Warwickshire is broadly similar to that for Warwickshire as a whole, but consistently below the rate for the West Midlands region.

People who are Economically Active

D9.5 According to the 2001 Census, 68.1% of people in North Warwickshire aged 16-74 are economically active. This is compared to 68.1% in Warwickshire.

Industry of Employment

D9.6 Historically, North Warwickshire’s economy has been heavily reliant on the mining industry, with many of its settlements being former mining communities. Agriculture has also played an important part in North Warwickshire’s economy, reflecting the very rural nature of the Borough.

D9.7 The 2001 Census included information on the industries of employment in North Warwickshire. This information is presented in table D12 below.

Table D12: Industry of Employment (% of all people aged 16-74 in employment who are employed in each industry) Industry % of People Agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing 1.8% Mining and quarrying 0.6% Manufacturing 20.2% Electricity, gas and water supply 1.0% Construction 7.6% Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles 17.0% Hotels and catering 4.8% Transport storage and communication 10.2% Financial intermediation 3.1% Real estate, renting and business activities 10.6% Public administration and defence 3.8% Education 6.9% Health and social work 8.4% Other 4.0%

D9.8 The information above shows how employment in the Borough has changed, with manufacturing and wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles being the main industries of employment in the Borough. Significant numbers of jobs in the traditional industries of agriculture and mining have been lost in the past and those who had these jobs now experience a mismatch between the skills they have and the job opportunities that are available to them.

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D17

Employment Development

D9.9 In the period April 2004 – March 2005, 9,321m2 of floorspace was developed for B1/B2 Industry employment use, 6,319m2 was developed for B1 Offices employment use and 4,867m2 was developed for B8 Storage and Warehousing employment use. Furthermore, a total of 1.25ha of employment land was lost to residential development.

D9.10 The Warwickshire Structure Plan includes a target of 279ha of industrial development in North Warwickshire in the period 1996-2001. Monitoring indicates that this level of provision has already been exceeded. Employment development in the recent past in North Warwickshire has been predominantly due to large scale development at the regionally important sites of Birch Coppice and Hams Hall. There is now the need to ensure that the needs of the small, indigenous companies within North Warwickshire are accommodated without building significantly on the overprovision of employment land within the Borough.

Mean Gross Annual Wage

D9.11 Workplace based earnings include the wages of workers travelling into the Borough to work, but exclude those North Warwickshire residents who travel outside the Borough to work. The workplace based earnings reflect the profile of the types of jobs in North Warwickshire rather than the jobs held by the Borough’s residents. Information on wages can be seen in Table D13 below.

Table D13: Mean Gross Annual Wage 2004 2005 Workplace Residence Workplace Residence North Warwickshire £20,863 £20,719 £22,640 £23,061 Warwickshire £21,442 £23,249 £22,261 £25,213 West Midlands £20,059 £20,152 £21,004 £21,174

D9.12 In line with the information on household income levels considered in the section on accessibility mean gross annual wage in North Warwickshire is generally above that for the West Midlands but below that for Warwickshire.

Qualifications

D9.13 In 2001, 14.2% of 16-74 year olds in North Warwickshire were qualified to degree level or higher. This is significantly below the percentage in Warwickshire (20.7%) and also below the percentage in the West Midlands (16.2%). At the other end of the scale, 34.2% of 16-74 year olds in North Warwickshire have no qualifications. This is compared to 27.8% in Warwickshire and 34% in the West Midlands.

D9.14 In 2001, 45.2% of pupils in North Warwickshire were achieving 5+ GSCEs at grades A* to C. This is significantly below that in Warwickshire, where 54% of pupils were achieving these grades.

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D18 Index of Multiple Deprivation

Employment

D9.15 This domain measures employment deprivation in terms of involuntary exclusion of the age population from employment (rather than choosing not to work or being in a position where ones does not have to work). In North Warwickshire 2 Super Output Areas are within the 25 most deprived in Warwickshire: Atherstone Central Centre (4th) and Mancetter South & Ridge Lane (19th).

Education, Skills and Training

D9.16 This domain captures the extent of deprivation in terms of education, skills and training in an area. In North Warwickshire, 4 Super Output Areas are within the 25 most deprived in Warwickshire: Mancetter South and Ridge Lane (8th), Atherstone Central Centre (14th), Atherstone North St Georges & Carlyon (15th) and Dordon Village (25th)

Educational Attainment

D9.17 This sub-domain of the education, skills and training deprivation domain reflects the lack of educational attainment amongst children and young people. In North Warwickshire 3 Super Output Areas are within the 25 most deprived in Warwickshire: Mancetter South & Ridge Lane (11th), New Arley East, Hill Top & Ansley (22nd) and Atherstone Central Centre (23rd)

Skills

D9.18 This sub-domain of the education, skills and training deprivation domain reflects the lack of skills and qualifications of the working age population of an area. In North Warwickshire, 3 Super Output Areas are within the 25 most deprived in Warwickshire: Mancetter South & Ridge Lane (4th), Atherstone North St Georges & Carlyon (8th), Atherstone Central Centre (9th) and Dordon Village (11th)

Key Sustainability Issues

D9.19 The key sustainability issues relating to Employment are: • Mismatch between skills and job opportunities • Over provision of employment land compared to the target in the Warwickshire Structure Plan • Low levels of qualification and educational attainment • Employment deprivation

D10 Geology and Soils

Introduction and Sources of Information

D10.1 The information gathered to establish a baseline for this topic area relates to XXX.

• Best and Most Versatile Agricultural Land • Derelict Land • Contaminated Land • Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphological Sites (RIGs)

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D19 D10.2 The sources of information for this topic area are:

• http://home.freeuk.net/webbuk2/geology.htm • Warwickshire Museum Field Services

D10.3 The geology of North Warwickshire is made up of three types of rocks. Firstly, north west of the Avon, beneath the former Forest of Arden there is a band of older rocks called Triassic Mercia Mudstone (also called Keuper Marl, Keuper Red Sandstone and Arden Sandstone. They date from 250-200 million years ago. The second type of rock is found between Tamworth and Nuneaton, stretching down to Kenilworth and therefore including a large area of North Warwickshire. Here there is an anomalous island of older Carboniferous Coal Measures. These older rocks which contain layers of sandstone and coal have been pushed upwards through the Triassic Mercia Mudstone, and the soft mudstones have eroded away. These date from 350-300 million years ago. Finally, between Atherstone and Nuneaton is a narrow Pre-Cambrian Volcanic ridge. These are very old rocks, dating from 600-500 million years ago.

