CAVLP - Landscape Conservation Action Plan - October 2011

Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership Our People, Our Land, Our History: Shaping Our Future Developing physical, social and cultural paths through the landscape to create stronger connections between people and the landscape.

Landscape Conservation Action Plan

www.landuse.co.uk

October 2011

Landscape Conservation Action Plan Acknowledgements

CAVLP would like to thank everyone who assisted in the development, production, and mentoring required to bring this plan together, including our Project Partners and our consultants, Land Use Consultants, without whom it would have been impossible to collate and present such a wealth of information. In particular, CAVLP thank all of the people that we have met over the past few months who have not only been full of ideas, but showed such enthusiasm for what the Partnership are trying to achieve. The inspiration and encouragement that this support has provided has played no small part in maintaining the high level of commitment and determination from the CAVLP Project Team and Partners in the preparation of this document.

The Rural Development Trust

Disclaimer: Photographic images were supplied to Land Use Consultants by the project partners.

Land Use Consultants does not accept liability for the images.

Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction

1

Chapter 2: Understanding the Clyde and Avon Valleys

20

Chapter 3: Statement of Significance

43

Chapter 4: Risks and Opportunities

46

Chapter 5: Vision and Delivery Strategy

61

Chapter 6: Scheme Plan and Projects

74

Chapter 7: Costs and Funding

92

Chapter 8: Implementation

104

Chapter 9: Monitoring and Evaluation

118

Chapter 10: Bibliography

120

Annex: Project Sheets

1 Introduction

1

1 Introduction 1.1

The Clyde and Avon Valleys represent a unique and distinctive landscape within South and North Lanarkshire, and form the basis for the Clyde and Avon Valleys Landscape Partnership (CAVLP).

This document is the Landscape Conservation Action Plan (LCAP) prepared between March and August 2011 to form part of a Stage 2 application to the Heritage Lottery Fund Landscape Partnerships Grant.

1.2

The Partnership area is centred on the mid-Clyde valley, identified as an Area of Great Landscape Value (AGLV) in current Local Plans. (see Figure 1.1). The boundary of the AGLV runs along the valley shoulder on the immediate outskirts of a number of towns forming a significant proportion of Glasgow’s south-east conurbation.

1.3

The River Clyde, A72 National Clyde Valley Tourist Route, and Clyde Walkway all run in parallel in the valley floor, along which are small, traditional, settlements that are now very popular with commuters.

The intrinsic character of these villages remains and older residents, who were formerly employed in horticulture or the many landed estates, retain knowledge of the working traditions of earlier times that continued well into the second half of the twentieth century.

1.4

The village of New Lanark and, downstream, Chatelherault, the hunting lodge of Hamilton family on the southern outskirts of Hamilton, are illustrative of the diverse and important history of the Partnership area.

1.5

The resultant combination of ancient woodland, wood pasture, orchards and horticulture has left a landscape mosaic that is highly attractive and outstandingly rich in biodiversity.

1.6

We hope to reinforce distinctive features of the landscape that create this special character through: •

strengthening the connection between community and landscape by providing a range of volunteering and learning opportunities

•

developing heritage skills and strengthening land management practices

•

raising awareness of the area’s history, culture and importance as a source of food for Glasgow and the surrounding area.

•

mitigating the adverse visual effects of recent development and introducing new elements that reinforce the landscape character

Plan preparation 1.7

The plan has been compiled by Land Use Consultants (LUC) in close collaboration with the CAVLP Project Team, the Landscape Partnership Steering Group and Board. The local community has been involved in a series of community participation events to secure support for the projects and involvement in their delivery (Ref.1).

1

West Lothian

North Lanarkshire

Clyde and Avon Valley LCAP Location Map

Local Authority Boundary LCAP Boundary

South Lanarkshire

Figure 1.1

¯

0

1

2

3

4

5 Km

Reproduced from Ordnance Survey digital map data © Crown copyright 2011. All rights reserved. Licence number 100020730.

Map Scale @ A3: 1:65,000 LUCGL 5140-001-r1_Location Map_Figure 1_1 18/08/2011

2

1.8

The essence of the plan, aspirations and vision have been developed by the Partnership Steering group and endorsed by the Partnership Board. Land Use Consultants were selected through a tender process to assist CAVLP staff to develop and assemble the plan and provide both professional landscape advice and expertise through past experience of LCAP schemes to enhance the Stage 2 application. Given the ambitious programme of development year activity, additional support was required to ensure that delivery of projects and development of the LCAP each received sufficient effort to guarantee high quality end products.

Scope of the LCAP 1.9

The extent of the project area was considered and reviewed within the Development year, with information about the relationship between the two valleys sought from the public perception study.

Although this study revealed that there are distinct differences between the Clyde and Avon valleys, there are also shared issues that confirm the LCAP approach to be appropriate to each valley.

The partnership will provide an opportunity for communities to work more closely together and share expertise that will build capacity within existing community groups. We have therefore agreed to continue on the basis of the AGLV boundary as originally intended.

1.10

The LCAP will develop and deliver a number of physical projects that will conserve or enhance the key landscape features as identified within the LCA that will be delivered by volunteers in whole or in part.

1.11

Due perhaps to the broad range of partner interests represented on the steering group, the LCAP will be capable of addressing all programmes required of an LP scheme in balance. Projects have been developed that will address the conservation, understanding and access to key heritage features, sites and events within the Clyde and Avon Valleys. Efforts will be aimed at ensuring the key heritage sites provide a focus for physical activity, whilst also providing an initial platform for community engagement, volunteering learning and training. This will be extended to other areas of private land where key features are located and the project aims to conserve, in particular orchards and woodlands, over and beyond the period of the Scheme.

1.12

The physical works to be delivered through the LCAP will focus on the conservation and enhancement of the identified key features of the landscape: •

Trees – the pattern, distribution and texture they contribute to landscape character and biodiversity;

•

Buildings – retention of important views to key features and projects to conserve local distinctiveness

•

Structures – restoration of key landmarks and features intended to enhance the landscape or of historical importance

3

•

Water – ensuring that the riparian environment and water quality continue to play a major role in defining the landscape character and supporting biodiversity.

1.13

Thus, training schemes will be developed to support skills in landscape maintenance such as arboriculture, horticulture and conservation stonework. Learning opportunities will explain, interpret and source information on the historical importance of the built heritage resource, and links to intangible cultural heritage.

Communities will be engaged in maintaining the landscape and in providing information that can assist others to learn about the history and cultural importance of their landscape.

1.14

Whilst physical works (on the ground) will take place only within the CAVLP boundary, community and outreach work will extend to include the communities on the immediate boundary. This is approach has been justified and confirmed through community consultation; in the past, communities ‘on the edge’ were dependent on the agricultural activities of the valley for employment and on the fruit and vegetables grown there for food. The peripheral communities also have fond memories of the valley in earlier years when it made a greater contribution to the local economy and was – as it still is – an important destination for days out to enjoy the countryside and scenery and consider the beauty of the valley to be an important resource for recreation.

1.15

Going beyond the landscape and local communities, the aim of CAVLP is to introduce new ways of working between established public bodies and non-government organisations (NGOs) by seeking more collaboration, sharing of resources and expertise, and co-ordination of effort to gain more sustainable and higher value outcomes to the benefit of local communities and the health of the landscape and heritage resources.

1.16

As such, the scheme will be limited only by the imagination and aspirations of the partners, and the ability to deliver these within an ever-changing public sector environment.

Gaps and Limitations 1.17

Some projects intended to be undertaken in the development year have been delayed and not yet completed, whilst time constraints have meant postponement or re-planning of others. Those delayed have been commissioned and will continue until completion between August and October 2011; those postponed will either be delivered in other ways or rolled forward to the delivery year if insufficient funds are available to progress these in 2011. Although important, the postponed projects were judged to be of lower priority for informing the strategic work required and identifying key actions for the LCAP, allowing more substantive projects to be undertaken.

1.18

However, delays in getting delivery started within the development year – discussed further below – left a compressed period for analysing all the outcomes. Other factors, such as changes in match funding streams, have made it necessary to re-think delivery 4

mechanisms or funding support. In a scheme such as ours, where match funding is critical to delivery, CAVLP will always need to respond to external policy priorities to secure capital.

Links to wider policy frameworks 1.19

In general terms, the planning and policy context for the LCAP has been relatively stable over the development year period, however there are three key policy drivers worth noting that are relevant to the LCAP: •

Scottish Government have placed an emphasis on quality of design and confirmed the importance of good design in building successful and sustainable communities;

•

The introduction of a refreshed development planning system means Local Development Plans within North and South Lanarkshire will be reviewed within the LCAP period; and, perhaps most importantly,

•

The inclusion of a national planning policy to develop a Central Scotland Green Network, the aims and objectives of which are in close synergy with the outcomes of the LCAP.

1.1

These changes in national policy context give added support for the LCAP, the range of projects it is intended to deliver, and the methodology for delivering on the ground: involving local people more in the decision-making process and in development of projects that they value.

1.20

Landscape Character Assessments have been undertaken for the project area and were not required for the LCAP. The LCA underpins local plan policy and is an integral part of decision-making in the planning process. The LCAs also have important role to play in providing a framework for physical works such as woodland felling and planting, priorities for hedgerow creation and repair, and orchard conservation and establishment that may fall outwith planning control. The LCA identifies the strong contribution of orchards to the landscape character, and the woodland patterns which contribute to the character and scenic value, and thus provides a rationale for emphasis within the LCAP on these key ‘natural’ features. Trees and woodlands also help to frame views within and into the CAVLP area. The LCA will be of particular value where it is intended to create new woodland, and the scale and nature of new planting.

1.21

The LCA will be used to inform the need for new planting, priority areas for action in improving the landscape, key locations for mitigating the effects and impacts of development and previous woodland planting and management. It will help inform woodland and hedgerow planting recommendations within the Woodland Action Plan, and provide a useful tool for assisting in the assessment of grant applications coming forward for our proposed grant schemes, as well as providing a basis for interpretation and learning about the landscape in formal and community education initiatives.

