HEALTHY, WEALTHY AND WISESustainable communities:

creating the right environment

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CREATING THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT

We as a society have a once in a generation opportunity tobuild sustainable communities.We must make the rightchoices to provide the homesand jobs that people needwithout jeopardising theirquality of life, now and in the future.

Getting it right means creating theright environment. A healthy naturalenvironment offers many benefits. It provides socially inclusive places,reduces crime, encouragesbusinesses to invest in an area and reduces national health servicecosts, as well as helping wildlife.This is about much more than tackling litter, graffiti and dog mess.

To create a healthy environment, we must face up to some seriouschallenges to reverse wildlifedeclines, fight climate change and save precious water resources.The RSPB believes that protectingand enhancing the environment is a healthy, wealthy and wise choice.This booklet outlines the advantagesof a sustainable approach and someof the challenges that need to beovercome to achieve this.

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‘We must raise the quality of how we build andwhat we build, protecting and enhancing the

countryside and green spaces for all to enjoy.’John Prescott MP, Deputy Prime Minister

Sustainable Communities: building for the future. 2003. Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

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Giving our children safe, accessible and natural places to go will nurturecuriosity, confidence and an appreciation for the world around them.

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HEALTHY COMMUNITIES

Having access to natural places nearto your home is key to better health.Research commissioned by the RSPB entitled Natural fit1 found that:

■ in comparison to other forms ofexercise, walking in green space,gardening and doing conservationwork sustain people’s interest forlonger. Nature is the motivationalfactor and exercise becomessecondary to the sheer enjoymentof being outside in the naturalenvironment

■ a study from Holland found thatliving near green space resulted in fewer health complaints andbetter mental and physical health

■ looking at nature through ahospital window can lead toimproved recovery and lowerrequirement for pain relieffollowing operations

■ children increase their physicalactivity levels when they areoutdoors and they are attracted to nature. Contact with nature also improves attention andbehaviour among children

■ restoring wildlife habitats can helpus restore ourselves. It lifts ourspirits and reduces stress

■ communities are strengthened by taking part in nature activities. It increases a sense of communitypride and builds links betweenindividuals

Creating wildlife-rich places

throughout sustainable communities

will help deliver these benefits.

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Bird song outside your window, walking through bluebell woods,catching a glimpse of a kingfisher, frost on a spider’s web, thescent of a pine cone – just makes you feel good to be alive!

Contact with nature is good for us, andenhances our quality of life as a whole:objective research is confirming whatmany intuitively know.

Working with the grain of nature: A biodiversity strategy for England. (2002) defra.

Having access to safe, natural green space increases levels of physical activity.

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1 Bird W (2004) Natural fit – can greenspace and biodiversityincrease levels of physical activity? The RSPB.

WEALTHY COMMUNITIES

There is a burgeoning economy linked to the environment. It includestourism, environmental technologiessuch as waste management,environmental consultancies, ruralcrafts, organic farming and habitat management.

■ The environmental economycontributed more than £7.8 billiongross value added to the south-east economy in 2000, which was equivalent to just over 6% of the total regional economy 1.

■ In the West Midlands, 91,000people work in jobs related to the environment compared with34,000 in telecommunications. The environment sector in theregion could double in size by 2010 2.

■ Tourism is one of the fastestgrowing sectors of the worldeconomy. The attractiveness of a destination is closely linked with local distinctiveness in theform of wildlife and naturalfeatures. A study of the Norfolkcoast estimated that visitors to six sites where the quality of thenatural environment is an attraction

spent £21 million per year locally.Those wanting to see birds andwildlife spent £6 million in thearea, supporting an estimated 135 jobs 3.

Investing in our natural environmentsaves public money.

■ The cost of physical inactivity to the economy (including to the National Health Service) iscalculated to be £8.2 billion a year.The potential value of a park in anurban area, in terms of avoidedinactivity, is estimated at between£0.8 million and £2.7 million peryear to the national economy,including £0.2 million to £0.6million to the NHS (savingdependent on population density) 4.