Best and Most Versatile Agricultural Land

D10.4 Information has not yet been collected for this topic area..

Derelict Land

D10.5 Information has not yet been collected for this topic area.

Contaminated Land

D10.6 Information has not yet been collected for this topic area.

Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphological Sites

D10.7 There are 20 designated Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphological Sites (RIGs) in North Warwickshire. These are sites which have been selected locally for their geological or geomorphological value. The RIGs sites in North Warwickshire are:

• Arley Tunnel Cutting – West • Moor Wood Railway • Baggeridge Kingsbury Brickworks • Moorwood Farm Quarry • Baxterley Quarry • Oldbury (Mancetter) Quarry • Corley Cutting • Oldbury Grange Sills • Hill Cottage Quarry • Polesworth Railway Cutting • Hill Farm Quarry – Maxstoke • Rawn Hill • Jees Quarry • Roundberry Quarry • Merevale Lane Cutting • Steppy Lane Section • Mancetter Hill Quarry • Stipers Hill Plantation • Moor Wood Quarry • Whateley Quarry

Key Sustainability Issues

D10.8 Key sustainability issues relating to Geology and Soils are: • Protection of Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphological Sites

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D20 D11 Water

Introduction and Sources of Information

D11.1 The information gathered to establish a baseline for this topic area relates to:

• Surface Water Quality • Ground Water

D11.2 The sources of information for this topic area are:

• Environment Agency: www.environment-agency.gov.uk/

Surface Water quality

D11.3 There are four rivers and two canals which flow through North Warwickshire:

• River Anker • River Blythe • River Cole • River Tame • Coventry Canal • Birmingham and Fazeley Canal

D11.4 The Environment Agency regularly monitors water quality in rivers and canals in the UK. Table D14 below shows river quality data for the rivers in North Warwickshire and the West Midlands. The rivers in North Warwickshire are falling behind those in the West Midlands in general in terms of chemical quality, but they are of better quality in terms of biological quality. Nitrate and phosphate levels are higher in North Warwickshire than in the West Midlands.

Table D14: River water quality North West Midlands Water Quality Indicator Warwickshire Data Data % of rivers achieving good or 73% 91% fair chemical quality % of rivers achieving good or 90% 89% fair biological quality % of rivers with high nitrate concentration (relative to 71% 63% other rivers) % of rivers with high phosphate concentration 77% 73% (relative to other rivers) Source: Environment Agency

Ground water

D11.5 Information has not yet been collected for this topic area.

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D21 Key Sustainability Issues

D11.6 Key sustainability issues relating to water are:

• Improving River Quality

D12 Air

Introduction and Sources of Information

D12.1 The information gathered to establish a baseline for this topic area relates to:

• Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs)

D12.2 Sources of information for this topic area are:

• www.airquality.co.uk

Air Quality Management Areas

D12.3 There is one Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) in North Warwickshire, just south of Coleshill, close to where the M6 and M42 motorways meet. The AQMA was declared due to Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) levels caused by road traffic and can be seen in Figure D4 below.

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D22 Figure D4: Air Quality Management Area

Air Quality

D12.4 Information has not yet been collected for this topic area.

Noise pollution

D12.5 Information has not yet been collected for this topic area.

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D23 Key Sustainability Issues

D12.6 The key sustainability issues relating to Air are: • Air quality around the Air Quality Management Area.

D13 Climatic Factors

Introduction and Sources of Information

D13.1 The information gathered to establish a baseline for this topic area relates to:

• CO2 Emissions • Planning Applications Given Permission Against Environment Agency Advice • New Homes Built in the Flood Zone • Estimated Addresses in Flood Zones • Premises Benefiting from Flood Defence Systems

D13.2 Sources of Information for this topic area are:

• Local and Regional CO2 Emissions Estimates for 2003: www.defra.gov.uk • Regional Sustainable Development Framework www.wmra.gov.uk • North Warwickshire Borough Council Annual Monitoring Report 2004-4 www.northwarks.gov.uk • Warwickshire County Council Quality of Life in Warwickshire Report 2005: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/qualityoflife

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

D13.3 In 2003, North Warwickshire produced 1.255 million tonnes of CO2. This equates to 20.29 tonnes per person. This figure is compared to 11.20 tonnes per person on average in Warwickshire and 8.18 tonnes per person on average in the West Midlands.

Planning Applications Given Permission Against Environment Agency Advice

D13.4 There were no applications giver permission against Environment Agency advice in North Warwickshire in the period 2004-2005. This is compared to 11 in the West Midlands Region.

New Homes Built In Flood Zone

D13.5 Local data does not yet exist for this indicator.

Addresses Located in Flood Zones

D13.6 Table D15 below gives information on how many premises are located in the low to medium and high risk Flood Zones. Policy Planning Guidance 25 sets out the definition of Flood Zones (with respect to rivers) as follows:

• Zone 1 (Little or No Risk) - Annual probability of flooding from rivers = <0.1% • Zone 2 (Low to Medium Risk) - Annual probability of flooding from rivers = 0.1-1.0% • Zone 3 (High Risk) - Annual probability of flooding from rivers = 1.0% or greater

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D24 Table D15 – Premises in Flood Zones 2 and 3 (September 2005) Flood Zone 3 Flood Zone 2 Area (high risk) (low to medium risk) Domestic Non Domestic Domestic Non Domestic North Warwickshire 131 47 317 104 Warwickshire 4296 754 7235 1116

D13.7 The table above shows that 178 domestic and non-domestic premises within North Warwickshire have a 1% or greater risk of flooding and a further 421 that have a 0.1%-1% risk of flooding.

Premises Benefiting from Flood Defence Systems

D13.8 There are currently two areas in North Warwickshire which benefit from flood defence systems. These areas would have a 1% chance of flooding if the defences were not present, but do not flood due to the presence of the flood defences. Table D16 below shows the number of premises benefiting from these two areas of flood defence.

Table D16 – Premises Benefiting from Flood Defence Systems Number of Premises Area Domestic Non-Domestic Water Orton 0 2 Nether Whitacre 133 7

Key Sustainability Issues

D13.9 The key sustainability issues relating to Climatic Factors are: • Reducing carbon dioxide emissions • Flooding risk

D14 Material Assets and Resources

Minerals

Introduction and Sources of Information

D14.1 The information gathered to establish a baseline for this topic area relates to:

• Construction and demolition waste used as recycled aggregate • Minerals Sites • Coal Production • Production of Primary Aggregates

D14.2 Sources of Information for this topic area are: • Minerals and Waste Development Framework Annual Monitoring Report 2004/5: www.warwickshire.gov.uk

Construction and Demolition Waste Used as Recycled Aggregate

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D25 D14.3 Local information is not available for this topic area. However, 4.29 tonnes of construction and demolition waste was used as recycled aggregate in Warwickshire in 2003.