Crown copyright Scottish Natural Heritage

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Developing the LCAP - Process 1.22

The development of the LCAP involved the steering group and project board, who were consulted regularly throughout. Building on the information and input made for the Stage 1 bid, the steering group members have met monthly to discuss emerging findings, progress on commissioned work, and approve the general direction and approach with the assistance of the CAVLP project team. As specialist studies were undertaken and completed, the information was signed off by sub-groups consisting of various partners with relevant expertise, quality assured by the project team, and passed to LUC. Key findings were discussed at steering group meetings where implications for other areas of work were specifically highlighted. Over the development year, the Project Board was also asked to endorse, confirm and approve key elements of the plan as they were prepared.

1.23

Both a Partnership Board and Steering group with roles and responsibilities in line with the Partnership Agreement were established as outlined in the Stage 1 application. Whilst changes within organisations and to staff responsibilities meant changes in representation on the Steering group, all partners continued to support the work of the CAVLP and provided the required staff input to governance of the Partnership. The Landscape Partnership Steering Group and Board comprised the following members at July 2011:

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Table 1.1: Landscape Partnership Steering Group and Board Members Name

Organisation

Role

Guy Watt

Central Scotland Forest Trust

Member of LP Board

Mark Smillie

Central Scotland Forest Trust

Member of Steering Group

Niall McShannon

Clydesdale Community Initiatives

Member of Steering Group.

Delivery partner

David Galloway

Forestry Commission

Member of Steering Group

Vicky Abernethy

North Lanarkshire Council

Member of LP Board

Hayley Andrew

North Lanarkshire Council

Member of Steering Group

Anne McCall

RSPB

Member of LP Board

Gerry McAuley

RSPB

Member of Steering Group

Gordon Muir, Managing Director

The Rural Development Trust

Member of LP Board

Chris Parkin, Rural Operations Director

The Rural Development Trust

Member of Steering Group

Fiona Stirling

Scottish Natural Heritage

Member of Steering Group

Ross Johnston

Scottish Natural Heritage

Member of LP Board

Steve Blow

Scottish Wildlife Trust

Member of Steering Group

Jim McCaffer

South Lanarkshire Council Enterprise Resources

Member of LP Board

Martin McManus

South Lanarkshire Council -Enterprise Resources

Member of Steering Group

Alan Newberry

South Lanarkshire Leisure & Culture Trust

Member of Steering Group

Ian Guild

South Lanarkshire Council Community Resources

Member of Steering Group

Lorna Davidson, Director

New Lanark Trust

Chair of Steering Group

Maggie Botham

CAVLP Project Manager

Member of Steering Group; in attendance at LP Board

Linda McConaghie

CAVLP Community Engagement officer

Member of Steering Group

7

1.24

In addition, a number of sub-groups were established to take forward development of strategies, development of future projects and delivery of consultancy studies over the development year. This not only ensured that the best expertise was directed to best effect, but also that projects reflected shared objectives that reflected the corporate objectives of individual organisations.

1.25

The sub-groups established were: woodlands; built and cultural heritage; community engagement; external funding; orchards (supported also by input from Clyde Valley Orchard Group, a voluntary organisation); access; and biodiversity. These groups came together on an ‘as needed’ basis and reported to the Steering Group where projects could be considered in a wider strategic context for the LCAP.

MOVING FORWARD: THE DEVELOPMENT YEAR – STAGE1 TO STAGE 2 1.26

In our Stage 1 application, we set out a vision for the CAVLP with a range of outcomes generated from an initial analysis based on knowledge and understanding from a range of partners about the area that they worked in, however a clearer understanding of the dynamics of change and community activity was required to inform our project development and ensure that projects and activities were evidence based. The development year therefore contained an ambitious list of projects aimed at gathering more information about the key heritage features of our LP area.

1.27

In addition to the management of 14 projects undertaken by consultants, a website has been developed, we have contributed to one Fruit Day and are planning a second, and we have run a series of workshops with community groups as part of the community engagement project. We have also secured assistance from teachers to prepare a plan for contents of education packs that can be used in schools, and to develop an associated action plan for outdoor and indoor learning in schools in and around the CAVLP area.

1.28

CAVLP team has also made contact with new community groups and public sector organisations throughout the year: South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture Limited – an independent trust for culture, arts and recreation – has been formed in the past few months and has opened additional funding and joint working potential, whilst contact with Lanarkshire health Trust has opened up an important link to working with disadvantaged groups and linking activities with mental and physical health improvements and opportunities across the CAVLP area. The latter association could be particularly important for voluntary action in project delivery, and could provide a valuable link to potential trainees for our conservation skills programme.

1.29

As a partnership, we have been both astonished and encouraged by the enthusiasm shown for the project and what it aims to achieve by existing groups, the community and a range of public service organisations. We have been overwhelmed with offers of help to undertake work, to supply volunteers, and to offer services, best demonstrated by the letters of support that we have received – 8

without soliciting them. The consultation and engagement process has developed its own momentum, and the growth in interest has been exponential. What is perhaps most surprising about this is that not all requests to become engaged are merely seeking money or funding. In most cases, people are seeking opportunities to become involved, seeking sites that require work, or finding opportunities to contribute something to the community. They can see ways to support and provide a focus for their own interest and learning, and ways to help them enjoy what they do in the valley even more.

This indicates that the scope for engagement with a very broad sector of the community is very significant, and that the potential for sustainability beyond the life of HLF funding may be higher than originally expected.

Challenges 1.30

The Development year has not been without challenges: an unsuccessful recruitment process meant changing the delivery mechanism for the development year and re-structuring the match funding profiles. In addition, a range of organisational and staff changes within partner organisations impacted on stability and continuity of steering group membership, whilst extreme bad weather and IT problems were among a number of obstacles that impeded the smooth delivery of the development year projects. We consider that the ability to manage problems and adapt in the face of change has demonstrated the strength and commitment of our Partnership, and that we can work as a team to deliver to mutually beneficial ends.

1.31

This has all resulted in a protracted and very busy development period with the majority of work being undertaken between December 2010 and August 2011. It has also meant that some work is not as far advanced at this stage as we had intended; having secured commitment from relevant partners to extend financial support of the project team beyond the Stage 2 submission date, it is hoped that progress can be made on completing this work prior to December 2011.

Development year activities 1.32

Our understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the LCAP area in 2009 enabled us to develop a number of projects that provided information gaps that we had identified, and to help us gain a deeper understanding about the important features of our heritage resource.

1.33

Development year work has served to refine and re-evaluate intended outcomes using more detailed research; this research has confirmed the main thrust and direction of the vision set out at Stage 1. Studies have also confirmed the features of the landscape that make an important contribution to the scenic quality valleys, and that these are also recognised and cherished by local people.

The actions and projects that we considered were necessary to sustain the heritage resource have been fine-tuned to reflect the research and feedback that has helped give clearer understanding 9

about the CAVLP area and the people who live here. We have also prepared plans necessary to ensure that woodland works can begin on site in the first delivery year.

1.34

The development year programme included a number of strategic works aimed at either: •

Finding out about reasons behind problems we had already identified

•

Finding out more about the nature, scale and importance of the heritage resource we had already identified

1.35

These works would inform what action was needed and how it should be implemented in order to help conserve the heritage of the Special Landscape Area that is the Clyde and Avon Valleys.

1.36

The table shows our progress to date and shows work still in progress.

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CAVLP DEVELOPMENT YEAR PROJECTS AND KEY ACTIVITIES 2010-2011 PROJECT TITLE

BEGUN

COMPLETED

NOTES

Woodland Action Plan

Dec 10

Mar 11

Dalzell woodland management plan

May 11

Aug 11

Submit to SRDP Sept 2011

Chatelherault woodland management plan

Feb 11

Aug 11

Submit to SRDP Sept 2011

New Lanark woodland management plan

April 11

Aug 11

Submit to SRDP Sept 2011

Falls of Clyde woodland management plan

May 11

Aug 11

Submit to SRDP Sept 2011

Reviving the Clyde Valley Orchards Study

Dec 10

June 11

Biodiversity study of orchards

May 11

ongoing

Lichen study review and report

Feb 11

Feb 11

Varietal study of fruit trees

no

Historical development of the landscape

Feb 11

Falls of Clyde built heritage review

no

Habitat creation at RSPB bird sanctuary

April 11

Costing access improvements

No

Community consultation baseline

Mar 11

June 11

Hard to reach groups consultation

May 11

July 11

Rural conference workshop: attend

Mar 11

Mar 11

Website development

Dec 10

Mar 11

Landowner liaison survey

Feb 11

Aug 11

In place of CAVLP staff post

LCAP development consultants

Mar 11

Aug 11

To assist and support CAVLP

Community engagement plan

Dec 10

ongoing

Complete Sept 11 staff illness

Publicity, marketing

Sept 10

Ongoing

Press coverage; e-newsletter; fruit days

Development of formal education pack

Mar 11

Aug 11

Action plan. Activities ongoing

Development of community education material

No

Postponed to enable closer consultation with public

Support for conservation training team

No

Change in external funding support

Consultancy projects

Complete Nov 11 Seasonal survey work Begin Sept 11. Seasonal work

July 11 Lack of staff resources Aug 11 Poor response to tender

Originally scheduled for Oct 10; extreme weather

Key CAVLP staff project activity

11

1.37

In addition, we have undertaken a survey to gauge people’s perception of the CAVLP and what they value about it. This latter piece of work has been important to confirm perceptions and feedback gained from less-focussed exercises and was necessary to confirm our approach, the level of importance we had assigned to features within the CAVLP area, and to ensure that efforts and projects were likely to be supported by the local community and those who visited the CAVLP area.

1.38

The community engagement exercises and workshops also enabled us to test whether our aim to deliver a number of outputs through volunteer effort were achievable. We have been pleased with the results, which revealed not only a latent body of enthusiastic volunteers, but also a hidden potential for further opportunities, particularly related to outdoor sports and activities. Coupled with these opportunities, a need for opportunities for volunteers was found in discussion with health and employment practitioners operating in the communities on the immediate boundary of the CAVLP with whom we sought to engage.

Supporting Documents 1.39

As identified within the Stage One application, the CAVLP area straddles an administrative boundary between two councils, with only a small portion of each lying within the AGLV boundary which defines the Scheme area. This means that many datasets and information sources were not specific to the CAVLP area, whilst some data had not been gathered. The work of the development year has been focussed on gaining a broad-brush understanding about the nature of the resource, and has involved commissioning specialists studies that provide an overview of the heritage resource on which future more detailed work can be based.