We do not need to choose between a

strong economy and a high quality

environment – both are possible.

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A high quality environmentattracts businesses to an area.

Visitors spend their money in the local economy. 2.85 millionadults aged over 15 in the UK go birdwatching regularly oroccasionally Target Group Index, BMRB International 2004

1 The Environmental Economy of the South East: Final Report.(2002) Prepared by Land Use Consultants, SGW Ltd andCambridge Econometrics.

2 The Environmental Economy of the West Midlands. (2000)Advantage West Midlands and Environment Agency.

3 Rayment M and Dickie I (2001) Conservation Works for localeconomies in the UK. The RSPB.

4 Bird W (2004) Natural fit – can greenspace and biodiversityincrease levels of physical activity? The RSPB.

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WISE COMMUNITIES

We depend on our environment for food, water and places to live so we have to work with nature, rather than against it if we are to maintainthe ecological services on which we depend.

■ Restoring river floodplain wetlands alleviates urban flooding.Managing flooding sustainably is likely to be an increasinglyimportant issue as the impacts of climate change are felt.

■ Vegetation provides shade insummer, and can reduce the wind in streets and wind loads on buildings. This could potentiallyreduce heating requirements by up to 25% 5.

Enhancing the environment in newcommunities could help us to achievethe European target to halt the lossof biodiversity by 2010 6.

The natural environment will provide

many solutions to the challenges and

threats we face if we keep it healthy

in future development.

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At the coast, the RSPB has trialled creating saltmarshes by letting the sea breach coastal defences in a controlled way. This can help to maintain the integrity of sea defences as it reduces wave energy, and thereby the destructive power of the sea. The Environment Agency estimates that engineered coastal defence costs may be £5,000 per metre. A saltmarsh provides a natural buffering effect and can reduce coastal defence costs to about £400 per metre – a massive 92% saving to the public purse 7

5 Biodiversity by Design: A guide for sustainablecommunities. (2004) TCPA.

6 www.countdown2010.net7 National Rivers Authority. A guide to the understandingand management of saltmarshes. (1995) R&D Note 324.NRA, Bristol.

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SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES

Sustainable communities need wise planning and to do this we must

meet the following four challenges, set out in the next few pages:

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1 Deliver green infrastructure 2 Respect environmental capacity

3 Conserve natural resources 4 Protect and enhance our wildlife

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CHALLENGE 1 DELIVER GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE

Green spaces around us contribute to a healthy and pleasantenvironment. They can offer places to relax or be active, spaces forpeople to get together and they can also encourage businesses into an area. A mosaic of greeninfrastructure in terms of shape, type, size and use delivers the most benefits to people, as well as helping wildlife.

The RSPB believes that greeninfrastructure is essential to the development of sustainablecommunities. It is as vital to us as any traditional infrastructure such as roads, schools and hospitals.

A strategic approach to

providing green infrastructure

In the Milton Keynes and South Midlands growth area, a partnershipof government agencies, localauthorities and environmental groupshas developed a set of principles forgreen infrastructure. For instance,green infrastructure should provide a focus for social inclusion,

community development and life long learning. It should also maintainand enhance biodiversity to ensurethat green infrastructure results in a net gain of Biodiversity Action Plan habitats. Planning SustainableCommunities – A Green InfrastructureGuide for Milton Keynes and SouthMidlands is available fromwww.countryside.gov.uk andwww.environment-agency.gov.uk

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Parks, allotments, woodland, nature reserves, disused railways, public andprivate gardens and playing fields are all part of our green infrastructure.

CASE STUDY

‘There is very little point inharking back to landscapeslost, however fond thememories might be. This is a new millennium – a time for taking positive steps tomake amends. Although wemay have lost much of thenation’s wildlife in the past half century, the good news is that we CAN bring it back’Chris Baines – independent environment adviser, writer and broadcaster

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CHALLENGE 2 RESPECT ENVIRONMENTAL CAPACITY

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The draft regional spatial strategy for the east of England proposes23,900 new homes each year, a 15% increase on the previousplanned rate. The appraisal report on the strategy warns that ‘the scale and pace of growth envisionedis likely to be highly environmentallydamaging’10 unless significantmeasures are taken to mitigate the impacts.