Minerals Sites

D14.4 Information on the minerals sites in North Warwickshire and Warwickshire is shown in Table D17 below. 6 of the 20 minerals sites in Warwickshire are situated in North Warwickshire.

Table D17: Minerals Sites North Minerals Site Status of Site Warwickshire Warwickshire Active 1 3 Crushed Rock Inactive 1 5 Active 2 7 Sand and Gravel Inactive 1 2 Active 1 3 Non-Aggregate Inactive 0 0

Coal Production

D14.5 North Warwickshire contains the only operational coal mine in the Region, the Daw Mill Colliery. In the period 2004-5, the colliery produced just under 3 million tonnes of coal.

Production of Primary Aggregates

D14.6 Information on the production of primary aggregates in North Warwickshire is not available. However, there were 0.83 million tonnes of sand and gravel produced in Warwickshire in 2003 and 0.7 million tonnes of crushed rock produced in Warwickshire during the same period.

Key Sustainability Issues

D14.7 The key sustainability issues relating to minerals are:

• Need to reduce reliance on fossil fuels

Waste

Introduction and Sources of Information

D14.8 The information gathered to establish a baseline for this topic area relates to:

• Waste Production • Waste Recycling and Composting

D14.9 Sources of Information for this topic area are:

• Quality of Life in Warwickshire report, 2005: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/qualityoflife • Warwickshire County Council

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D26 Waste Production

D14.10 With reference to table D18 below, North Warwickshire produced 591 kilos of waste per head during the period 2004-2005, which represents an increase by 16%. Compared to the other districts, North Warwickshire produces the highest level of waste in Warwickshire.

Table D18: Waste Production North Warwickshire Warwickshire 2003/2004 560kg 519kg 2004/2005 591kg 551kg Source: Warwickshire County Council

Waste Recycling and Composting

D14.11 As can be seen from table D19 below, composting and recycling rates have increased in North Warwickshire between 2003/4 and 2004/5. Increasing recycling rates is one of the top ten priorities of North Warwickshire Borough Council, as set out in the Corporate Plan.

Table D19: Recycling and Composting Rates North Warwickshire Warwickshire Date % Waste % Waste % Waste % Waste Recycled Composted Recycled Composted 2003/4 11.71 9.63 13.26 8.24 2004/5 11.90 10.84 14.01 13.77 Source: Warwickshire County Council

Key Sustainability Issues

D14.12 The key sustainability issues relating to waste are: • The need to reduce waste production • Increasing levels of recycling and composting

Energy

Introduction and Sources of Information

D14.13 The information gathered to establish a baseline for this topic area relates to: • Capacity of Electricity from Renewable Sources • BREEAM Rated Buildings

D14.14 Sources of Information for this topic area are: • Regional Spatial Strategy Annual Monitoring Report 2005

Capacity of Electricity from Renewable Sources

D14.15 Local data on this topic area is not currently available, however 174.5MW of energy were produced from renewable sources in the West Midlands during 2004.

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D27 BREEAM Rated Buildings

D14.16 Local data on this topic area is not currently available.

Key Sustainability Issues

D14.17 Key sustainability issues relating to energy are difficult to identify due to the lack of local data currently available. However, it is a national issue that reliance on fossil fuels for energy production needs to be reduced, so this can also be included as a local issue.

Efficient Use of Land Resources

Introduction and Sources of Information

D14.18 The information gathered to establish a baseline for this topic area relates to: • Housing Density • Employment Development on Previously Developed Land • Development in the Green Belt

D14.19 Sources of Information for this topic area are: • North Warwickshire Borough Council Annual Monitoring Report 2004-5 • Regional Spatial Strategy Annual Monitoring Report 2005

Housing Density

D14.20 Table D20 shows information on the density of housing developments. In the 2004-5 period, 60% of housing built in North Warwickshire was below 30 dwellings per hectare, compared to 22% and 18% in Warwickshire and the West Midlands respectively.

Table D20: Density of Housing Developments % of Housing Development Housing Density North Warwickshire West Midlands Warwickshire Below 30 dwellings per 60% 22% 18% hectare 30 – 50 dwellings per 11% 38% 38% hectare More than 50 29% 40% 44% dwellings per hectare

Employment Development on Previously Developed Land

D14.21 In North Warwickshire during the period 2004-5, 94% of floorspace for B1/B2 Industry Use was developed on previously developed land. 90% of floorspace for B1 Office Use was developed on previously developed land and 96% of floorspace for B8 Storage / Warehousing Use was developed on previously developed land. These levels significantly exceed the level set by the Warwickshire Structure Plan for 62% of new employment development to be provided for on previously developed land.

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D28 Development in the Green Belt

D14.22 Local data is not yet available for this topic area.

Key Sustainability Issues

D14.23 The key sustainability issues relating to efficient use of land resources are: • Ensuring that development continues to be provided on previously developed land in sustainable locations

D15 Cultural Heritage

Built Environment

Introduction and Sources of Information

D15.1 The information gathered to establish a baseline for this topic area relates to:

• Scheduled Ancient Monuments • Listed Buildings • Buildings at Risk • Conservation Areas

D15.2 Sources of Information for this topic area are:

• Listed Buildings Online (English Heritage) • English Heritage Buildings at Risk Register 2006 www.english-heritage.org.uk • North Warwickshire Local Plan: www.northwarks.gov.uk • Warwickshire County Council Website: www.warwickshire.gov.uk

Scheduled Ancient Monuments

D15.3 Scheduled Ancient Monuments are protected archaeological sites and landscapes which are considered to be of national importance. There are 29 Scheduled Ancient Monuments in North Warwickshire:

• Alvecote Priory and Dovecote, • Little Packington Bridge Shuttington • Mancetter • Astley Moat • Manduessedum Roman Villa and • Castle Hills, Fillongley settlement with associated industrial • Church Moat, Baxterley complex • Churchyard Cross, St Michaels • Maxstoke Castle Churchyard, Maxstoke • Maxstoke Priory and Moated Site • Coleshill Bridge • Merevale Abbey • Corley Camp Univallate Hill • Moated Site 270m south-east of fort Middleton Farm • Cross in St Cuthbert’s • Motte and Bailey Castle, Seckington Churchyard, Shustoke • Oldbury Camp, Mancetter • Cross South of St Johns • Polesworth Bridge Church, Middleton • Remains of Polesworth Abbey • Drakenage Farm Moated Site, • Ringwork Castle, Fillongley Kingsbury • Roman Camp, Mancetter Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D29 • Furnace End Bridge, Shustoke • Tumulus in Hartshill Hayes, Hartshill • Grendon Bridge • Water Orton Bridge • Hartshill Castle • Kingsbury Hall

Listed Buildings

D15.4 There are 586 Listed Buildings in North Warwickshire. These have been listed for their special architectural or historical interest. On an annual basis, English Heritage produces a Register of ‘Buildings at Risk’. In the 2006 Register there are 9 Listed Buildings in North Warwickshire which are considered to be ‘at risk’ (there have been no change from the 2005 Register). These are shown in the Table D21 below.