1.40

Studies were undertaken to improve our understanding of the quantity, quality and distribution of the built and natural heritage resource. Although topic related, each is intended to be more than a stand-alone document; a key task for the CAVLP project team and steering group was to identify synergies, dependencies and identify ways in which action required could support others, and to build relationships between actions and projects that provided a cohesive approach to the LCAP and emerging projects. The key strategic studies undertaken, and the contribution they have made to influencing the LCAP are listed below.

Woodland Action Plan (Ref 1) 1.41

This is a key document due to the important contribution tree planting and native woodlands make to the landscape character.

The work has provided GIS datasets about the nature, extent and condition of woodlands lying within CAVLP and has identified a number of ‘core areas’ where effort to conserve and enhance woodland cover would bring most benefits to enhancing the woodland resource. The resulting maps will provide a context for woodland proposals, and will be used in conjunction with other strategic maps to ensure that new woodland contributes 12

to, rather than detracts from, the character and scenic quality of the partnership area. It is important that any emerging planting proposals and designs are seen in the context of the LCA. 1.42

Arising Actions for Stage 2: more detailed plans will be developed for each of the core areas, and will provide a basis for discussing the potential for enhanced woodland management and creation of new woodland with private landowners. The datasets will also provide a source of information on woodland origin that can be used for further research on the ecology and management of woodlands, and can also be employed as a learning and teaching resource.

Reviving the Orchards study (Ref 2) 1.43

This study looked not only at the nature and extent of the orchard resource, but explored aspirations, issues and ideas with orchard owners. The work also explored the potential of Clyde Valley orchards to become economically self-sustaining again in today’s marketplace, and provided an overview of opportunities to reach current markets and the changes needed to enable owners to sell fruit. A number of activities and recommendations for further work have been made that can be continued through the delivery years. The study clearly identified market failure in the orchard sector which would be best addressed by providing financial support through a dedicated funding stream.

1.44

Arising Actions for Stage 2: a number of specialist studies that can inform the production of a business plan for orchard produce will be required. The desire of orchard owners to work collaboratively, engage with the community and develop new markets will be supported through a range of actions in delivery years, and in particular support will be given to Clyde Valley Orchard Group to continue voluntary work with other groups, schools and the wider community. Opportunities to develop a range of complementary produce will be explored and promoted.

Landowner Liaison Study (Ref 3) 1.45

Much of the land within CAVLP lies in private ownership and the health and sustainable future of the landscape character and scenic quality is heavily reliant on the stewardship of farmers and estate owners. Working with landowners will be a key to the success of the partnership, therefore this study aimed to create a database of landowners and their holdings whilst inquiring, through interview, about their attitude to woodland management and creation, the barriers that they experienced to undertaking hedgerow and woodland management, and the limitations they experienced in accessing funding such as the SRDP programme. It was also hoped to identify some ‘champions’ with whom we could work in the early stages to undertake demonstrations as examples to others, and to assist in development of an appropriate support mechanism for farmers in the area, mindful of State Aid limitations. The owner information will be used by the landowner liaison officer to approach potential private sector partners; the Woodland Action Plan is likely to provide the basis for initial discussions.

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1.46

Arising Action for Stage 2: in the initial stages, the main work will be based on discussion and liaison with landowners with the objective of establishing a targeted funding programme for supporting woodland management and creation. Complementary work on potential timber markets and multi-purpose woodland already available for the project area will assist discussions.

Historic Development of the Landscape study (Ref 4) 1.47

The aim of this work was to catalogue the historical heritage resource within CAVLP that was not already recorded as of national interest. The research was strategic and mainly desk-based due to time and cost constraints, nonetheless, the resultant output has provided an overview of the significance of the resource – individually and as a whole – in local and national terms that will form a learning resource for schools, can be augmented by further detailed research by local groups, and has already revealed ‘hidden’ data sources and catalogues held by local history societies but to which there is no current public access. The scope of the work covers the cultural, historical and industrial past and GIS datasets have been created.

1.48

Arising Actions for Stage 2: opportunities for a range of community projects will be identified and discussed with existing community organisations. Training can be provided to support volunteers undertake research. Interpretation and learning material can be developed for groups of features or particular geographic areas, and can form the basis of community projects ranging from arts and cultural events to path construction. Engagement with the local communities will be the first key stage in making best use of this data.

Biodiversity Value of Orchards study (Ref 5) 1.49

This study, whilst primarily aimed at providing a broad indication of the range of species orchards support and habitats found there, will provide the basis for a number of additional projects.

The information will inform the production of management plans for individual orchards that optimise owners’ aspirations for production with benefits for biodiversity. On-going monitoring can be undertaken by volunteers, whilst the methodology will enable comparison and contrast between other orchard-rich environments nationally to inform the UK BAP goals and targets. The work hopes identify any complementary relationship between orchards and the nearby native woodlands and the importance of that relationship for maintaining biodiversity in the longer term.

1.50

Arising Actions for Stage 2: A review of the survey results and development of a management template for orchards that can be tailored to individual orchards will assist owners. It is also hoped that this will encourage additional justification for diversification of orchards to produce other goods that will increase income and inform less intensive management regimes. Key species and habitats will be identified in order to establish monitoring regimes that can evaluate management techniques; volunteers can be trained in simple survey methods for indicator species and undertake annual monitoring.

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Community perception studies (Refs 6-9) 1.51

The community perception studies focused on eliciting opinions and engaging key audiences within and on the boundary of the CAVLP area – local residents, visitors, disadvantaged, vulnerable and hard-toreach groups including young people, the long-term unemployed and individuals with enduring mental and physical health problems. Views and project ideas from the general public and established community and interest groups were encouraged and explored through a series of themed, interactive workshops. Opportunities and desire for ongoing involvement and participation in projects during the delivery years was also investigated.

1.52

The wealth of information and opinions gathered during this public engagement work has been immense and has proved that people recognise and support the aims of the LCAP. People value and want to learn more the unique heritage of the area and are concerned that this information is being lost. They have identified pressure from development, lack of community spirit, poorly maintained paths, lack of information and poor transport networks as concerns and barriers. They want more information conveyed via leaflets, websites and events, improved access to the wider countryside for outdoor recreation and have suggests ways to conserve, capture, reveal and celebrate our landscape and heritage through art, story-telling, songs, educational material and practical, hands-on involvement.

1.53

Actions Arising for Stage 2: The Partnership recognises that a considerable amount of effort still needs to be invested in effectively and meaningfully engaging people in the project and this will continue beyond the bid submission. The priority for action in the delivery years will be identifying and establishing a means by which groups can work more together, and keep in touch. There would be significant benefits in joint work and sharing resources and there is great potential to involve these groups in the project with training support. CAVLP staff will lead activity to develop and support these activities. There is considerable scope for the development of outdoor recreation, but also a need to address the needs of garden centre visitors and to encourage them to linger and explore the area. Information and learning, as well as access is required for all; the needs of no specific group is greater than any other, however, young adults need to be encouraged to visit the valleys and further research into potential attractions is required.

Key Activities 1.54

Community Engagement: A significant amount of community outreach work has been undertaken throughout the development year to explore people’s current perceptions, opinions and aspirations for the Landscape Partnership area and to meaningfully involve people in the development of projects within the LCAP. A wide cross section of the community has been informed and consulted about the project using a variety of methods including informal presentations, local newspaper and radio articles to questionnaire surveys and participatory workshops.

15

1.55

The number of active community groups and the range of activities that they are engaged in operating within CAVLP have been surprising and unexpected. It would indicate that a significant proportion of the population is a member of at least one group, and is willing to spend time in unpaid or volunteer activities across a range of topics that interest them.

1.56

Most importantly, outreach work has identified a significant number of individuals, community and supported client-based groups who are keen to be involved in the project in whichever way possible.

This research has also revealed that existing community groups within the Partnership area work predominately in isolation due a weak and non-functioning voluntary sector. The community events organised by the Partnership provided them with a forum for networking, sharing knowledge and expertise and they are keen to continue to do so.

1.57

Actions Arising for Stage 2: Most importantly, community groups need support to work effectively and encouragement to work together, potentially through provision of a single point of contact or point of contact where shared resources could be held and accessed. Given the high number of individuals already engaged in community groups and the potential identified to increase this, a volunteer co-ordination service would help match volunteers to available opportunities. There is clear support for projects that aimed to enhance existing activities and user experience within CAVLP; there is also equal enthusiasm for assisting in developing and providing such information that could provide that.

1.58

By engaging with the community, we have confirmed that whilst usage of the CAVLP by a wide range of groups and individuals is high and the range of activities fairly varied, the degree to which people can engage is limited by the fairly limited range of active or organised activities that take place within the countryside of the valleys, and a lack of knowledge amongst communities about what is available. For example, there is no doubt that there is significant potential for a wider range of outdoor activities than currently found– indeed research has shown this to be much more varied in the past than is the case today, particularly activities based on the river.

1.59

Physical Access: Both North and South Lanarkshire have produced Core Path Plans for their respective Council areas which provide a framework for improving access from communities to the wider countryside. The key strategic route is the Clyde Walkway, which runs along the Clyde and forms the spine of the Clyde Valley section of CAVLP. Well-developed paths run through the National Nature Reserve sites, but linkages to them from communities and the Clyde Walkway could be significantly improved. At least some of the paths within publicly-owned sites are suitable for people with a range of abilities, but the woodlands are, in general, located on steep-sided gorges which are always going to be limiting in part for groups with limited mobility.

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1.60

In addition, communities have indicated that there are a number of popular and well-used walks within CAVLP, but these could benefit from clearer signage, particularly if users are not familiar with the area within which they are walking.

1.61

Actions Arising for Stage 2: Although some additional paths would be welcomed, improving the quality of what exists already would add considerably to the use and value of access routes and encourage higher usage. With access freely available to some of the most important habitats and natural heritage resource, it is not necessary to provide pathways through some of the more sensitive sites, which, in any event, offer challenges in terms of topography and thus ensuring public safety, particularly those with difficulty walking. All walks could be augmented by adding historic and other features of interest to the number of destinations and creating walks with a purpose and providing information about the landscape and features that can be experienced from the pathways.

