Support
Black Country Core Strategy Issue and Option Report
Representation ID: 1231
Received: 08/09/2017
Respondent: Canal & River Trust
The waterways have a rich biodiversity, with many areas benefiting from SSSI, SAC, SLINC or CWS designations.
Developments can have an adverse impact on the ecology of the waterways. The Trust therefore welcome the continued support for this policy and proposals to require new developments to incorporate biodiversity enhancements/features.
Brownfield sites provide important habitat for wildlife and with the Strategy promoting an urban regeneration focus this needs to be considered and incorporated in any new developments, particularly where these sites are adjacent to the canal.
Brownfield sites can be highly valuable for biodiversity and providing public access to high quality greenspace and the canal network can play a vital role in helping to link otherwise fragmented habitat, providing greater connectivity for wildlife and people.
Re: Black Country Core Strategy Review
Thank you for your consultation on the above document.
The Canal & River Trust (the Trust) is the guardian of 2,000 miles of historic waterways across England and Wales. We are among the largest charities in the UK. Our vision is that "living waterways transform places and enrich lives".
Following consideration of the document we have the following comments to make:
The waterways can be used as tools in place making and place shaping, and contribute to the creation of sustainable communities. We seek for any development to relate appropriately to the waterway, minimise the ecological impacts and optimise the benefits such a location can generate for all parts of the community.
The waterways span several local authority boundaries and it is therefore important to ensure that there is a clear and consistent approach to development. There is a recognised need to strengthen existing planning policy at all the different spatial levels in order to provide robust planning policy frameworks that supports canals, rivers and docks as a cross-cutting policy theme; acknowledging the value of canals, rivers and docks/wharves, in terms of
* being a form of strategic and local infrastructure performing multiple functions (including sustainable transport, open space and green infrastructure, land drainage and water supply as well as flood alleviation), which is likely to be affected by all scales and types of development;
* their roles in improving the physical environment, opportunities for people and the wider economy;
* their contribution to supporting climate change, carbon reduction and environmental sustainability;
* * the public benefits that can be and are being generated by our canals, rivers and docks/wharves;
* * support future development, regeneration and improvement of canals, rivers and docks/wharves;
* * protect the heritage, environmental and recreational value of canals, rivers and docks and to safeguard them against inappropriate development;
* * support their ability to deliver economic, social and environmental benefits to local communities and the nation, (currently valued at in excess of £500 million per annum);
* * secure the long-term sustainability of inland waterway network, their corridors and adjoining communities; and
* * their contribution to promoting Health and Wellbeing
The Core Strategy is therefore a key document in setting the overarching planning and regeneration policies across the area and ensuring a co-ordinated approach to the waterways across the Black Country.
The Trust therefore welcome continued support and recognition for the waterways but consider opportunities exist to strengthen Policies and further highlight the importance of the canal network to the Black Country
INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS for EACH REP