Table D21 – Buildings At Risk Scheduled Priority Site Grade Monument? Condition Category Astley Castle, Astley II* Yes Very Bad A Stable Block at Astley Castle, Astley II* No Poor C Grendon Bridge, Grendon II* Yes Poor C Hartshill Castle, Castle Road, Hartshill II Yes Poor E Kingsbury Hall (uninhabited parts), Kingsbury II* Yes Very Bad A Remains of Priory, Church Road, Maxstoke II* Yes Poor C Middleton Hall, Middleton II* No Fair E Abbey Gatehouse, 24 High Street, Polesworth II* Yes Fair E Moat, footbridge and gatepiers to Shustoke Hall Farmhouse, Moat House Lane, Shustoke II* No Poor C Source: English Heritage’s Register of Buildings at Risk

Conservation Areas

D15.5 North Warwickshire has 10 designated Conservation Areas, which are defined in Section 69 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as ‘areas of special architectural or historic interest the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance’.

• Watling Street Bridge, Atherstone • Kingsbury • Atherstone • Mancetter • Coleshill • Newton Regis • Coventry Road, Coleshill • Polesworth • Fillongley • Water Orton

Key Sustainability Issues

D15.6 The key sustainability issues relating to cultural heritage are: • Protection of Scheduled Ancient Monuments • Protection of Listed Buildings, with particular reference to Listed Buildings at risk. • Appropriate development within and adjoining Conservation Areas

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D30 D16 Landscape

Introduction and Sources of Information

D16.1 The information gathered to establish a baseline for this topic area relates to: • Warwickshire Landscape Guidelines

D16.2 Sources of information for this topic area are:

• Warwickshire Landscape Guideline: www.warwickshire.gov.uk

D16.3 North Warwickshire does not have any formal landscape related designations. The Warwickshire Landscape Guidelines provide a comprehensive assessment of the Warwickshire landscape and give information as to how and where landscape character in Warwickshire needs to be conserved, restored or enhanced.

D16.4 The Warwickshire Landscape Guidelines separate Warwickshire into seven broad regional landscape characteristic areas. North Warwickshire encompasses parts of two of these areas, the Arden and Mease Lowland landscapes.

D16.5 The Arden landscape is an historic region of former wood pasture and heath characterised by a dispersed settlement pattern, ancient woodlands and mature hedgerow oaks. Within the Arden landscape characteristic area, there are seven distinct types of landscape, including:

• Ancient Arden • Arden Pastures • Industrial Arden • Arden Parklands • Wooded Estatelands • Arden River Valleys • River Valley Wetlands

D16.6 The Mease Lowland landscape has been heavily influenced by the historical development of the region. This landscape is a rural agricultural region of large country estates and small nucleated villages characterised by tall church spires.

D16.7 There is no local data at present in order to establish a baseline for this topic area.

Key Sustainability Issues

D16.8 With the lack of data currently available, it is difficult to ascertain what the main sustainability issues are concerning landscape. However, there is a need to protect and enhance the landscape of North Warwickshire.

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D31 D17 Transport

Introduction and Sources of Information

D17.1 The information gathered to establish a baseline for this topic area relates to: • Method of travel to work • Households without a car • Existing Railway Stations • Existing Bus Routes

D17.2 Sources of Information for this topic area are:

• 2001 Census: www.statistics.gov.uk/census • North Warwickshire Borough Council: www.northwarks.gov.uk • Warwickshire County Council: www.warwickshire.gov.uk

Method of Travel To Work

D17.3 Table D22 below gives information on methods of travel to work. The method of travel to work in North Warwickshire for those people aged 16-74 in employment is predominantly by car, and this is on the increase. This is expected in a rural area such as North Warwickshire, where public transport provision is not extensive enough for a majority of people to utilise it for commuting purposes. However, 4.58% of North Warwickshire’s working population do use public transport in order to get to and from work. North Warwickshire’s reliance on the car for travel to and from work is higher than that for Warwickshire and the West Midlands Region.

Table D22: Method of Travel to Work North Warwickshire West Midlands Warwickshire Method of Travel to Work Number Number Number of % % % of People of People People Car 22998 77.18 177824 73.51 1568005 69.53 Public Transport 1366 4.58 11782 4.87 244017 10.82 Source: 2001 Census

Households without Access to a Car

D17.4 In 2001, 17.9% of households in North Warwickshire did not have access to a car. This percentage has decrease from 23.2% in 1991 and is also lower than the percentage in Warwickshire (19%). This reflects the increasing reliance that people in North Warwickshire place on the use of the private car, as highlighted in paragraph D17.3 above.

Railway Stations and Bus Routes

D17.5 There are currently 3 railway stations in North Warwickshire. These are Atherstone, Polesworth and Water Orton. Work is currently underway on a transport interchange at Coleshill, which involves co-ordinated development of a new train and bus station. The Adopted North Warwickshire Local Plan also includes an area of safeguarded land for a station at Kingsbury, and whilst this is also included in the Warwickshire Local Transport Plan, it is not expected that work will progress on this site in the near future.

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D32 D17.6 There are 17 bus routes which serve settlements within North Warwickshire. These range in frequency from every 30 minutes to every 2 hours. Development of the transport interchange at Coleshill Parkway will improve bus services, particularly in that area of the Borough and towards Birmingham.

