4. Environmental Issues

Vision

Short Term

• New homes are being developed in sustainable locations, all of which meet at least Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes.

• Initiatives to reduce carbon emissions from new and existing developments are being encouraged.

• Local, national and international sites of nature conservation importance are protected.

Medium Term

• Local, national and international sites of nature conservation importance are being increasingly protected and enhanced to improve their biodiversity and wildlife value.

• Conditions have been created which enables wildlife to thrive in the Roach Valley. The area’s size and layout allow for people and wildlife to utilise the space with minimum conflict.

• The Coastal Protection Belt continues to be protected from unnecessary development and other potentially detrimental impacts.

• Later phases of sustainable extensions to the residential envelope are being planned and have begun to be implemented. These strategically located and planned developments are predominantly situated within areas least at risk from flooding.

• New residential developments are carbon-neutral, meeting Code level 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes.

• New non-residential developments are of a sustainable construction, meeting the BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good’ as a minimum. The District’s Eco-Enterprise Centre is a flagship building meeting the BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’ and providing a model for other developments to utilise sustainable, carbon-neutral construction.

Long Term

• The protection of Sites of Special Scientific Interest has resulted in improvements to the percentage of which, by area, are in ‘favourable’ or better condition.

• The proportion of the District’s energy supply from renewable and low carbon sources has been increased.

• Existing dwellings incorporate renewable energy technologies to reduce their carbon emissions and energy costs.

• New residential and non-residential developments, as appropriate, obtain a proportion of their energy needs from renewable or low carbon sources produced on-site.

• New sustainable dwellings that meet the needs of local people of all social groups are in place and integrated into communities.

Objectives

1. Protect and enhance sites of local, national and international importance and protect the District’s historical and archaeological sites.

2. Ensure development is directed away from the Coastal Protection Belt.

3. Ensure development is away from the areas most at risk from flooding, or where this is unavoidable; ensure that appropriate flood mitigation measures are implemented before development ensues.

4. Work with the Environment Agency to maintain the District’s flood defences.

5. Reduce the impact of new development on flood risk.

6. Increase air quality and decrease the negative impact on the District’s residents.

7. Encourage the growth of renewable energy projects and the integration of on-site renewable or low carbon energy technologies for new developments, as appropriate.

8. Ensure new developments are sustainable in terms of their impact on the environment and resources.

9. Encourage the remediation of contaminated land to fully utilise the District’s brownfield sites.

Introduction

4.1 Many of the environmental issues facing the District are detailed within the Core Strategy, as these are considered to be of critical importance to the future sustainable development of the District. The Core Strategy explores the wide range of environmental challenges and opportunities faced within the District primarily through the protection and enhancement of the natural environment and reducing the environmental impact of new development.

4.2 The Core Strategy goes a long way to delivering the environmental objectives of the District, and the Council’s vision in this regard. The Core Strategy covers the following key environmental issues, including:

• Local Wildlife Sites (LoWSs);

• Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs);

• The Crouch and Roach estuaries;

• Special Protection Areas (SPAs);

• Special Areas of Conservation (SAC);

• Ramsar Sites (Wetlands of International Importance);

• Historical and archaeological sites;

• The Coastal Protection Belt;

• Flood risk;

• Air Quality Management Areas;

• Renewable energy (including large and small scale renewable energy projects and on-site renewable and low carbon energy generation);

• Code for Sustainable Homes;

• BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method); and

• Contaminated land.

4.3 The Council is committed to improving the biodiversity and wildlife value of the District and to protect and enhance, where appropriate, local, national and international sites of nature conservation importance, as well as the Coastal Protection Belt. The importance of protecting local historical and archaeological sites is also recognised within the Core Strategy.

4.4 Some areas, particularly towards the less populated, rural east of the District are vulnerable to flooding. Flooding is therefore a key environmental issue which is addressed within the Core Strategy. Development will be directed away from areas most at risk of flooding (Flood Zone 2 and 3), as far as practicable, and flood risk will be appraised, managed and reduced in accordance with Planning Policy Statement 25 (PPS25 – Development and Flood Risk).