1.62

Developing conservation skills: Training opportunities have been identified through consideration of the range of work required to implement the projects needed to conserve the key characteristics of the landscape. The skills that are needed have been informed through information from landowners and orchard owners as well as partner organisations that remain needful of skilled personnel to maintain woodland and other habitats found within nature reserves.

1.63

Given the potential for a work on building and structures, including restoration of kirkyards and graveyards, there is merit in considering training in stonemasonry skills. Training for community groups that will help them deliver LCAP outputs will also be essential if we are to ensure a good quality product that is of best value for intended users. Client groups for training courses are wide and varied, and needs further investigation in order to develop appropriate approaches.

1.64

Actions Arising for Stage 2: training courses will be established that address identified need and available, interested trainees. The potential demand for training places will be explored with public agencies with client groups seeking either employment or volunteering opportunities for health and wellbeing. As the LCAP programme is limited in the scale of training it can provide with available funds, consideration will be given to priority training and client groups, and for others, alternative means of training will be researched. Training for community groups will be taken forward separately from training aimed at addressing employability to enable the needs of these groups to be appropriately addressed.

RSPB Barons Haugh Reserve Projects (Ref 10) 1.65

Report on works to be carried out to improve access and the environment at the RSPB Reserve at Barons Haugh, Cemetery Marsh.

Actions Arising for Stage 2: implementation of works.

17

How the Development Year has shaped the LCAP 1.66

The important landscape features identified are supported by local opinions and are the woodlands, water, orchards, garden centres, blossom and countryside. As expected, views from the CAVLP to the iconic Tinto Hill evoke strong feelings and support an approach that ensures that views through the landscape to the features beyond the boundary are also important. Local people also identified other non-landscape characteristics of the area that they value dearly: the Clydesdale horse, sounds, peacefulness, open countryside, the sound and sight of the Falls of Clyde, and, perhaps most importantly, bringing back childhood memories of visits to the area when the Valley was a tourist destination and seasonal employer for picking and buying fruit.

1.67

The threats to the landscape arise largely from changes to land management, which in turn is influenced by markets for farmed produce – timber, fruit, vegetables, local meat and beef. The economics of maintaining and earning a living from a small mixed farm are influenced more now by the European and global market and subsidy system, which this project cannot influence. However, it can explore the development of markets that may encourage land managers to provide produce to meet the demand, and it can provide funding to support activities that will sustain the landscape but which cannot be funded through agri-environment schemes, for whatever reason. A key part of our strategy has been to identify barriers to maintaining and establishing woodland and hedgerows, for example, in order that options can be developed to assist farmers in the stewardship of these areas that would have a detrimental effect on the landscape should the disappear.

1.68

There are, however, a number of opportunities that can be harnessed to encourage land managers to explore new or additional ways of supplying emerging markets, in particular: demands for locally grown foodstuffs; timber for fuel, crafts and biomass; healthy eating initiatives and a surge in interest in ‘growing your own’ and community growing; recognition within the health sector of the benefits of active pursuits out of doors as a means of combating a range of physical and mental ailments; and, a need for public sector organisations to ensure value for money that necessitates exploring and developing new ways of doing things to sustain public assets in the longer term.

1.69

These opportunities are in tune with the social and economic issues within and around the CAVLP area. The Clyde and Avon Valleys have traditionally had an economy based on agriculture, woodland management and other primary industries which have been in decline over the past 50 years or so; re-investing in the land as a generator of income and employment delivers benefits for the landscape, social wellbeing, and the local economy – it is a synergistic relationship that needs to be re-balanced, and can be through the LP Scheme.

18

Structure of the Landscape Conservation Action Plan 1.70

The remainder of the LCAP is set out in the following main sections: Chapter 2: Understanding the Clyde and Avon Valleys.

Chapter 3: Statement of Significance.

Chapter 4: Risks and Opportunities.

Chapter 5:Vision and Delivery Strategy.

Chapter 6: Scheme Plan and Projects.

Chapter 7: Costs and Funding.

Chapter 8: Implementation.

Chapter 9: Monitoring and Evaluation.

Chapter 10: Bibliography.

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2 Understanding the Clyde and Avon Valleys

2 Understanding the Clyde and Avon Valleys Introduction 2.1

This section of the plan outlines the historical development of the landscape, the landscape character and key heritage features of the Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership Area. It provides context for the LCAP, and outlines the current policy framework and existing management mechanisms for the area.

2.2

The key characteristics, features and qualities of this landscape are:

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Rare semi-natural broadleaved woodland, clinging to the narrow, steep sided valleys above dramatic watercourses which cut deeply through the landscape;

•

The changing moods and character of the water courses from tumbling waterfalls to still pools, and the changing seasons bringing the noise and power of the river in spate, the gentle tranquillity of summer flows, to the frozen stillness of winter;

•

The rich colour palette of the landscape from the splendid autumn colours of the mixed semi-natural woodlands and exotics, the fresh greens of spring leaves, the carpets of bluebells and wild garlic, and the 'snow' of orchard blossom.

•

The strong historic and cultural associations of the area with fruit growing, market gardening and agriculture. Remnant orchards and glasshouses characterise the valley, suggesting the former significance of these now declining industries.

•

The historical significance of the area still leaves a clear imprint on the landscape. Glimpses of castles, houses and bridges hint at the significance of the landscape patterns of the many mature policy woodlands dating back to medieval times.

•

The element of secrecy and surprise as the valley landform constrains views within the landscape, and linear historic villages and winding roads accentuating the sinuous landform of the valley.

Interrelationships 2.3

The physical qualities of the landscape are intrinsically linked to the cultural and oral histories of the area. The interrelationships form a complex web of landscape influencing the human activities in the area, and the resulting modifications and changes to the landscape.

2.4

It is the layering of cultural influences within a landscape which includes a diversity of distinctive features including dynamic watercourses, industrial heritage, orchards, designed landscapes and wooded valleys which makes the Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership area unique. The following paragraphs explore these characteristics in further detail.

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Historical Development of the Landscape 2.5

Landscape is created by the combined effect of physical forces working over millions of years, which has in turn influenced the pattern of human activity throughout history. The geology of the area is based on the carboniferous coal basin of central Scotland, and cut through by the Clyde River to create steep sided valleys.

It has determined lines of communication and choice of sites for settlements, depending on such considerations as ease of movement and defence.

2.6

The Avon and Clyde Valleys and associated tributaries have been recognised for hundreds of years as a significant landscape in terms of its scenic, cultural and historic qualities - “... orchards, castle, towns and woods planted side by side” William Lithgow, describing Lanarkshire in 1640 (Ref.13). The settlement pattern of linear villages along the valley connected with winding roads, policy landscapes, wood/and, castles, rich agriculture and agricultural heritage, including distinctive orchards, is unique in Scotland.

2.7

Clydesdale was the birthplace of William Roy, who surveyed and drew the 1750s maps of Scotland.

2.8

The area has influenced poetry and art, and formed an essential stopping place on the tourist circuit in the late 18th century.

Dorothy Wordsworth observed in 1803: “lt [the little valley below Stonebyres Linn] is very populous, with villages, hamlets, single cottages, or farm-houses embosomed in orchards, and scattered over with gentlemen’s houses ...We seemed now to have got into a country where poverty and riches were shaking hands together” (Ref.14). This was and is still the case.

2.9

Although settled as a managed landscape from Neolithic times, by the early medieval period the woodlands of the Clyde Valley had become a nationally important, strategic resource, and Lanark had been established as a Royal Burgh. Between the twelfth and fourteenth centuries, the area progressively passed from Crown and monastic estates into the ownership of an emerging Scots/Norman aristocracy. Families such as De Baliol, Lockhart and Hamilton established their power-bases around the Clyde Valley’s unique combination of timber, cropland and water-power and their castles still crown the steepest gorges today. On the valley floor, their descendants left an inheritance of managed estates that remain a key landscape feature.

2.10

The most significant changes which shaped the landscape we currently experience took place during the Industrial Revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries. During this period, the most significant features of the landscape were created: the orchards and market gardens; gentleman’s houses with associated designed landscapes and policy planting; roads, bridges, tollhouses and turnpikes; mines, sawmills and textile works. In turn, villages grew up around these features to house those needed to work the land, notably the village supporting the mills at New Lanark. The arrival of the railways in the mid 19th century facilitated the exploitation of the abundant mineral

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resources of the area. The cultural heritage resources within the Clyde and Avon Valley are illustrated in Figure 2.1.

2.11

The Clydesdale horse was developed in Scotland to meet the demands of the Industrial Revolution. A strong animal was needed for hauling, to turn machines and to work the lowland farms. The first development of Clydesdales was in the late 18th century, and concentrated within the Clydesdale region. This iconic breed declined following the gradual replacement of horsepower by the tractor. By 1975, the Clydesdale was categorized by the Rare Breed Survival Trust as “vulnerable”, although numbers have since increased and it is now categorized as “at risk”.

2.12

The watercourses have long provided a power source, initially grinding corn and extending to the 18th century to the processing of flax. The mills at New Lanark were established for the processing of cotton from America, (Ref.5).

2.13

When the industries changed and declined, many of the houses and estates fell into disrepair and decline, and many were lost over the following century.

2.14

The village of New Lanark and, downstream, Chatelherault, the hunting lodge of Hamilton family on the southern outskirts of Hamilton, are illustrative of the diverse and important history of the Partnership area.

2.15

The Clyde and Avon valleys cut through the very industrial heartland of Scotland and Lanarkshire. The industrial development of mills, coal mining, iron works and steel works are linked closely with the development of the Clyde valley as a food basket and location of wealthy industrialists’ country homes. The supply of cheap coal fuelled the industrial development and the creation an industrial power house. This required the supply of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Cheap coal supported the development of acres of glasshouses growing tomatoes and cucumbers. The economies were linked, miners and steel workers often also worked on the land. The decline of coal as king and the decline of Lanarkshire as an industrial base also led to changes and decline within the Clyde valley. Coal was no longer available for cheap heating hence a drift to oil heating and cheap North Sea oil. Food produce as per industrial produce was cheaper to import, leading to a decline in the orchards and soft fruit production. Subsequently the 1970s oil crises destroyed the fragile horticultural industry of the area.