Key Sustainability Issues

D17.7 The key sustainability issues relating to transport are: • Reducing reliance on the private car and improving public transport opportunities

Appendix D Sustainability Baseline – August 2006 D33 Appendix E: Sustainability Issues / Problems

How Can the LDF Sustainability Issue ENV ECO SOC Description Address this Issue? An aging population coupled The most significant increase in population between 1993 By including policies to with a declining birth rate and 2003 has been in the 85+ age group, which has provide for elderly people increased by 42% in that period. Furthermore, the number 9 9 of children aged 0-4 has decreased by 22% during that period. These changes will have profound implications on the economy of North Warwickshire and also on services such as healthcare. Loss of the 15-29 year old In the period 1993 to 2003 the population of 15-29 year By including policies to age group olds in North Warwickshire decreased by 20%. This will improve employment have implications on the economy of North Warwickshire opportunities and provide 9 9 as the Borough is losing an important source of skills, affordable housing for especially in terms of young people who leave home to go young families. to university but then do not return to the Borough. The need to improve the Whilst nearly half of North Warwickshire’s SSSIs are in a By including policies that condition of SSSIs favourable condition, it is important that those that are not protect and enhance 9 9 in a favourable condition are improved, in order to protect SSSIs the natural assets of North Warwickshire and its biodiversity. The need to protect it is important that these sites are protected and, where By including policies that statutory and non statutory possible, enhanced in order to protect the natural assets of protect and enhance sites sites designated for their 9 9 North Warwickshire and its biodiversity. of nature conservation. nature conservation value

Appendix E Sustainability Issues & Environmental Problems E1 How Can the LDF Sustainability Issue ENV ECO SOC Description Address this Issue? The need to protect Biodiversity contributes significantly to what makes North By including policies that Biodiversity, including the Warwickshire distinctive. It is important that this is protect and enhance species and habitats which protected and enhanced. biodiversity and prevent are listed in the Biodiversity damage to species and Action Plan habitats in the Biodiversity Action Plan. 9 9 By including policies that help to achieve the action points set out in the BAP species and habitats action plans The need to protect North North Warwickshire’s Country Parks and Parks and By including policies that Warwickshire’s Country Gardens of Special Historic Interest contributes positively protect these Parks and Parks and 9 9 to the diversity of landscape and natural habitat in designations. Gardens of Special Historic Warwickshire. It is important that these assets are Interest protected. Housing affordability There is a significant problem within the Borough By delivering housing concerning the affordability of housing. The Council’s allocations (in line with Housing Needs Survey 2003 concluded that there was a numbers required by the need for 303 affordable houses per annum in order to RSS) with sufficient meet local needs. This problem has been compounded by quantities of locally 9 9 the fact that house prices in the Borough have increased affordable housing. significantly over recent years, but incomes have not increased in line with house prices. Housing affordability problems are exacerbated by 13.4% of households earning less than £10,000 per year. Improvement of unsuitable Both Council and private rented properties within North The Council’s Housing properties Warwickshire have a high proportion of unsuitable stock department will primarily compared to owner-occupied properties. This is due to deal with this issue. The the need for repairs and adaptations which would enable LDF can aid the situation 9 9 people to stay in their properties. for the future by including policies that ensure new properties are developed to a high standard. Appendix E Sustainability Issues & Environmental Problems E2 How Can the LDF Sustainability Issue ENV ECO SOC Description Address this Issue? Reducing Crime North Warwickshire has continued to experience Policies should encourage reductions in crime with the lowest rates of domestic and schemes that design out commercial burglary, violent crime, vehicle crime, criminal crime and improve 9 9 damage, shoplifting and community disorder incidents, lighting. compared to the other districts in Warwickshire. However, it is important that work continues to reduce crime rates further Reducing the Fear of Crime Despite the reduction in crime rates, fear of crime is on the 9 9 increase. Access to key services, Due to the rural nature of North Warwickshire, there are By including policies that especially for residents in many residents who find it difficult to access key services. improve the quality and the more isolated rural areas 9 9 location of services and of the Borough facilities. Income deprivation and low There are pockets of deprivation within certain areas of By including policies that income levels North Warwickshire. These communities are often aim to reduce the gap deprived in a number of ways. between the affluent and 9 9 deprived communities within North Warwickshire. Mortality rates higher than Standardised Mortality Ratios (SMR) compare the number the national average of deaths in an area with the expected number of deaths based on mortality rates of a reference population, thus By including policies that giving a ratio of observed to expected numbers of deaths will aim to improve the (the national average). If the SMR for an area is higher health of the population than 100, this means that the local mortality rate in that by improving opportunities 9 9 area is higher than the national average. The SMR for for recreation and sport. North Warwickshire is 109, indicating that local mortality rates in the Borough are high compared to national rates. Including policies that improve the public realm Mortality rates for coronary heart disease and strokes in can have an indirect effect North Warwickshire is higher than that in Warwickshire. on health. Health deprivation North Warwickshire has pockets of deprivation which 9 9 impact on life expectancy and health and wellbeing.

Appendix E Sustainability Issues & Environmental Problems E3 How Can the LDF Sustainability Issue ENV ECO SOC Description Address this Issue? Employment deprivation ad Coal mining played a vital part in the economy of North Policies should encourage mismatch between skills and Warwickshire in the past and many of the Borough’s training and development job opportunities settlements grew as mining communities. However, with to assist in local people the near demise (apart from Daw Mill) of coal mining in the improving their skills in Borough, there has been a shift in the types of jobs now order to be able to match available, with the most predominant employment industry the requirements of local now being manufacturing. employment opportunities. 9 9 Agriculture has also been important in shaping the economy of the Borough. However, jobs in the traditional Policies should promote agricultural, hunting, forestry and fishing industries now diversification of the only make up 1.8% of jobs in the Borough. economy of North Warwickshire, particularly As a result of the above there are many people who do not in respect of farm have the skills to find work locally. Furthermore there are diversification in order for many farms which are in decline and need to benefit from farms to remain financially diversification opportunities. viable. Over provision of Employment provision in North Warwickshire in recent By including policies that employment land compared years has been predominantly due to the larger, regionally provide for smaller to the target in the significant developments at Hams Hall and Birch Coppice. employment units. Warwickshire Structure Plan As a result, employment provision targets have already been exceeded. There is now the need to prevent further 9 over-development of employment land in North Warwickshire whilst still addressing the needs of the smaller companies within the Borough who will not benefit from the very large employment sites (75% of the Borough’s businesses employ between 1 and 10 workers). Low levels of qualification North Warwickshire has an above average number of By working with Economic and educational attainment people aged 16-74 without any qualifications. Across the Development to include County of Warwickshire, North Warwickshire has policies that will assist in 9 9 significantly lower qualification levels than other districts. local people improving their skills and qualifications.

