Braintree District Council Strategic Environmental Assessment Baseline Information Profile 2009 – 2010 Prepared For Braintree District Council by Essex County Council The information contained in this document can be made available in alternative formats: large print, braille, audio tape or on disk. We can also translate this document in to other languages ii CONTENTS CONTENTS Figure List............................................................................................................................ v Table List ............................................................................................................................ ix 1 Introduction ...............................................................................................................1 PART ONE: Natural Environment....................................................................................5 2 Biodiversity, Flora and Fauna ...................................................................................7 3 Landscape ..............................................................................................................25 4 Air Quality ...............................................................................................................41 5 Climatic Factors ......................................................................................................51 6 Water Quality ..........................................................................................................63 7 Flooding ..................................................................................................................83 8 Soils, Minerals and Waste.......................................................................................87 PART TWO: Built Environment....................................................................................115 9 Cultural Heritage and Townscape.........................................................................117 10 Health....................................................................................................................127 11 Population and Social ...........................................................................................149 12 Economy ...............................................................................................................165 13 Housing.................................................................................................................203 14 Transport...............................................................................................................217 Bibliography..................................................................................................................... 237 iii CONTENTS This page is intentionally left blank iv FIGURE LIST FIGURE LIST Figure 1: Percentage Changes in Wild Bird Indicators by Region 1994 – 2007.............8 Figure 2: East of England Wild Bird Indices 1994 - 2007...............................................9 Figure 3: Change in Farmland Bird Population Indices 1994 – 2007...........................10 Figure 4: Proportion of Changes in Farmland Bird Species Populations in the East of England Region ................................................................................10 Figure 5: Change in Woodland Bird Population Indices 1994 – 2007..........................11 Figure 6: Proportion of Changes in Farmland Bird Species Populations in the East of England Region ................................................................................11 Figure 7: Change in All Native Bird Population Indices 1994 – 2007...........................12 Figure 8: Proportion of Changes in All Native Bird Populations in the East of England.........................................................................................................12 Figure 9: Location of Sites of Specific Scientific Interest within Braintree District ........15 Figure 10: Condition of Sites of Specific Scientific Interest in Braintree District based on Last Assessment...........................................................................18 Figure 11: Location of Local Nature Reserves in Braintree District................................19 Figure 12: Location of Local Wildlife Sites in Braintree District ......................................22 Figure 13: Location of Special Landscape Areas in Braintree District............................26 Figure 14: Location of Landscape Character Areas in Braintree District........................28 Figure 15: Location of Ancient Woodland, Historic Parks and Gardens, Protected Lanes and Special Verges in Braintree District.............................................38 Figure 16: Location of Nitrogen Dioxide Monitoring Tubes in Braintree District .............46 Figure 17: Annual Mean Concentrations of Benzene (concentrations in μgm-3) ............48 Figure 18: Carbon Dioxide Emissions per Capita across Essex 2007 ...........................58 Figure 19: Emissions of Carbon Dioxide per Capita across Essex 2005 – 2007 ...........60 Figure 20: Location of Main Rivers within Braintree District...........................................64 Figure 21: Location of Aquifers in Essex County Council ..............................................65 Figure 22: Water Supply Resource Availability Status in Braintree District....................66 Figure 23: Location of River and lake water bodies in the Combined Essex river catchment .....................................................................................................68 Figure 24: Ecological and Chemical Status of River R1 (Doomsey Brook)....................69 Figure 25: Ecological and Chemical Status of River R4 (Ter)........................................70 Figure 26: Ecological and Chemical Status of River R16 (River Chelmer) ....................71 Figure 27: Ecological and Chemical Status of River R23 (Blackwater Pant) .................74 Figure 28: Ecological and Chemical Status of River R91 (Brain)...................................75 Figure 29: Ecological and Chemical Status of River R102 (Boreham Tributary)............77 Figure 30: Ecological and Chemical Status of River R115 (River Blackwater) ..............78 Figure 31: Spatial Extent of Flood Zones 2 and 3 (a and b) in Braintree District ...........84 Figure 32: Agricultural Land Classification in Essex ......................................................88 Figure 33: Braintree District Agricultural Land Classification .........................................89 Figure 34: Total Waste Arisings per Dwelling by Essex Districts and Boroughs 2008 – 2009..................................................................................................91 Figure 35: Total District Waste Tonnage Sent to Landfill by Braintree District 2000 – 2009...........................................................................................................93 v FIGURE LIST Figure 36: Proportion of District Waste which was Recycled and Composted in Essex 2007 – 2008 .......................................................................................94 Figure 37: District Waste Collection per Dwelling in Essex 2008 – 2009.......................97 Figure 38: Waste Collected from Household Waste Recycling Centres per Dwelling in Essex 2008 – 2009.....................................................................99 Figure 39: Proportion of Household Waste Landfilled in Braintree and Essex 2000 – 2009.........................................................................................................101 Figure 40: Proportion of Household Waste Recycled in Braintree and Essex 2000 – 2009.........................................................................................................103 Figure 41: Proportion of Household Waste Recycling Centre Waste Recycled in Braintree and Essex 2000 - 2009 ...............................................................105 Figure 42: Proportion of Household Waste Recycling Centre Waste Recycled in Braintree and Essex 2000 – 2009...............................................................107 Figure 43: Location of Listed Buildings in Braintree District .........................................119 Figure 44: Location of Scheduled Monuments in Braintree District..............................122 Figure 45: Location of Conservation Areas in Braintree District...................................125 Figure 46: Braintree District Comparison of Directly Standardised Mortality Rate for All Circulatory Diseases for People under 75 1993 - 2007..........................128 Figure 47: Braintree District Comparison of Directly Standardised Mortality Rate for All Cancers for People under 75 across Essex 1993 – 2007......................129 Figure 48: Teenage Conception Rate Trend Analysis .................................................134 Figure 49: Total Incapacity Benefit and SDA Claimants as a Percentage of Total Population...................................................................................................136 Figure 50: Comparison between Changing Trends Witnessed In Short Term Benefit Claimants........................................................................................137 Figure 51: Comparison between Changing Trends Witnessed In Long Term Benefit Claimants........................................................................................138 Figure 52: Index of Multiple Deprivation Trend Analysis for Braintree District .............158 Figure 53: New Business Registration Rate in Braintree