2.16

The place names of the Clyde and Avon Valleys reveal much about the landscape history. Dingwall et al (2011, Ref.5) identify the high frequency of wood-related names in the late medieval landscape, and also the frequency of names associated with river crossings by fords, bridges or ferries.

2.17

The ‘valley’ remains an aspirational location for commuters and those seeking a country home with easy access to the cities of both Glasgow and Edinburgh. The River Clyde, A72 National Clyde Valley Tourist Route, and Clyde Walkway all run in parallel in the valley floor, linking small, traditional settlements, that are now very popular with commuters. The character of the settlements reflects 22

West Lothian

North Lanarkshire

Clyde and Avon Valley LCAP Cultural Heritage Features

Local Authority Boundary LCAP Boundary

Orchards Listed Buildings Inventory Listed GDL Non Inventory Listed GDL Scheduled Monuments Conservation Areas New Lanark WHS New Lanark WHS buffer

South Lanarkshire

Figure 2.1

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their development to house workers for industry from the weavers cottages at Nemphlar to the workers housing at New Lanark. These settlements reflect the scale and lifestyle of a former era, contrasting with the demands of modern, car-based lifestyles. The intrinsic character of these villages remains, and older residents who were formerly employed in horticulture or the many landed estates, retain knowledge of the working traditions of earlier times that continued well into the second half of the twentieth century.

2.18

The resultant combination of ancient woodland, policy woodland, pasture, orchards and horticulture has left a landscape mosaic that is highly attractive and outstandingly rich in biodiversity.

Clyde and Avon Valleys Landscape Character Landscape Character Assessment and local landscape designations 2.19

Three Landscape Character assessments have been undertaken to date: the Glasgow and Clyde Valley LCA (Ref.15), which is a regionalscale study, was funded and directed by SNH under the relevant industry-standard methodology for the time by LUC and Glasgow University Archaeological Research Division and published in 1999.

An earlier, more detailed assessment (Ref.16), had been undertaken

by LUC in 1998 for the Clyde Valley Area of Great Landscape Value (AGLV), and was produced as an appendix to the wider regional assessment. The 1998 document explored the landscape character of the AGLV in more detail, and in particular, explored the relationship between landscape character and the scenic designation.

The work was overseen by a Steering Group comprising what is now South Lanarkshire Council and North Lanarkshire Council, and SNH. The aim was to identify key issues affecting the scenic value of the area and to inform the production of local plan policy and funding strategies aimed at conserving key landscape features.

2.20

The South Lanarkshire Local Plan adopted on 23 March 2009 (Ref.11) contained a policy stating that the Council would undertake an assessment of the landscape character of South Lanarkshire and a review of the related landscape designations. This policy was included to address objections following the public consultation of the local plan. The South Lanarkshire Landscape Character Assessment (2010, Ref.17) was prepared by Ironside Farrar on behalf of South Lanarkshire Council, to address this policy. The 2010 LCA builds upon the Glasgow and Clyde Valley LCA (Ref.15), and takes into account comments from SNH and neighbouring local authorities received during an informal consultation in 2010. The 2010 LCA serves as baseline information that will inform planning policies and guidance over the period of the Local Plan (Ref.11).

2.21

The majority of the landscape partnership area lies within the Incised River Valley landscape type and the following description highlights the landscape characteristics of this, and is based on the South Lanarkshire LCA (2010, Ref.17).

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2.22

A review of landscape designations for the South Lanarkshire Council area was also carried out (Ref.18). This identified that the existing AGLV was robust and only proposed two minor boundary changes.

Landform 2.23

The incised river valley of the Clyde passes through the underlying carboniferous coal basin of central Scotland from a band of carboniferous limestone upstream to the south-east. The Falls of Clyde are created by a nick-point where the Old Red Sandstone meets the softer carboniferous rocks of the river valley.

2.24

Incised river valleys were entrenched during the last Ice Age. At this time, a fall in sea level sparked a major phase of erosion and downcutting. Although this has now ceased, erosion is still very active in the valleys and subsidence is a frequent issue. While the valley sides are generally steep and well defined, there are also gorge areas where the burns and rivers have cut through harder rocks to create vertical cliffs. Waterfalls and rapids are a frequent feature in these river valleys. An example of these is the Falls of Clyde, which historically powered the textile mills at New Lanark.

2.25

The incised river valleys are joined by a series of smaller watercourses, which run perpendicularly into the larger course creating a 90째 lattice effect, which is often echoed by shelterbelts, fields and road patterns in the landscape. The natural heritage features of the Clyde and Avon Valley are illustrated on Figure 2.2.

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Land Use 2.26

The land on the fertile flat valley floor of the Incised River Valleys is predominantly arable (e.g. the floor of the Mid Clyde Valley).

In the narrower tributary river valleys, land cover tends to be predominantly deciduous woodland - in some cases, this is ancient woodland. This is due to the relative inaccessibility of these valleys, prohibiting agricultural use. These older woodlands have considerable conservation value and there are a number of SSSls, SACs and SINCs within their limit.

2.27

Elsewhere, pasture and arable land is often hedged with beech or hawthorn and there are remnants of field boundary tree lines, often in decline and over-mature. Hedges, also, are being lost to post and wire fencing. The wider incised valley of the Clyde has traditionally been used for orchard fruit production and market gardening. Orchard remnants, often in considerable decline, make up a significant percentage of land cover. In the more confined incised river valleys, e.g. the Nethan Valley, coppicing of woodland was undertaken as a crop-able resource. This practice has died out in the last 50 years.

2.28

All woodland contributes to biodiversity and provides opportunities for expansion of important habitat within the Landscape Partnership area. The pattern, distribution and composition of woodland within the Landscape Partnership area is a key feature of the landscape.

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West Lothian

North Lanarkshire

Clyde and Avon Valley LCAP Natural Heritage Features

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2.29

Management issues affecting native woodlands include lack of positive management, grazing pressure by deer and stock, invasion by non native species, and low levels of regeneration. These issues result in reduced landscape and biodiversity value, eroding the contribution which these resources make to the landscape. Without active management there will be further erosion of the areas of native woodland, with implications for landscape and biodiversity.

2.30

The combination of soil and climatic conditions, allied to the proximity to the large urban market that developed in lower Clydesdale, fostered the pattern of agricultural activity, whilst the microclimate and lack of pollution created the conditions that gave rise to a fruit-growing industry that was, in the early 20th century, the largest area of fruit production in Scotland.

2.31

Agriculture tends to comprise arable cultivation or market gardening on the flatter valley floors in fairly small fields (larger in the main Clyde Valley). Orchards (both managed and derelict) are found on valley slopes in parts of the main Clyde Valley, particularly around Kirkfieldbank. Shelterbelts define fields in some areas but are more prevalent on the valley slopes where they emphasise the 90째 lattice of the hydrology. Farmsteads are spread out along the river valleys in a linear pattern controlled by the landform and by transport links.

2.32

Traditional orchards are now included in the list of UK Priority Habitats, requiring a Habitat Action Plan and measures to ensure their sustainability.

2.33

The orchards have experienced a period of decline due to a lack of active management, and as such their contribution to the landscape and local economy has also diminished. Browsing by grazing animals can lead to the loss of trees and invasion by scrub reduces the viability of the trees and characteristic pattern of the orchard planting. Orchards need active management to survive, and the development of new orchards will make a further contribution to landscape character.

2.34

The contribution of the orchards to the landscape character is defined by the regular layout of trees and the sequence of seasonal change over wide uniform areas in narrowly defined time periods.

The arrival of spring blossom is typically during late April and May, commencing with the damsons, plum rootstock, grafted plums, pears and apples. Summer is a time of heavy leaf cover and autumn is characterised by the fruit and harvesting activity. Winter months are for pruning and allow the clearest appreciation of the regular planting grids.

2.35

The changing mix of fruit grown in the area is indicated by Hayes (2011, Ref.3), who identifies that the Clyde Valley changed from apples to plum in the late Victorian era, and many orchards were planted with the Victoria Plum that only became commercially available in 1844. Many apple trees still remain, and the apple varieties grown in the area make an important contribution to the history and heritage of the area. A list of Scottish apple varieties is 27

complied in the book ‘Apples in Scotland’, by John Butterworth (200 I, Ref.19). Although it is not easy to determine the origins of some varieties of apple, the list identifies 44 potentially Scottish varieties of which eight are potentially of Clydesdale origin. These include Cambusnethan Pippin, Clydesdale, Lemon Queen, Uddel’s seedling, Maggie Sinclair, Rock, Scotch Dumpling and Yorkshire Aromatic.

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Industry, Water and Natural Resources 2.36

Industry in the Incised River Valleys tends to be predominantly agricultural, although tourism in the Clyde Valley plays a major role in the local economy. Hydro-electric power also exists on the Clyde, and there are a few urban fringe type activities around the edge of towns, for example, a caravan site on the Mouse Water just outside Lanark.

2.37

Use of the natural resources provided by the geology of the area has been vital to its economic development: coal, ironstone felsites, sandstones, brick clays, siliceous sandstones and sands and gravels have all been mined in the Landscape Partnership area in the past, and some of the more unique minerals continue to be mined today around the fringes of the Landscape Partnership area.

2.38

The considerable water resources provided by the high rainfall and the large catchment area of the River Clyde have influenced industrial development throughout historical times, most notably providing the energy to turn Dale and Owen’s New Lanark Mills, and in the 1920’s, generating hydro-electric power at Bonnington and Stonebyres.

2.39

From its confluence with the Douglas water, the Clyde flows through a dramatic, wooded gorge and over spectacular falls before entering a flat-bottomed valley, with sides that are gentle and verdant. The rich alluvial soil here has long been associated with horticulture and fruit growing. The valley gradually opens out downstream to accommodate grazing ground and an extensive floodplain between the towns of Motherwell and Hamilton, providing pools of standing water important for wild birds on the northern boundary of the Landscape Partnership area.

2.40

A series of tributaries run into the Clyde down both the east and west slopes of the valley, all of which are deeply incised into the surrounding sandstone and together hold some of the most important, and extensive, ancient woodlands in southern Scotland.

The largest of these, the River Nethan and the Avon Water, are included within the Landscape Partnership boundary.