Appendix E Sustainability Issues & Environmental Problems E4 How Can the LDF Sustainability Issue ENV ECO SOC Description Address this Issue? Protection of Regionally The 20 RIGs sites in North Warwickshire have been By including policies that Important Geological and selected locally for their geological or geomorphological protect RIGs sites from Geomorphological Sites 9 value. However, insensitive development can adversely inappropriate (RIGs) affect these sites, which represent an important part of development. North Warwickshire’s development and history. Improving River Quality The rivers in North Warwickshire are falling behind those By including policies that in the West Midlands in terms of chemical quality. It is aim to improve river 9 important that river quality is enhanced in the Borough, quality particularly in terms of the biodiversity and environmental benefits that this will bring. Air quality around the Air There is one AQMA in North Warwickshire, just south of By including policies that Quality Management Area Coleshill. This was designated due to Nitrogen Dioxide aim to improve air quality (AQMA) 9 9 levels in the area, caused by road traffic. in the vicinity of the AQMA. Reducing carbon dioxide Climate change is widely recognised as one of the most Policies should require emissions serious threats affecting the world. The major cause of developments to reduce climate change is the use of fossil fuel. their carbon dioxide emissions in line with the 9 9 9 Government’s Energy White Paper target for a reduction in UK carbon dioxide emissions by 60% by 2050. Flooding risk Local authorities will be required to deal with the effects of By including policies that climate change. It is expected that climate change will prevent development lead to an increase in flooding events in the future. The likely to increase flood Council is required to undertake Strategic Flood risk. Policies should be Assessments when allocating sites for development. included that improve Developers are also required to undertake Flood Risk flooding risk in areas 9 9 9 Assessments which are at a high risk of flooding. By including policies that encourage the use of sustainable urban drainage systems. Appendix E Sustainability Issues & Environmental Problems E5 How Can the LDF Sustainability Issue ENV ECO SOC Description Address this Issue? The need to reduce waste Each household in North Warwickshire generates over a Where possible, policies production tonne of waste per year. There is a need to reduce waste should encourage and 9 9 9 production in the Borough alongside increasing waste promote use of the waste reuse and recovery. hierarchy, ie Reduce, reuse, recover. Increasing levels of Recycling and composting levels in the Borough are Provision for recycling recycling and composting increasing and the Council is committed to increasing services should be 9 9 9 levels of household waste recycling. encouraged for new developments. Reliance on Fossil Fuels for The majority of energy generation in the UK is connected By including policies that Energy Generation with the use of fossil fuels. These are responsible for encourage developments greenhouse gas emissions and therefore a reduction in to generate their energy the use of fossil fuels is vital in the fight against climate from renewable sources. change. 9 9 9 To encourage development and development patterns that reduce reliance on transport by the private car. Ensuring that development Currently, North Warwickshire has a high proportion of its By including policies that continues to be provided on development being developed on previously developed favour development on previously developed land in land. It is important that this continues in order to previously developed land sustainable locations minimise the amount of Greenfield land that is lost through in sustainable locations development. 9 9 However, just because a site is previously developed, does not mean that sustainability-wise it is the most suitable for development. It is important therefore that development is guided to previously developed sites in sustainable areas.

Appendix E Sustainability Issues & Environmental Problems E6 How Can the LDF Sustainability Issue ENV ECO SOC Description Address this Issue? Protection of Scheduled Scheduled Ancient Monuments are protected By including policies that Ancient Monuments archaeological sites and landscapes which are considered protect Scheduled Ancient to be of national importance. North Warwickshire benefits Monuments within North 9 9 from having Scheduled Ancient Monuments within its area. Warwickshire. These sites have a vital link to the history of the Borough and it is important that they sites are protected Protection of Listed Listed Buildings are recognised for their special By including policies that Buildings, with particular architectural or historical interest and are therefore very control development of reference to Listed Buildings important to the built environment of North Warwickshire. and around Listed at risk. There are 586 Listed Buildings within the Borough, 9 of Buildings. which are considered to be ‘at risk’ by English Heritage. 9 9 By including policies that It is important that unsympathetic development is not aim to improve the quality permitted in or near to Listed Buildings, as it may impact of Listed Buildings, adversely on their architectural or historical merit. There particularly those which should also be an emphasis on improving the quality of are at risk. those Listed Buildings that are considered to be ‘at risk’. Appropriate development Conservation Areas are designated for their special By including policies that within and adjoining architectural or historic interest, the character or control development Conservation Areas appearance of which it is desirable to protect. There are within and adjacent to 10 Conservation Areas within North Warwickshire and it is Conservation Areas in 9 9 important that unsympathetic development in these areas order to enhance them is prevented. and protect them from any inappropriate development. Protection and The Warwickshire Landscape Guidelines separate By including policies that enhancement of Landscape Warwickshire into seven broad regional landscape aim to improve landscape characteristic areas. North Warwickshire encompasses quality (particularly in parts of two of these areas, the Arden and Mease Lowland areas which are shown landscapes. The landscape of North Warwickshire has an through landscape 9 9 important link to the history of the Borough and it is assessment to need important that landscape is enhanced. There are certain improvement) and prevent areas where landscape quality is currently poor. development that will impact adversely on landscape quality. Appendix E Sustainability Issues & Environmental Problems E7 How Can the LDF Sustainability Issue ENV ECO SOC Description Address this Issue? Reducing reliance on the North Warwickshire is characterised by farmland, By including policies that private car and improving woodland, the three Market Towns and other rural encourage development public transport settlements. Access to the countryside by sustainable in sustainable areas opportunities forms of transport is limited and there is heavy reliance on where reliance on the use of the private car. 17.9% of households in North private car is reduced. Warwickshire do not own a car and this is a particular 9 9 9 issue in the Atherstone Central Ward, where 35.7% of By including policies that households have no car. According to the North aim to maximise Warwickshire Sustainable Communities Plan, most bus the opportunities for services within the Borough are provided by the development of commercial sector rather than being subsidised through sustainable forms of the public sector. Their continuity therefore is heavily transport, including reliant on their economic viability. cycling and walking.