10Regional Spatial Strategy for the East of England.Report of the Sustainability Appraisal. 2004, Levett-Therivel and Land Use Consultants.

Growth in the east of England Water demand in Kent

CASE STUDY 1

In the Ashford growth area, more than13,000 new homes are proposed over15 years. Increased water demand mayhave to be met in part by new, orexpanded, reservoirs and increasedabstraction from the chalk aquifer. Therewill also be more waste water andurban run-off to deal with. All this islikely to have an adverse effect on thequantity and quality of water in localrivers, which also support wildlife-richwetlands such as Stodmarsh Nationalnature reserve.

CASE STUDY 2

Even if green infrastructure is fullydesigned into new communities,there are still serious questions about the environmental impact ofdevelopment. An important principleof sustainable development is torecognise the limits of theenvironment to accept furtherdevelopment without irreversibledamage 8.

Nationally, decisions have been takenwith only a limited understanding of environmental impacts, or theenvironmental capacity of particularregions to accommodate additionaldevelopment. For example, muchdevelopment is planned for the south-east of England, which has manyareas valued for their beautiful

landscapes and rich wildlife. It is also thedriest part of the country, and is predictedto get drier due to climate change.

The RSPB believes that much more must be done to assess and avoid impactsat national and regional levels. To do this,we need a national spatial strategy,subject to a robust strategic environmentalassessment.

At the local level, decisions about thelocation of development should also beinformed by a full understanding of localenvironmental capacity. Sensitive areasshould be avoided. If this is not possible,effective mitigation should be put in place by planners and developers, orcompensation provided as a last resort.

8 Planning Policy Statement 1 Delivering Sustainable Development. (2005) ODPM.Ho

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CHALLENGE 3 CONSERVE NATURAL RESOURCES

Proposals to increase house building in the UK, particularly in south-eastEngland, potentially have massiveimplications for the consumption of natural resources. Fossil fuelconsumption, to provide energy for houses and fuel for transport,generates pollution and greenhousegases that contribute to climatechange. More houses also means more demands on water resources.

An analysis of the costs and benefits of building all new homes to theBuilding Research Establishment’sEcoHomes excellent standard 10 hasbeen undertaken using reports fromdefra, UK Water Industry Research and the Housing Corporation. It isestimated that to build a home to the EcoHomes excellent standard,

in terms of water and energy savingactions, the additional cost is as little as £160 per home – a small amount inthe overall build cost of a new house.These measures also continue toprovide monetary and natural resourcesavings during the life of the home.

The EcoHomes excellent standardcould save 10,000 megalitres of waterper year, implying savings of £1.6 billionon new water resources infrastructure,and 10 million tonnes of carbonemissions per year, potentially worth£2.9 billion over the next 30 years 11.

The costs of building to the EcoHomes excellent standard areclearly worthwhile for society andwould help keep new developmentwithin environmental limits.

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The area of the UK with suitable climate for nightingales is predicted toreduce significantly by 2050, particularlyin the south-east of England, as a resultof climate change 12.

Climate change and wildlife:

CASE STUDY 1

10 The EcoHomes standard is defined by theBuilding Research Establishment and is widelyrecognised by housebuilders.

11 Dickie I (2005) Resource savings and EcoHomesRSPB Discussion paper.

12 Harrison P A, Berry P M, and Dawson, T P (eds).Climate Change and Nature Conservation inBritain and Ireland: Modelling natural resourceresponses to climate change (the MONARCHproject). UKCIP Technical Report, Oxford.

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Communities need to bedesigned to minimise theneed for travel and toencourage a shift fromusing cars to other forms oftransport that generate lesspollution, such as cycling,walking, trains and buses.

The above map shows

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nightingales.