Crown copyright SNH

Settlement 2.41

Small villages occur in the incised river valleys, often in a linear form along road lines (e.g. Kirkfieldbank in the Clyde Valley). Their relation to main communication routes means that these villages are a dominant feature in the landscape. Larger towns lie generally outwith this landscape type, favouring less constrained and more accessible sites on surrounding plateau farmland. A number of these settlements, for example Lanark, Hamilton, Blantyre and Motherwell are visible from within the valleys.

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2.42

The Clyde and Avon Valley includes four villages designated as Conservation Areas, which seek to reinforce key architectural features and characteristics. Dalserf comprises a small number of buildings located on a meander in the flat river flood plain. The village kirk was built in 1655 and the building style and black and white paintwork provides a distinctive landscape feature. Rosebank is a small hamlet, on the edge of the valley floor which includes the popular mock Tudor Popinjay hotel, which is an historic coaching inn. Glassford is located on the upper slopes of the Avon Valley. The historic centre of Lanark is also a Conservation Area, as is New Lanark.

2.43

New development can erode the distinctive character of the settlements, and their association with the surrounding landscape.

Other landscape changes such as alterations to the roads, can influence the character of settlements.

Access and Transport 2.44

Transport routes tend to run along the valley floor with steep and sinuous connecting routes down the valley sides. Again, a 90° lattice effect is created. In the Clyde Valley, there was also a tourist rail route, no longer in operation. The roads are often subject to subsidence due to the erosion caused by river action in the incised river valleys.

Historical Features 2.45

The Incised River Valleys created strong defensive locations and historically housed a variety of towers and castles. Other common historic features include remnants of policy landscapes such as woodlands, walls, and bridges, a number of large houses, castles and designed landscapes. A number of these, for example the Falls of Clyde, are listed in An Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland (Ref.20). New Lanark, Robert Owens’s model settlement, was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.

2.46

Craignethan Castle is an imposing fortified property located above the deep Nethan Gorge, and managed by Historic Scotland. Lee Castle is a category A listed building of outstanding architectural value set within a designed landscape in the broad river valley of the Mouse Water. Dalzell House is a category A listed building based on an ancient mid 15th century keep and extended in the 17th century.

The house is set within terraced gardens, deer parks and substantial woodland policies.

2.47

Chatelherault, designed by William Adam in 1732 is a category A listed building. Chatelherault has been described as ‘unique among British Garden buildings and greatest of the later walled gardens -of great originality and architectural quality’. The parkland has been subject to sand and gravel extraction and coal mining in the past, however restoration work has been undertaken. The surrounding parkland is of high quality and includes ancient pollarded oaks.

2.48

The remaining castles and country houses, together with their parkland setting represent a valuable landscape resource.

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Maintenance of the quality of the built features can be an onerous task, and properties need a clear function to support them as landscape features in the future. The landscape setting of the built features is also crucial to maintaining their integrity. Changing weather patterns as a result of climate change present further challenges to the management of historic buildings and landscapes through increasing the potential for damage relating to greater extremes of precipitation and drought.

2.49

Lack of management of these built structures will result in a loss of features and changes in the overall character of the landscape.

Landscape Designation 2.50

The combination of physical features (incised valleys, gorges), woodland, characteristic patterns of land use and settlement (particularly the history of fruit growing and horticulture) has created a distinctive and high quality landscape. As a result the area has been designated as an Area of Great Landscape Value (AGLV), although it is also referred to as a Special Landscape Area (SLA) in the local landscape designations review (Ref.18).

2.51

The significance of the AGLV is due to a combination of landscape qualities and uniquely important sites. Scenic qualities derive from the combination of large valleys surrounding major rivers contrasting with the enclosure of dramatic side gorges; enclosure from extensive woodland contrasting with the surrounding farmlands; shelter and tranquillity of side gorges and woodlands contrasting with the open and lively settlements and garden centres on the valley floor.

Community Values 2.52

Respondents to recent destination research (Ref.9) said that what made the area distinctive was the ‘beautiful scenery’ and history of the area. Nature reserves, gorges, glens and gills, and historic estates, buildings and landscapes were rated as extremely important by more than 85% of respondents. Respondents were also very positive about their enjoyment of the area during their visit. All of the respondents said they had enjoyed their stay with almost three quarters (72%) saying they really enjoyed their stay.

Policy Framework 2.53

This section of the LCAP outlines the policy framework for the Landscape Partnership area which provides the context for taking forward the proposals within the LCAP.

2.54

The Clyde and Avon Valleys lie predominantly within South Lanarkshire local authority area, with a smaller area on the northern edge lying within North Lanarkshire.

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National Context 2.55 The Scottish Government has set five Strategic Objectives (Ref.21).

The five Strategic Objectives have been used to facilitate and add momentum to the realignment of both central government and the wider public sector. These objectives for Scotland are: WEALTHIER & FAIRER - Enable businesses and people to increase their wealth and more people to share fairly in that wealth.

SMARTER - Expand opportunities for Scots to succeed from nurture through to life-long learning ensuring higher and more widely shared achievements.

HEALTHIER - Help people to sustain and improve their health, especially in disadvantaged communities, ensuring better, local and faster access to health care.

SAFER & STRONGER - Help local communities to flourish, becoming stronger, safer places to live, offering improved opportunities and a better quality of life.

GREENER - Improve Scotland’s natural and built environment and the sustainable use and enjoyment of it.

2.56

The Landscape Partnership proposal will address each of these five Government Objectives. This will be done by supporting rural communities and businesses to learn and engage with the outstanding opportunity that the valley landscape presents. They will be met by involving people and children in learning and community participation events and by improving the quality of the landscape habitat and increasing access involvement and recreation in the partnership area.

2.57

The Scottish Government then sets out 15 national outcomes which Community Planning Partnerships and local authorities are required to align with and set improvement objectives to help meet.

Of these national outcomes the Landscape Partnership proposal will directly assist with the following eight and will contribute to others.

The national outcomes are translated into each local authority through Single Outcome Agreements. The Landscape Partnership aligns well with these outcomes through supporting improvements to the quality of the built and natural environment and providing opportunities for recreation and community involvement.

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National Outcome 4:-Our young people are successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens National Outcome 6:-We live longer, healthier lives National Outcome 10:-We live in well designed, sustainable places where we are able to access the amenities and services we need National Outcome I I :-We live in strong, resilient and supportive communities where people take responsibility for their own actions and how they affect others National Outcome 12:-We value and enjoy our built and natural environment and protect it and enhance it for future generations National Outcome 13 :-We take pride in a strong, fair and inclusive national identity National Outcome 14 :-We reduce the local and global environmental impact of our consumption and production National Outcome 15:-Our public services are high quality, continually improving, efficient and responsive to local people’s needs Key Policies for Conserving the Natural and Built Heritage 2.58

Central Scotland Green Network (CSGN, Ref.22) is set out as a national development within the Scottish Government National Planning Framework 2 (NPF2, Ref 23). The CSGN aims to deliver across Central Scotland a high-quality ‘green network’ that will meet environmental, social and economic goals designed to improve people’s lives, promote economic success, allow nature to flourish and help Scotland respond to the challenge of climate change.

The proposals for the Landscape Partnership area will contribute positively to these aims, which fit closely with the themes within the LCAP.

2.59

The Glasgow and the Clyde Valley Structure Plan (Ref. 24) sets out an agenda for sustained growth as the basis for a twenty year planning and development strategy for Glasgow and the Clyde Valley. It is based upon a vision which will contribute to the renaissance of Scotland by providing a framework for growth and regeneration based upon care for the environment. A new Glasgow and the Clyde Valley Strategic Development Plan (SDP) is being prepared and a Main Issues Report was published in 2010 (Ref 25). This identifies five strategic planning issues facing the region to 2035. Among these is ‘promoting environmental action-an economic necessity’. This priority recognises that environmental quality, green infrastructure and improved connectivity between urban and rural spaces are vital components in city-region competitiveness. The drive for sustainable economic growth needs complementary action to realise these objectives. Again, the focus on enhancing environmental quality and 32

connectivity between areas is closely aligned with the proposals for the Landscape Partnership area. It is anticipated that the new SDP (Ref.25) will be approved in the later part of 2012.

2.60

The South Lanarkshire Local Plan (Ref.11) supports the development of a strategic green network and the protection of the built and natural environment in line with the Structure Plan objectives.

The plan also supports rural regeneration by identifying a Rural Investment Area within South Clydesdale. The Council aims to prepare and adopt a Local Development Plan (LDP) for South Lanarkshire within two years of 2012.

2.61

Glasgow & Clyde Valley Forestry and Woodland Framework Document (Ref.26) is the indicative forestry strategy for the Structure Plan area. The document is currently under review, and the draft ‘Glasgow and Clyde Valley Forestry and Woodland Strategy’ within it aims to guide woodland expansion and management, providing a policy and spatial framework to maximise the contribution of woodland and forestry to the people, economy and environment of the region.

2.62

South Lanarkshire Rural Strategy 2007-2013 Working towards Sustainable Rural Communities (Ref.27) is an integrated strategy for the regeneration of rural South Lanarkshire. The document recognises the importance of the landscape in relation to sustainable rural communities, and two themes relate directly to the Landscape Partnership programme, ‘Enhancing Environmental Assets’ and ‘Promoting the Rural Area’.

2.63

The South Lanarkshire Rural Partnership is the LEADER Local Action Group delivering on the national LEADER programme. The two themes of this programme are revitalising rural communities and creating a progressive rural economy. The programme has specific grant schemes included within it to encourage community participation Developing Local Communities Fund and the Rural Community Heritage Fund.

2.64

The South Lanarkshire Local Biodiversity Draft Action Plan 2010-2015 (Ref.28) and North Lanarkshire Biodiversity Action Plan (Ref.29) set out objectives for managing the habitats within the area. The Landscape Partnership proposals contribute to achieving these objectives. The area includes UK Priority Habitats: traditional orchards; woodland and parklands; hedgerows; native wet woods; native broadleaved woods. The range of habitats within the Landscape Partnership area host a number of important species including European Protected Species: bats, otters, owls, and UK BAP Priority Species: common pipistrelle; Soprano pipistrelle; skylark; reed bunting; spotted flycatcher, bullfinch, song thrush, pearl-bordered fritillary and bluebells.