Appendix E Sustainability Issues & Environmental Problems E8 Appendix F: Sustainability Objectives

West Midlands Regional Sustainable Development Framework North Warwickshire Sustainability Objectives Objectives Ensuring easy and equitable access to services and opportunities, Equal access to services, facilities and opportunities for all, including jobs and learning, regardless of ethnicity, gender, disability, 1 regardless of income, age, health, disability, culture or ethnic origin. sexuality, background or location Developing and supporting vibrant and active communities and Enabling communities to participate in the decisions that affect their 2 voluntary groups, who are able to express their needs and take neighbourhoods and quality of life steps towards meeting them. Addressing poverty and disadvantage, taking into account the particular Incorporated into Objective 1 difficulties of those facing multiple disadvantage Improving health and reducing health inequalities by encouraging and Tackling health inequalities and improve health by supporting local enabling healthy lifestyles as well as protecting health and providing 3 communities and by improving access and raising awareness. health services. Providing decent and affordable housing for all, of the right quantity, type, tenure and affordability for local needs, in clean, safe and pleasant 4 Providing decent and affordable housing to meet local needs. local environment. Reducing crime, fear of crime and antisocial behaviour. 5 Reducing crime, fear of crime and antisocial behaviour. Improving opportunities to participate in the diverse cultural and Providing opportunities to participate in recreational and cultural 6 recreational activities the West Midlands can offer. activities. Encouraging physical development with a better balance of jobs, housing and services within each part of the Region in order to meet This Objective is a means of achieving several of the objectives above local needs locally and encourage stable and sustainable integrated and is therefore not needed as an objective in its own right. communities. Valuing, enhancing and protecting the assets of the natural 7 Valuing, enhancing and protecting the Region’s environmental assets, environment of North Warwickshire, including landscape character. including the natural and built environment and the historic environment. Valuing, enhancing and protecting the quality and distinctiveness of 8 the built environment, including the cultural heritage. Valuing, enhancing and protecting the biodiversity of North Valuing, enhancing and protecting regional biodiversity. 9 Warwickshire

Appendix F – Sustainability Objectives F1 Land use and development that optimises the use of previously Ensuring development makes efficient use of previously developed developed land and buildings and creates high quality built 10 land, buildings and existing physical infrastructure in sustainable environmental that incorporate green space, encourage biodiversity, locations. promote local distinctiveness and sense of place, and are well designed. Local stewardship of environments. Included in Objectives 7 and 8

Maintaining the resources of air, water and productive soil, Minimising air, water and soil pollution levels 11 minimising pollution levels. Minimising North Warwickshire’s contribution to the causes of Minimising the Region’s contribution to the causes of climate change 12 climate change whilst implementing a managed response to its whilst implementing a managed response to its unavoidable impacts. unavoidable impacts. Reducing overall energy use through sustainable design, increasing Reducing overall energy use through increasing energy efficiency, and 13 energy efficiency and increasing the proportion of energy generated increasing the proportion of energy generated from renewable sources. from renewable sources. Using natural resources such as water and minerals efficiently 14 Using natural resources efficiently Promoting and ensuring high standards of sustainable resource-efficient Incorporated into Objectives 10, 13 and 14 design, construction and maintenance of buildings. Ensuring the location of development makes efficient use of existing physical infrastructure and helps reduce need to travel, especially by Included in Objectives 10 and 15 private car. Increasing use of public transport, cycling and walking and reducing Increasing use of public transport, cycling and walking and reducing 15 road traffic congestion and pollution. use of the private car. Encouraging and enabling waste minimisation, reuse, recycling and Encouraging and enabling waste minimisation, reuse, recycling and 16 recovery to divert resources away from the waste stream. recovery to divert resources away from the waste stream. Encouraging local sourcing of goods and materials 17 Encouraging local sourcing of goods and materials. Rewarding efficient resource use and encouraging development of alternative and renewable resources where resources are likely to Included in Objective 14 become depleted. Creation of a modern, healthy and diverse economy which is able to Achieving sustainable economic growth and prosperity for the benefit of 18 adapt to changes in the wider economy while remaining relevant to all the Region’s inhabitants. the needs of local people. Creating high quality employment opportunities suited to the changing Maintaining and enhancing employment opportunities and reducing needs of the local workforce, whilst recognising the value and 19 the disparities arising from unequal access to jobs. contribution of unpaid work. Promoting investment in future prosperity Incorporated into Objective 18

Appendix F – Sustainability Objectives F2 Encouraging ongoing investment and engagement in learning and skills Ensuring that people of all ages are provided with the opportunity to development. 20 obtain the skills, knowledge, confidence and understanding to achieve their full potential. Encouraging a culture of enterprise and innovation. Included in Objective 18 Promoting and supporting the development of new technologies, Included in Objective 18 especially those with high value and low impact. Encouraging corporate social and environmental responsibility, with This Objective is a means of achieving several of the objectives above regional organisations and agencies leading by example. and is therefore not needed as an objective in its own right.

Appendix F – Sustainability Objectives F3 Appendix G: The Sustainability Appraisal / Strategic Environmental Assessment Appraisal Framework

Objective Criteria Possible Assessment Indicators

Providing for elderly people, taking into account the aging population Providing for opportunities for younger people Improving quality and location of • Age profile of the Borough services and facilities • Gender profile of the Borough Reduce the gap between the • Ethnic origin profile of the Equal access to services, facilities and opportunities for affluent and deprived communities Borough 1 all, regardless of income, age, health, disability, culture or within North Warwickshire • Income deprivation ethnic origin. To reduce the need to travel • Geographical access to key through closer integration of services deprivation housing, jobs and services • Household income To ensure services and facilities are accessible to people with disabilities To acknowledge diversity and help communities to develop in their preferred way To improve quality of life in the borough by making them more attractive places in which to work, Developing and supporting vibrant and active live and visit. • Turn out at elections communities and voluntary groups, who are able to 2 • Participation in consultation express their needs and take steps towards meeting Encourage community participation periods them. in planning and the democratic process Reduce the potential for social isolation

Appendix G: The SEA / SA Framework G1 Objective Criteria Possible Assessment Indicators

To promote the health advantages of walking and cycling • Life expectancy at birth To improve the quality and • Standard mortality ratios Tackling health inequalities and improve health by accessibility of public open space • General Health 3 supporting local communities and by improving access To protect and manage open space • Incidences of illness and raising awareness. such as rivers, canals, parks and • Number of people with a long- gardens and the links between them term limiting illness for the benefit of people and wildlife • Health Deprivation To reduce health inequalities Improve provision of affordable • Average House Price housing • Mean house price to mean Providing decent and affordable housing to meet local Improve provision of decent homes income ratio 4 • Housing Completions needs. Promotion of a range of housing • Affordable housing completions types and tenures • Household tenure • Unsuitable Housing Tackling the root causes of crime To reduce offending To reduce drug use and drug related crime To support government-sponsored crime and safety initiatives, • Rates of domestic burglary maxising the use of all tools • Rates of violent crime 5 Reducing crime, fear of crime and antisocial behaviour. available to police, local authorities • Rates of vehicle crime and other agencies to tackle anti- • Fear of Crime social behaviour • Crime Deprivation To improve school attendance To plan new development to reduce crime and fear of crime through the design of the physical environment, and by promoting well-used streets and public spaces