4.5 The Core Strategy also seeks to reduce the impact of new development on the District, for example through requiring the inclusion of sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) to reduce flood risk, the designation of air quality management areas (AQMAs), as appropriate, and encouraging the use of renewable energy technologies. Appropriate sustainable construction standards are required to ensure that schemes are deliverable through compliance with the Code for Sustainable Homes standard for new residential development and BREEAM assessment criteria for new non-residential development.

4.6 The remediation of contaminated land is important to ensure the deliverability and efficient and effective use of previously developed land in the District to meet government guidance and objectives. The Core Strategy therefore encourages the reuse of all brownfield sites including the remediation of contaminated land and the mitigation of potential risks to ensure the appropriate and efficient use of available land within the District.

4.7 This chapter covers more specific issues concerning the protection and enhancement of the local environment relating to the Crouch and Roach estuaries, trees, woodlands and other important landscape features and air quality.

Uses within the Natural Environment

Houseboats

4.8 The Crouch and Roach estuaries are ecologically important environs which encompass some of the most sensitive habitats within Rochford District. The national and international importance of the estuaries is detailed within the Core Strategy. The estuaries are therefore significant habitats for wildlife and are a valuable environment of ecological significance, which the Council wants to protect from any undue disturbance that may not have a positive effect. Further information on the constraints surrounding the Crouch and Roach estuaries can be found in the Council’s Strategic Environmental Assessment Baseline Information Profile. Permanent houseboats have the potential to have a negative impact on these sensitive environments.

4.9 Houseboats which have a permanent mooring are considered to be a form of residential development within the District, because the occupation of such dwellings would require the implementation of infrastructure necessary for permanent occupation, which is associated with traditional permanent housing, including roads, car parks and toilets. This would not only impact on the wildlife and the nature conservation importance of the estuaries, but also undermine the Council’s housing strategy, because the Council promotes the development of residential dwellings within sustainable locations with good access to local services and community facilities. Such development would also conflict with the Council’s Green Belt policy, and is unlikely to be considered appropriate.

Nature Conservation

Trees and Woodlands

4.10 Trees (both individual and groups including linear tree belts and plantations) and woodlands provide a wide range of economic, social and environmental benefits ¹⁶. There are 14 areas of Ancient Woodland in the District, predominantly clustered around the settlement of Hockley. Ancient Woodland in England, as set out in the ‘Standing Advice for Ancient Woodland’¹⁷ by Natural England, is an area of woodland that has been wooded continuously since at least 1600 AD. However, continuously wooded in this context does not require there to have been a continuous physical cover of trees and shrubs across the entirety of a site. Open space, both temporary and permanent, is an important component of woodlands. Hockley Woods is a large expanse of Ancient Woodland located within the Upper Roach Valley and is an important ecological, as well as recreational, resource. The location of Ancient Woodland in the District, as well as in neighbouring local authority areas in proximity to the District’s boundary, is set out in the Strategic Environmental Assessment Baseline Information Profile. There are also numerous pockets of other woodland throughout the District which are of local importance, many of which are designated as Local Wildlife Sites or areas of public open space. Some individual or groups of trees are protected through Tree Preservation Orders or TPOs ¹⁸.

4.11 Development which would result in the loss or deterioration of groups and/or individual trees of local importance should be avoided (even if they are not afforded a nature conservation designation). Where this is unavoidable, appropriate mitigation measures to offset any detrimental impact will be sought through replacing those lost or damaged of equivalent value. Aged or veteran trees in particular should be conserved, although the conservation of individual trees (whether younger or not) should be determined on their individual merits.

4.12 The loss or deterioration of ancient woodland and/or other woodlands as a result of development should be avoided (even if areas of woodland are not afforded a nature conservation designation). The conversion of woodland to other land uses will be resisted unless there are overriding public and ecological benefits. Woodland unavoidably lost to development or damaged should be replaced with new woodland of at least equivalent area and composition, preferably in the same landscape character area.

