Core Strategy Issues & Options

Comment

Representation ID: 18976

Received: 26/02/2007

Respondent: Natural England

We would agree that Rother has outstanding environmental qualities. The high quality environment of the coastline and the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The High Weald geology and geomorphology descriptions are welcome but the visual descriptions could be expanded. It is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) for its rolling hills, small, irregular fields, abundant woods and hedges, scattered farmsteads and sunken lanes.

The historical context for the Pevensey Marshes/Pevensey Levels is welcome but it is considered that the visual landscape and wildlife descriptions could be expanded upon.

Comment

Representation ID: 18978

Received: 26/02/2007

Respondent: Natural England

The Romney Marshes:

We agree with the first 4 paragraphs but suggest expanding upon the Romney Marsh description.

Remove final paragraph from within the Romney Marsh character area as Combe Haven is in the High Weald (but outside the AONB) and Bexhill, Egerton Park Stream and Wallers Haven more in the Pevensey Levels area.

Comment

Representation ID: 18979

Received: 26/02/2007

Respondent: Natural England

Housing:

There is no mention of energy consumption by the existing housing stock. Domestic energy stock makes a considerable contribution to the overall emissions of greenhouse gases. Suggest a description within this section or in the section on climate change.

E. Environment:

We would agree that Rother has a high quality environment, and suggest that the website address of the High Weald AONB Unit is added for information. Also suggest including Natural England's website address for further information on Nature Conservation sites

Alterations to paragraph on International Nature Conservation sites for clarity. Pevensey levels is listed as a Ramsar Site under the Ramsar Convention for Wetlands.

Comment

Representation ID: 18981

Received: 26/02/2007

Respondent: Natural England

Dungeness is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under the European Habitats Directive and important for its range of habitats (including the plants and invertebrates of the wetlands, shingle ridges and beaches and a large great crested newt population)

Dungeness to Pett Level is classified as a Special Protection Area (SPA) for its birds (overwintering Bewick Swans, shovellers and breeding little terns(?) and artic terns and Mediterranean gull ) under the European Birds Directive.

These sites form part of a commitment globally and by member states of the European community to protect the habitats of threatened species of wildlife. All the international Nature Areas are also designated SSSIs.

Comment

Representation ID: 18982

Received: 26/02/2007

Respondent: Natural England

Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI):

Sites which have been notified as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are the country's very best wildlife and geological sites. Notification as a SSSI gives legal protection to the best sites for flora, fauna, geological or physiographic features in England. Natural England now has responsibility for identifying and protecting the SSSIs in England under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 and the Natural Environment and Rural Communities 2006 ).

Comment

Representation ID: 18983

Received: 26/02/2007

Respondent: Natural England

Ancient Woodlands:

â€~Rother in Profile’ needs to formally recognise Ancient Woodland through appropriate LDF Policies. South East England has 40% of England’s Ancient Woodlands and Rother District has 7386.44ha of ancient woodland, which is the 5th highest amount of ancient woodland in any local authority in South East England. Ancient Woodlands are features of irreplaceable heritage, wildlife habitat and landscape value. We support Rother District Council in their efforts to produce a revised ancient woodland inventory and encourage an entry into the profile document and policies within the core strategy. See also Forestry Commission comments.

Comment

Representation ID: 18984

Received: 26/02/2007

Respondent: Natural England

Climate Change agenda and use of resources:

We support the sentiments expressed in these paragraphs. Rother District’s inhabitants are proportionally higher emitters of greenhouse gases than other areas in Sussex (see Defra’s figures). A combination of renewable energy including microgeneration projects such as wood biomass, solar and wind turbines or district heating systems), energy efficiency and more use of public transport (eg between Bexhill and Hastings) could lead to reduced emissions. A section on Renewable energy appears in many other strategies in the area.

Comment

Representation ID: 18985

Received: 26/02/2007

Respondent: Natural England

Infrastructure programmes:

The LDF should adopt the standards for the targets for the provision of Green Infrastructure and planned urban extensions to meet Accessible Natural Greenspace Standard (ANGST) â€" raised in the previous Local Plan and the Woodland Trust Woodland Access Standards Recent research (McKernan, 2006) shows that Rother has 5% of households meeting all the ANGST standards, with 85% of households meeting one of the ANGST standards. Green infrastructure should be given equal weight to the other infrastructure required to develop the expanding and new sustainable communities.

Comment

Representation ID: 18986

Received: 26/02/2007

Respondent: Natural England

Green infrastructure has great potential to deliver health and recreational benefits to the local community. New woodland planting in advance of development allows the environment to begin to mature as the rest of the development occurs. Plans for retaining existing trees and woodlands will particularly help people develop a positive attitude to development areas.

Open space should also include semi natural areas with biodiversity gain which are not impacted by sports pitches or play grounds. Increasing evidence strongly suggests that both physical and mental health is improved through contact with nature.

Comment

Representation ID: 18987

Received: 26/02/2007

Respondent: Natural England

Natural England recommends that people living in towns and cities should have:

• an accessible natural green space less than 300 metres (in a straight line) from home
• Statutory Local Nature Reserves provided at a minimum level of one ha per thousand people
• at least one accessible 20 ha site within 2km of home; one accessible site of 100ha within 5km of home; and one accessible site of 500 ha within 10km of home.
Many local authorities have since incorporated these targets into their local plans, these would be example targets for Rother District Council development framework.