Appendix G: The SEA / SA Framework G2 Objective Criteria Possible Assessment Indicators

Increase availability of and Providing opportunities to participate in recreational and • Participation in sports activities 6 accessibility to recreational and cultural activities. • Number of library visits cultural activities and venues Protection of sites designated as Country Parks and Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest Protection and enhancement of Valuing, enhancing and protecting the assets of the • Number of Country Parks landscape quality 7 natural environment of North Warwickshire, including • Number of Parks and Gardens landscape character. Protection of Regionally Important of Special Historic Interest Geological and Geomorphological Sites To protect dark skies from light pollution. Protection and enhancement of • Number of Scheduled Ancient Listed Buildings Monuments Protection and enhancement of • Listed Buildings at risk Valuing, enhancing and protecting the quality and Conservation Areas • Number of Conservation Areas 8 distinctiveness of the built environment, including the • Number of Conservation Area To encourage high quality design in cultural heritage. Appraisals Completed new development to create local • Number of Conservation Area identity and encourage a sense of Management Reports community pride Completed

Appendix G: The SEA / SA Framework G3

Objective Criteria Possible Assessment Indicators

Protect and enhance statutory and non-statutory sites designated for their nature conservation value. Protect and enhance the species • Number of SSSIs and habitats listed in the • Condition of SSSIs Biodiversity Action Plan in order to • Number of Local Nature Valuing, enhancing and protecting the biodiversity of achieve BAP targets. Reserves 9 North Warwickshire To create habitats • Number of SINCs To manage sustainably wooded • Number of Ecosites areas, recognising their social / • Area of Ecosites environmental value To encourage young people to come into contact and understand nature. To concentrate development on • Percentage of housing previously developed land in developed on previously sustainable locations, using urban developed land extensions only where the • Percentage of employment development of Greenfield land is development on previously Ensuring development makes efficient use of previously unavoidable. developed land 10 developed land, buildings and existing physical To reduce the derelict land within • Development on Green Belt infrastructure in sustainable locations. the Borough land • Development on Greenfield To reduce contaminated land within land the Borough • Amount of derelict land To maximise efficient use of land • Amount of contaminated land through increased densities and • Densities of developments mixed use

Appendix G: The SEA / SA Framework G4 Objective Criteria Possible Assessment Indicators

Improving Air Quality • Number of Air Quality Maintaining the resources of air, water and productive 11 Improving Water Quality Management Areas soil, minimising pollution levels. • Surface water quality Improving Soil Quality To ensure that new development is • Properties at risk from flooding not located in areas at risk from • Premises benefiting from flood flooding defence systems Minimising North Warwickshire’s contribution to the To promote sustainable urban • Total CO2 emissions 12 causes of climate change whilst implementing a managed drainage systems to reduce flood • Planning applications given response to its unavoidable impacts. risk and water loss from natural permission against Environment systems Agency advice • % of new homes built in the Minimise emissions of carbon flood zone dioxide Raise awareness of the benefits of • BREEAM Rated Buildings Reducing overall energy use through sustainable design, renewable energy • Capacity of Electricity from renewable sources 13 increasing energy efficiency and increasing the proportion To promote the use of renewable of energy generated from renewable sources. energy technology in development schemes Prevent development that will lead • Amount of high quality to a loss of the most valuable agricultural land lost to agricultural land development To safeguard reserves of • Volume of minerals produced in 14 Using natural resources efficiently exploitable minerals from the Borough sterilisation by other development • Number of active minerals sites • Number of inactive minerals sites To prevent mineral extraction where • Production of primary aggregates environmental or amenity impacts would be unacceptable

Appendix G: The SEA / SA Framework G5 Objective Criteria Possible Assessment Indicators

Reduce reliance on the private car by development of sustainable forms of alternative transport. • Number of railway stations serving North Warwickshire and To promote the use of green travel the frequency of trains plans. Increasing use of public transport, cycling and walking • Number of bus routes serving 15 and reducing use of the private car. To increase public awareness on North Warwickshire the need to adopt lifestyle changes • Method of travel to work To encourage the use of • Percentage of households information technology as an without a car alternative form of communication to travel. To promote the use of recycled materials, particularly in the • Construction and demolition construction industry to avoid waste used as recycled unnecessary use and transport of aggregate resources • Numbers of buildings designed Encouraging and enabling waste minimisation, reuse, to incorporate sustainability To minimise the production of waste 16 recycling and recovery to divert resources away from the principles and then promote re-use, recycling, waste stream. • Waste Production composting, alternative treatment • Waste and recycling rates options and energy recovery before • % of household waste that has resorting to landfill been reduced, re-used or To encourage easily accessible recycled recycling systems To ensure that development in the 17 Encouraging local sourcing of goods and materials. Borough maximises opportunity for the use of local goods and materials

Appendix G: The SEA / SA Framework G6 Objective Criteria Possible Assessment Indicators

To promote and support economic • Amount of employment diversity development To support the development of • Employment land lost to microbusinesses residential development • Industry of employment Creation of a balanced portfolio of Creation of a modern, healthy and diverse economy employment sites 18 which is able to adapt to changes in the wider economy To support and promote key while remaining relevant to the needs of local people. industry sectors, including small and medium sized enterprises To encourage investment in rural tourism initiatives and farm diversification Encourage Inward Investment

To encourage local provision of and access to jobs and services To enhance the role of the three Market Towns as centres for • Mean gross annual wage sustainable development providing • Unemployment rate Maintaining and enhancing employment opportunities and services, housing and employment. • % of people aged 16-74 who are 19 reducing the disparities arising from unequal access to Ensure unemployment levels economically active. jobs. remain low • Employment Deprivation Ensure employment opportunities are accessible by sustainable forms of transport Increase Gross Annual Wage

Appendix G: The SEA / SA Framework G7 Objective Criteria Possible Assessment Indicators

To encourage people to access the • % of pupils achieving 5+ GCSE learning and skills they need for a grades A*-C high quality of life • % of 16-74 year olds with qualifications at degree level or Ensuring that people of all ages are provided with the To concentrate efforts on the higher 20 opportunity to obtain the skills, knowledge, confidence provision of basic skills at • % of 16-74 year olds with no and understanding to achieve their full potential. community and family level qualifications • Education, Skills and Training Promotion of lifelong learning. Deprivation • Educational Attainment Deprivation Improvement of basic skills • Skills Deprivation

Appendix G: The SEA / SA Framework G8