E A - S c c tt h v/Jtesrr Bay <S local environment agency plan FROME & PIDDLE and POOLE HARBOUR & PURBECK PLAN from November 2000 to October 2005 BLANDFORD FORUM ▼ - - Environment ---------------------- T v m M A g e n c y ■— : Additional copies Further copies of this Plan can be obtained from: The LEAP Team Environment Agency Rivers House Sunrise Business Park Higher Shaftesbury Road Blandford Forum Dorset DT11 8ST Tel: 01258 456080 Fax: 01258 455998 Or by e-mail to: [email protected] General Enquiries For general information about the work of the Environment Agency, or information about a specific matter, please contact our Customer Contact Team at the Blandford Office: Tel: 01258 456080 The Internet For general information about the Environment Agency please visit our website at: http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk Environment Agency Copyright Waiver This report is intended to be used widely, and may be quoted, copied or reproduced in any way, provided that the extracts are not quoted out of context and that due acknowledgement is given to the Environment Agency. Maps are reproduced from Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 scale map by the Environment Agency with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown Copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Licence Number GD 031 77G. Published November 2000 2 ■o NORTH DORSET Lversnot DISTRICT COUNCIL EAST Alton DORSET *3 Abbas Pancras DISTRICT E V COUNCIL a n f Sydling a 3 St Nicholas Maiden BOROUGH a OF ■o Newton o i a POOLE o FROME & FROME & PIDDLE AND POOLE HARBOUR & PURBECK LEAP WEST DORSET x DISTRICT 0) COUNCIL Puddietown Shtrtord O' 0 Rivtt c DORCHESTER From* c? *3 c O’ Todnoll Brook ft(t 5P Dl WEYMOUTH k 3 PORTLAND > BOROUGH ft COUNCIL PURBECK Studland ft DISTRICT &> COUh£IL Cone 3 Castle a r“ o Swanage n SL > River ert> 3* Settlement 0 District Council The whole LEAP area is within the county of Dorset 00 0 c 3 a u <5* Foreword Foreword The Rivers Frome and Piddle drain one of the series of chalk catchments running across southern England, a unique group of waterways with a long history of management amidst a landscape of astonishing variety and beauty. Both rivers flow into Poole Harbour, one of the largest and most important features on the south coast. To the east of the Harbour, a thriving port and fishery, a major boating and sailing centre and the towns of Bournemouth and Poole sit side by side with the serenity and rich wildlife of the western harbour and islands. Responsibility for the wellbeing of much of this area lies with the Environment Agency, whose multifarious activities include monitoring the quality of rivers and the quantity of water in them, flood prevention, the safe and proper disposal of waste, regulation of freshwater fisheries, the prevention of pollution and the conservation of aquatic wildlife. This is the Environment Agency's action plan for this area for the next five years, affecting the lives of all who live and work within the catchment and harbour basin. The Agency is grateful to those who have contributed to the plan, and hopes that we can all help to take it forward. Dr John Day Chairman, South Wessex Area Environment Croup of the Environment Agency FROME & PIDDLE AND POOLE HARBOUR & PURBECK LEAP Vision Vision The Government has set out four objectives in its sustainable development strategy, A better quality of life: • social progress that recognises the needs of everyone • effective protection of the environment • prudent use of natural resources • maintenance of high, and stable, levels of economic growth and employment At the heart of this strategy is the integration of human needs and the environment, and the Agency must take a long-term view of environmental management to help achieve the objective of sustainable development. This will mean developing a strong approach to education and influencing others in order to change understanding and behaviour. Our overall objective, within the context of sustainable development, has been to allow for economic growth whilst ensuring that this was not achieved at the expense of failing to maintain and, where necessary, improve the state of our environment. We take as our ultimate measure of success the quality of our natural resources and the abundance and variety of our wildlife. This is translated to the local level through Local Environment Agency Plans or LEAPs which have been developed in collaboration and liaison with our partners and the public, and reflect the integrated approach to our work. The Frome & Piddle and Poole Harbour & Purbeck LEAP area is an area of high quality which is maintained by many organisations, both statutory and voluntary, local