2.65

The New Lanark World Heritage Site Management Plan (Ref.30) is currently in consultative draft format and will establish objectives for the long-term care of the historic buildings and the surrounding landscape to ensure that they are safeguarded for future generations to enjoy. There is also a commitment to encourage wider access to this cultural landscape and thereby enhance awareness and appreciation of our precious heritage.

33

Key Policies for Access, Tourism and Recreation 2.66

The Lanarkshire Tourism Action Plan to 2015 (Ref.31) highlights the rural landscape as one of the key strengths of the area and the strategy is based around a rural offering that is different from that of Glasgow or Edinburgh. The national Clyde Valley Tourist Route runs through the heart of the area. The plan has specific objectives to develop and promote niche products in the rural area.

2.67

The South Lanarkshire Core Paths Plan (Ref.32) provides a framework for the management, promotion and maintenance of the outdoor access network resource across South Lanarkshire. This includes supporting sustainable transport, strengthening access links between communities, promoting healthy lifestyles, creating opportunities for outdoor recreation and tourism and protecting and enhancing the natural and cultural heritage of South Lanarkshire through appropriate management of access. The North Lanarkshire Core Paths Plan (Ref.33) provides a framework for the involvement of local communities, land managers and user groups in the planning, implementation and management of public access. It also encourages walking, cycling and horse riding as a leisure and tourist activity, and supports access between communities.

2.68

The South Lanarkshire Green Network Quality Design Guide (Ref.34) provides more focus to developing the Green Network requirements in accordance with National Planning Framework 2, helping to improve the quality of green space within the conurbation and help integrate town and countryside.

2.69

The North Lanarkshire Cultural Strategy (Ref.35) identifies key themes which are closely aligned with the aims of the Landscape Partnership. These include increasing quality, accessibility, participation and learning and celebrating the cultural diversity and value of cultural heritage.

Key Social and Economic Policies 2.70

The economic strategy for Lanarkshire Changing Gear Towards 2010 (Ref.36) is currently under review. The aspiration is for a Lanarkshire that is competitive, connected and confident. To compete effectively Lanarkshire requires a greater focus on entrepreneurship and sustainable business growth. But increased competitiveness should not cost the earth, and the plan aspires to greener business practices with an emphasis on improving our environment.

2.71

The South Lanarkshire Food and Drink Action Plan (Ref.37) stems from a report done by the Scottish Agricultural College to assess the current local food providers and processors in the area and what action can be taken to ensure more local food is consumed by residents and purchased by local businesses and visitors.

34

2.72

The five aims of the Community Plan Stronger Together - a vision for the future of South Lanarkshire (Ref.38) are: •

Improving health and reducing inequalities;

•

Reducing crime and improving community safety;

•

Promoting sustainable and inclusive communities;

•

Ensuring sustainable economic recovery and development;

•

Tackling poverty.

2.73

The objectives include reducing inequality and deprivation by improving environments and life circumstances to support healthier lives and address inequality; increasing work, learning and cultural access opportunities for adults; promoting sustainable environments and encouraging inclusive communities; promoting community and voluntary sector development; supporting diverse and sustainable enterprise activity; supporting education, skills and social development for all.

2.74

The North Lanarkshire Community Plan 2008-2012 (Ref.39) includes outcomes to improve the capacity of the voluntary sector to engage in community planning and to build stronger and more participative communities.

Management Information Introduction 2.75

This section of the LCAP provides an overview of the existing management mechanisms for the Landscape Partnership area. This highlights where the LCAP complements and contributes to these objectives.

2.76

A high proportion of the area is designated for its heritage, landscape and biodiversity value and is of international, national and local importance, and existing management plans exist for these designated areas. Table 2.1 summarises the designations and important features of the Landscape Partnership area.

35

Table 2.1: Designations and important features Designation

Occurrence within the Landscape Partnership Area

Special area of conservation

13 individual sites, including the Clyde Valley Woods

National Nature Reserve

Clyde Valley Woodlands (6 individual areas of woodland: Chatelherault, Mauldslie Wood, Nethan Valley, Cartland Craigs, Cleghorn Glen, Falls of Clyde Reserve)

Site of Special Scientific Interest

14 sites Avondale, Cartland Craigs, Cleghorn Glen, Falls of Clyde, Fiddlers Gill, Garrion Gill, Gillsburn and Mare Gill, Hamilton High Parks, Jock’s Gill Wood, Milburn, Milton Lockhart Wood, Nethan Gorge, Townhead Burn, Upper Nethan Valley Woods

Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation

5 sites

World Heritage Site

I site, New Lanark

Gardens and designed landscape

5 GDL

Allanton Bing, Avon Water, Baronshaugh-Merryton, Belvedere plantation, Birkhill Farm and Burnbank Farm

Falls of Clyde, Chatelherault (WHAM), Barncluith, Lee Castle, Dalzell House Scottish Wildlife Trust Reserve

4 reserves Garrion Gill, Lower Nethan Gorge, Upper Nethan Gorge, Falls of Clyde

RSPB Reserve

Baron’s Haugh

Ancient Woodland

246 individual areas, many between I and 2 ha in size

Orchards

Approximately 71 identified current and neglected sites

Conservation Areas

5 conservation areas Dalserf, Glassford, Lanark, New Lanark, Rosebank

Listed buildings

381 Listed buildings

Scheduled Monuments

18 Scheduled Monuments

Local Landscape Designations

Clyde Valley AGLV, Special Landscape Area

Geological Conservation Review Site

I site, Falls of Clyde (lies within the Falls of Clyde SSSI)

Industrial Archaeology

2 Art Deco hydro-electric power stations, Stonebyres and Bonnington, near New Lanark

36

2.77

2.78

The following management plans are in place for sites within the Landscape Partnership Area: •

New Lanark World Heritage Site Consultative Draft Management Plan (2011, Ref.40);

•

The Reserve Proposals for the Clyde Valley Woodlands (Cleghorn Glen and Cartland Craigs) National Nature Reserve 2010-2016 (Ref.41);

•

The Falls of Clyde Wildlife Reserve Management Plan 2009 -2019 Part of the Clyde Valley Woodlands National Nature Reserve (Ref.42);

•

Chatelherault Woodland Management Plan (2000, Ref.43);

•

Baron's Haugh Management Plan (2005, Ref.44);

•

New Lanark and Falls of Clyde draft conservation area character appraisal Consultation Draft (2009, Ref.45);

The following paragraphs summarise the management aims (where available) of the existing designated sites from the relevant management plans.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: New Lanark 2.79

The New Lanark Management Plan (Ref. 40) will cover a five year period from 2011 to 2016 after which it will be further reviewed in line with the International Council on Monument and Sites (ICOMOS) guidance.

2.80

The management plan identifies the main issues facing New Lanark World Heritage Site to be addressed over the next five years, including: •

Issue I: Image and Identity - Conserving New Lanark's strong image and identity through sustainable management of the site's attributes

•

Issue 2: Promotion and Interpretation - Promoting New Lanark's World Heritage Status, Outstanding Universal Value and the associated social and economic benefits

•

Issue 3: Economic Development and Tourism - Meeting the demands and expectations of visitors and capitalising upon commercial opportunities

•

Issue 4: Connectivity and Access - Providing adequate access and communication to New Lanark for potential visitors and residents

•

Issue 5: Planning and Protection - Maintaining a robust system for protection of the site by raising awareness of the Site's place within the planning system

•

Issue 6: Management and Engagement - Building strong relationships between the World Heritage Site partners, landowners and the public

37

•

Issue 7: Funding and Resource Availability - Identifying and securing appropriate financial support to achieve the management plan's objectives

EU Special Area of Conservation 2.81

There are 13 woodland sites within the Landscape Partnership area which are EU Special Area of Conservation. The Scottish Natural Heritage website notes that designation as an SAC or SPA will not usually make a big difference to the way a site is managed, but sometimes changes are needed in order to protect the natural heritage interest or to prevent a site from deteriorating. Scottish Natural Heritage works with owners and occupiers of sites to make sure they are managed appropriately.

2.82

Many Natura sites are also designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), while others may have their own specific positive Management Schemes.

2.83

The conservation objectives for Clyde Valley Woods SAC is to avoid deterioration of the qualifying habitat of mixed woodland on baserich soils associated with rocky slopes.

National Nature Reserves

Crown copyright SNH

2.84

The Clyde Valley Woodlands NNR is composed of six separate areas of ancient woodland. The different elements are managed by the Scottish Wildlife Trust, South Lanarkshire Council and Scottish Natural Heritage. The woodlands include Chatelherault, Mauldslie Wood, Nethan Valley, Cartland Craigs, Cleghorn Glen, Falls of Clyde Reserve.

2.85

The woodlands at Chatelherault and Mauldslie are owned and managed by South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) and those at Nethan Gorge and the Falls of Clyde, by the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT).

SLC and SWT prepare their own management plans for the separate woodlands that they manage, all working in partnership to an over-arching management strategy to develop the wider NNR.

2.86

The Reserve is perhaps unique amongst Scotland’s suite of NNRs in that it provides easy access to and enjoyment of internationally important woodlands for approximately two million people living in largely urban central Scotland.

38

Cleghorn Glen and Cartland Craigs 2.87 The proposed management objectives for managing Cartland Craigs and Cleghorn Glen set out in the Reserve Proposals (Ref.41) for the next 6 years are listed below: Management of the Natural and Cultural Heritage •

1. To maintain a naturally dynamic semi-natural gorge woodland

•

2. To Maintain and enhance biodiversity on the Reserve

•

3. To encourage research, survey and monitoring appropriate to the Reserve

•

4. To ensure the historical features of the Reserve are maintained

Management for People •

5. To enhance access provision and improve the quality of visitors’ experience of the woodland

•

6. To increase awareness and understanding of the rich natural and cultural heritage of the Clyde Valley Woodlands NNR

•

7. Improve links with local community and encourage them to become more involved with the Reserve

Property Management • Crown copyright SNH

8. To manage the Reserve properties responsibly and according to best practice.

Falls of Clyde 2.88 The Falls of Clyde Wildlife Reserve lies in South Lanarkshire approximately one mile south of Lanark immediately upstream of the historic village of New Lanark. It occupies both sides of the River Clyde and encompasses some 67.4ha. The reserve is part of a spectacular landscape that includes the River Clyde tumbling through a rocky gorge, the famous waterfall Corra Linn, ancient woodland and planted woodland, the latter including many fine specimen trees. The reserve is a major visitor attraction and is provided with a visitor centre within the old Dyeworks in New Lanark. Over 70,000 people visit the reserve and the reserve rangers run a very successful and comprehensive educational programme.