4.13 Woodland cover in the District should be increased through protecting and achieving better management of existing woodland, and promoting new planting where this is consistent with landscape character. The different landscape characters and their differing habitats, as defined within the Green Belt chapter of this preferred policy options document, and the findings of the Rochford District Historic Environment Characterisation Project (2006) should be taken into consideration. The biodiversity targets set out in the most up-to-date local biodiversity strategy (the Rochford Biodiversity Action Plan or BAP) should also be considered.

Other Important Landscape Features

4.14 Existing landscape features such as ponds, hedgerows and tree belts have a vital role to play both in supporting local biodiversity and contributing to the quality and appearance of the local environment. Some important hedgerows are also protected by the Hedgerow Regulations ¹⁹.

4.15 The Council will require developers to integrate existing features such as these into development schemes and to provide replacement features, using appropriate native species, in cases where the removal of existing features proves unavoidable. Developers must have regard to the different landscape characters and their differing habitats as defined within the Green Belt chapter of this preferred policy options document and the findings of the Rochford District Historic Environment Characterisation Project (2006).

4.16 On-site environmental enhancements including opportunities to create/enhance/restore habitats will be sought to improve the ecological value of the development site.

Environmental Protection

Air Quality

4.17 Air pollution can have wide ranging impacts on human health and the natural environment, and it is the responsibility of the Local Authority to monitor local air quality, develop action plans and designate Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs). Further information can be found in ‘Air Quality and Climate Change: Integrating Policy Within Local Authorities’ ²⁰ produced by Environmental Protection UK.

4.18 Air quality, specifically particulate matter (PM10) and Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), is monitored at 10 significant road junctions throughout the District. In some instances the levels recorded have the potential to exceed national air quality targets. Where this is the case the need to designate an AQMA is then considered.

4.19 New development, as proposed in the Core Strategy, if not managed appropriately has the potential to have an adverse impact on air quality through increased transport movements and congestion at potentially significant road junctions. A potentially significant road junction is a junction identified by the Environmental Health Team as being such, based on air quality monitoring. In isolation a development may not have a significant impact on local air quality ‘hot spots’ but in conjunction with a neighbouring development, there may be a cumulative negative effect on air quality levels. Whilst an earlier development may decrease air quality but within acceptable levels, a later development may decrease air quality beyond this acceptable level. It is therefore appropriate that the cumulative and proportional impact of any development on local air quality should be considered in the determination of planning applications.

4.20 Air quality assessments will be required to accompany all major planning applications to assess the cumulative impact on local air quality. The guidance produced by Environmental Protection UK in ‘Development Control: Planning for Air Quality (2010 Update)’²¹, or the most up to date guidance, should be referred to in the development of air quality assessments. Planning obligations should be sought to either mitigate the impact of development on local air quality or support the future monitoring of potentially significant road junctions, as appropriate. The approach taken should be proportional with the scale of the development and should be determined in consultation with the Council’s Environmental Health team.

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¹⁶ Realising the benefits of trees, woods and forests in the East of England (A Woodlandforlife Publication) available from www.woodlandforlife.net/PDFs/WFL_RealisingtheBenefits.pdf ¹⁷ Standing Advice for Ancient Woodland (Issued 23 February 2011) available from www.naturalengland.org.uk/Images/aw_standing_advice_tcm6-25315.pdf ¹⁸ Information on Tree Preservation Orders available from www.rochford.gov.uk/environment/wildlife_and_trees/tree_preservation.aspx ¹⁹ Information on the Hedgerow Regulations available from www.rochford.gov.uk/environment/wildlife_and_trees/hedgerow_regulations.aspx ²⁰ ‘Air Quality and Climate Change: Integrating Policy Within Local Authorities’ available from
www.environmental-protection.org.uk/assets/library/documents/Air_Quality__Climate_Change_Report.pdf ²¹ ‘Development Control: Planning for Air Quality (2010 Update)’ available from
www.environmental-protection.org.uk/assets/library/documents/Air_Quality_Guidance_2010_(final2).pdf