interest groups and individual land owners. However, there are areas where there is work to be done in restoring it to an appropriate level in the light of the concept of sustainability. We also need to promote the work of the Agency and how we can work in partnership with others. This is particularly important in the urban areas of Poole, Dorchester, Wareham and Swanage. The LEAP shows our intentions to work towards the: • development and achievement of suitable targets to maintain the diversity of wildlife in both urban and rural areas • maintenance of ecologically acceptable river flows in the LEAP area through in part working with the water company and other abstractors to ensure sustainable supplies which reflect the needs of the environment • maintenance of ecologically acceptable water quality in the LEAP area, through improvements to point source discharges and a reduction in pollution from urban and rural land runoff • use of innovative techniques to ensure that land use does not damage the natural and built environment, especially with regard to pollution, the illegal disposal of waste and the risk of flooding • sustainable and balanced use of the area for quiet enjoyment and recreational uses consistent with the internationally important status of the area • dissemination of environmental information to inform and educate all sectors about the area and wider environmental issues FROME & PIDDLE AND POOLE HARBOUR & PURBECK LEAP Vision • development of existing and new partnerships with interested groups W e undertake work that is required of us by statute and in addition local actions that we undertake if our resources permit. Although the LEAP is not a statutory document it aims to influence other decision-makers and reinforce the Agency message to all those with an interest and an influence in environmental management. Working together will help us to achieve the required targets in a sustainable way for the benefit of all those who use this special area. a FROME & PIDDLE AND POOLE HARBOUR & PURBECK LEAP Contents Contents 1. Introduction 1 1.1 The Environment Agency 1 1.2 Funding and the Environment Agency 2 1.3 Fund-raising and partnerships . 2 1.4 Local Environment Agency Plans 3 1.5 Our Environmental Strategy 3 1.6 Activity tables 4 1.7 The Area Environment Group 4 2. Description of the plan area 5 3. Activity tables 8 3.1 Securing future public water supplies 8 3.2 Impact of public water supply abstractions on the River Piddle 10 3.3 Impact of water abstraction in the River Frome catchment 11 3.4 Constraints on fish populations 12 3.5 Protection of ecologically important habitats and species 16 3.6 The potential impact of development on the environment 26 3.7 Developing strategies for sustainable waste management 28 3.8 Illegal waste disposal 32 3.9 Impact of sewage and sewerage on water quality 32 3.10 Protection of shellfisheries 35 3.11 The effect of nutrients on the catchment 37 3.12 Impact of land use on water quality 39 3.13 Other water quality failures 41 3.14 Loss and decline in the value of the floodplain habitat 43 3.15 Emergency response to fluvial and tidal flooding 47 3.16 Need to protect features of archaeological interest 48 3.17 The development of recreation opportunities within the area 49 3.18 Regulating major industries 51 3.19 Improving air quality 52 3.20 Dealing with the potential effects of climate change on the environment 53 4. A better environment through partnership 55 4.1 Working with regional government 55 4.2 Working with local planning authorities 55 4.3 Coastal zone management plans 58 4.4 Purbeck Heritage Committee 60 4.5 Poole Harbour Steering Group 60 4.6 Poole Harbour Study Group 61 4.7 Lowland catchment research 61 4.8 Working with Wessex Water 61 4.9 Local Agenda 21 62 4.10 Working with farmers and landowners 63 4.11 Working with the Ministry of Defence 64 4.12 Working with business 64 4.13 Conservation 65 4.14 Development of recreation 65 4.15 Education 66 4.16 Public Registers and access to environmental information 67 FROME & PIDDLE AND POOLE HARBOUR & PURBFCK LEAP S S S S B o t 3 5 3 S B | Contents 5. Summary of public consultation 68 5.1 Reader survey 68 5.2 General comments 69 5.3 Managing our water resources 70 5.4 Managing our freshwater fisheries 72 5.5 Enhancing biodiversity 73 5.6 Conserving the land 74 5.7 Managing waste 75 5.8 Developing integrated river-basin management 76 6. Appendices 81 6.1 Duties, powers and interests of the Environment Agency 81 6.2 Guide to the Consultation Draft and LEAP Plan 85 6.3 EC Habitats and EC Birds Directive 86 6.4 Biodiversity in the LEAP area 88 6.5 The setting and maintenance of water quality targets 91 6.6 National Air Quality Strategy 93 7.