The above map shows

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high scenario.

CHALLENGE 4 PROTECT AND ENHANCE WILDLIFE

We have wonderful habitats andwildlife in and around the proposedgrowth areas, such as the wildmarshes of North Kent, where around200,000 wild birds spend the winter.They are protected by the strongestinternational conservation laws.Carefully planned developmentreduces the risk that these special areas and the surroundingcountryside will be damaged.

However, potential adverse impactsfrom transport projects, such as a Lower Thames Crossing in theThames Gateway or the M6Expressway in the Midlands are still a major threat. More people

in new housing developments nearsensitive wildlife sites also need to be carefully managed to avoidindirect impacts from more intensiverecreational pressure, such as in theNene Valley, Northamptonshire, partof the Milton Keynes and SouthMidlands growth area.

Sustainable communities shouldprotect and enhance wildlife.Improvements can be achieved by creating habitats at every scalefrom regional parks to installing green roofs and erecting nestboxes.All work should complement and help achieve the UK’s Biodiversity Action Plan targets.

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The Thames Basin Heaths SpecialProtection Area is mostly containedwithin the Blackwater Valley, an areaof housing growth west of London.The area has been designated asinternationally important for birdssuch as the nightjar and Dartfordwarbler.

The heathland is being overused as there is a lack of alternativeaccessible high quality open space inthe area. This is resulting in damageto the birds and their habitat. This isan unnecessary conflict betweenpeople and wildlife.

CASE STUDY 1

RSPB Salthome nature reserve, in the heart of Teeside, is set againsta landscape of the declining steel andpetro-chemical industries that onceemployed many people in the area.As part of a programme to regeneratethis region, Salthome is beingtransformed from 380 hectares of mostly brownfield and derelict land into accessible and welcominggreenspace, with community facilitiesand an international conservationimportance that the people of Teeside can rightly be proud of.

CASE STUDY 2

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SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES AND THE RSPB

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The RSPB believes thatmaking sure the environmentis protected and enhancedwhen developing sustainablecommunities is the healthy,wealthy and wise choice. It is the only one we canafford to make. This is whywe are involved in the shapingof sustainable communities –both on the ground wheredevelopment will happen and at a policy-making level.

We are working with thegovernment, regional bodies,local authorities, statutoryagencies, the developmentindustry, professional bodies,environmental groups and the public.

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RAINHAM MARSHES – LEADING THE WAY

The RSPB is working throughout the Thames Gateway growth area to bring the benefits of wildlife-rich spaces to urban communities. The RSPB’s Rainham,Wennington and Aveley Marshes naturereserve is to receive almost £1 million fromthe Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and £3.25million from the Office of the Deputy PrimeMinister’s Sustainable Communities Fund.The money will be used to build a speciallydesigned Environment and Education Centrein Purfleet, which will become a gateway tothe reserve. The centre will be a flagship ofeco-design for the Thames Gateway and willbe of very high energy and water efficiencystandards. Newly-created discovery zoneswill provide exciting opportunities for peopleto learn about the wildlife that lives on theMarshes as well as improve understandingof the history of the site.

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‘We are thrilled to help open up Rainham Marshes for everyone to explore and learn about.Heritage gems like this are going to be a huge asset to the regeneration of Thurrock and theThames Gateway by giving communities the roots that connect the past to the present.

They will help to generate local pride and give a sense of place and identity that will be essential as new communities grow within the Gateway over the coming decade’.

Robyn Greenblatt, Regional Manager for the Heritage Lottery Fund in the East of England.

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CONTACTS

www.rspb.org.uk Regd charity no 207076 270-0036-05-06

The RSPB is the UK charity working to

secure a healthy environment for birds

and wildlife, helping create a better world

for us all. We belong to BirdLife

International, the global partnership of

bird conservation organisations.I N T E R N A T I O N A LBirdLife

Cover photograph: Corbis

The RSPB

UK Headquarters The Lodge, SandyBedfordshire SG19 2DLTel: 01767 680551

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