2.89

Long term objectives set out in the Reserve Management Plan (Ref.42) include: •

To restore and maintain a predominantly native broadleaved woodland, including maintaining the SSSI in Favourable Conservation Status, which allows all important elements, including important associated woodland species, to be sustained over time with minimal intervention.

•

To maintain or enhance other habitats or populations of other notable species where this does not conflict with objective I. 39

2.90

•

To encourage recreational and educational access to the reserve, where this does not conflict with objective I.

•

To manage the significant historical and archaeological features on the reserve.

•

To comply with all obligations and maintain high standards of reserve management.

The major work planned over the next ten years includes: •

thinning out the remaining dense stands of conifer trees to start natural regeneration of native broadleaved woodland

•

continuing to fell beech and sycamore to create gaps in the tree canopy, which will allow native species such as ash, oak, birch and hazel to grow

•

maintaining a good quantity of dead wood, both as standing dead trees and fallen logs for the insects.

•

maintaining the paths with regular strimming 3 times through the summer;

•

repairing and extending surfaced paths, including a surfaced link across the meadow to the Bonnington Pavilion (Hall of Mirrors)

•

replacing the boardwalk beside the Clyde which is coming to the end of its natural life

•

continuing to run Operation Peregrine and the range of guided walks and talks increasing the environmental education visits provided by the Ranger Service

•

maintaining an interpreting the historical and cultural features of the site

Registered Country Parks 2.91 A new management plan and WIAT application for management of the woodland is under preparation for Chatelherault, however the Chatelherault Woodland Management Plan (2000, Ref.43) prepared for South Lanarkshire Council sets out long term management objectives. The Chatelherault Woodlands form the bulk of Chatelherault Country Park and comprise a mixture of native gorge broadleaved, policy broadleaved and conifer plantation woodlands.

The main management objective is to restructure the conifer woodlands to regenerate towards native broadleaved species. The management plan is the first step as part of a 40 year programme of management intervention to sustain and improve the native habitat of the woodlands, to enhance the existing path and visitor services infrastructure, and where appropriate restoring the elements of the historic designed landscape.

40

RSPB Reserve 2.92 The Baron’s Haugh management plan (2005, Ref.44), is currently under review, however the management aims are outlined here.

The reserve comprises habitats including fen and wetlands through parkland and arable farmland to native woodland. The management objectives for the site are to increase the area of haugh land through removing invading trees and scrub, controlling water levels and maintaining marsh grassland for breeding waders. The management plan also aims to increase the level of community engagement, including volunteering opportunities and increase visitor numbers.

Gardens and Designed Landscapes 2.93

2.94

The landscape partnership area includes the following inventory listed Gardens and Designed Landscapes: •

Falls of Clyde - managed by SWT and managed as part 0 f SWT reserve

•

Lee Castle - in private ownership with no public access, valley at Lee is a SSSI.

•

Chatelherault - Country Park managed by South Lanarkshire Council, see above.

•

Barncluith – a 4ha site within Chatelherault, no public access.

•

Dalzell House - managed by North Lanarkshire Council.

Dingwall et al (Ref.5) identify 3 I non inventory listed designed landscapes, and recommend further in depth study of these landscapes. The Land Use Consultants study of the AGLV (Ref.16) identified the following significant non inventory listed designed landscapes: Auchtyfardie, Bonnington, Braidwood House, Braxfield, Cambusnethan House, Castlebank House, Cleghorn, Corehouse, Fairholm, Hallcraig, Maudslie Castle, Milton Lockhart, Ross House, Smyllum Park, Stonebyres.

Area of Great Landscape Value 2.95 A review of the landscape designations within South Lanarkshire was completed in November 2010 (Ref.18). This identified that the existing AGLV was robust and only proposed two minor boundary changes. Changes proposed include exclusion of the Hyndford Quarry and realigning the boundary with the upper Clyde along the transition between the Incised River Valley and Broad Valley Upland landscape character types. The recommendations for landscape conservation and opportunity for change include: •

Continue to develop Clyde Walkway as a contiguous long distance route

•

Encourage replanting of shelterbelts, field boundaries and hedges with native tree and shrub species.

•

Protect and enhance historic landscapes, encouraging low-key sustainable tourism 41

•

Support semi-natural regeneration of existing woodland through careful management

•

Consider strategies for encouragement of traditional landuses associated with fruit growing, horticulture and market gardening.

•

Reduce potential of visual encroachment of housing and commercial developments by careful consideration of existing construction materials, architectural styles and spatial arrangements together with the use of woodland and appropriate screen planting.

Conservation Areas 2.96 Lanark, New Lanark, Dalserf, and Rosebank have Conservation Areas. A draft Conservation Area Appraisal has been prepared for New Lanark (Ref.45), which identifies in detail key characteristics to be protected within different areas of the conservation area.

Conservation area appraisals have not been produced for Lanark, Dalserf and Rosebank.

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3 Statement of Significance

1

3 Statement of Significance 3.1

The Clyde and Avon Valley is a unique area defined by the landform of steep sided narrow, sinuous valleys carved into the plateau of the surrounding landscape, and the layers of historic land uses within the valleys, including native woods, orchards, archaeological sites, industrial works, estates and settlements. The interactions of the landform, vegetation and built heritage of the area form a unique experience that have made the valley a valuable and attractive place since the Neolithic times.

Water and Landform 3.2

The watercourses of the Clyde Valley are vital in the formation of the landscape, the industry, land use and dynamic attraction of the landscape. The River Clyde has an ever-changing character, in places constrained within a gorge and tumbling over rocky outcrops, in others meandering across broad flood plain, channelled by levees.

Elsewhere wooded gorges constrain the twisting watercourses of the Rivers Nethan, Mouse and Avon as they forge a course over waterfalls and rapids to join the River Clyde. On the valley floor, quiet pools provide contrast to the rapid-running watercourses, and calmly reflect their surroundings by mirroring seasons, weather and vegetation to heighten the mood of the landscape.

3.3

The Clyde Valley has long been recognised as an area of unique beauty, admired by such as Dorothy Wordsworth, providing inspiration for the paintings of Turner, and forming the setting for some of the works by Sir Walter Scott. Made famous by the works of these noted artists, the Falls of Clyde became a tourist destination as early as the 18th century, visitors travelled to enjoy the spectacle of the waterfalls and the gardens of Corehouse and Bonnington House above New Lanark, a tradition which continues today. The watercourses and their associations are of national significance.

Vegetation 3.4

Native woodlands are key characteristics of this landscape, making a significant contribution to the landscape character, scenic value and biodiversity value of the Clyde Valley. These woodlands are concentrated within the dramatic steep sided gorges. Nearly 50% of the woodland cover lies within sites designated for their nature conservation value, including the Clyde Valley Woods National Nature Reserve (NNR) which comprises six areas of woodland, and eleven woodlands which form part of the internationally important Clyde Valley Woods Special Area of Conservation.Visitor facilities at the larger woodland sites provide access opportunities for people to enjoy the sites. The nature conservation value of these is of international significance.

43

3.5

Orchards are historically an important and locally distinctive landscape feature within the Clyde Valley. Orchard remnants make up a significant percentage of land cover, and although they are often in considerable decline, they are recognised as the best examples still surviving in Scotland. There are 71 recorded orchards within the Clyde Valley and surviving orchards are more typically found on the southern slopes of the Clyde Valley, although greater numbers were originally located on the northern side with its more favourable south facing aspect. The rarity of surviving orchards within Scotland means that these are of national significance.

3.6

Hedgerows and shelterbelts are an important landscape feature within the Clyde and Avon Valley. They are closely associated with the strong policy influences found throughout the area and reinforce the historic landscape character. It is estimated that the Landscape Partnership area contains over 800 hedges covering approximately 187 km. The majority are concentrated in four areas: to the southwest and east of Larkhall, southwest of Carluke and west of Lanark (Ref.26). Hedgerows are predominantly beech or hawthorn and are often mixed. Although beech is not native, the species with its associated colour is a key feature of the landscape.

In addition, many avenues, shelterbelts and parkland trees are beech.

Beech planting is a strong characteristic of estate planting and field boundaries in this area. Shelterbelts define fields in some areas but are more prevalent on the valley slopes where they emphasise the landform. The pattern of hedgerows and shelterbelts within the Clyde and Avon Valley is of local significance, but contribute to the scenic value of the area as recognised by the AGLV designation.

3.7

Estate planting and designed landscapes are an important feature within the Clyde Valley and a number of designed landscapes are found along the north side of the valley. The estate planting and designed landscapes play an important role in their juxtaposition with built structures, contributing to the landscape character and woodland cover of the valley. Five estates are included within the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes (Ref.20), Falls of Clyde, Lee Castle, Chatelherault, Barncluith and Dalzell House. There are also other estates, often where the house has been demolished, where the estate planting contributes significantly to the scenic value and beauty of the valley. Dingwall et al (Ref.5) identify over 30 non inventory gardens and designed landscapes, which together create a continuity of estate influence and woodland structure within the landscape. Together, the designed landscapes and estate plantings are of national significance.

Built features 3.8

Castles and large country houses are dispersed throughout the valley, providing visual focal points. These include the category A listed Craignethan Castle, Lee Castle, Dalzell House and Chatelherault Hunting Lodge. Tradition has it that Craignethan was the inspiration for Tillietudlem Castle in Sir Walter Scott’s novel Old Mortality. Some houses have been lost, mainly as a result of changing family fortunes in the early 20th century. The number of ‘A’ listed buildings is of national significance.

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3.9

The local style of development and traditional linear settlement pattern reflects the local history and character of the Clyde and Avon Valley. The Clyde and Avon Valley includes four villages designated as Conservation Areas, the small settlements of Dalserf, Rosebank and Glassford, and New Lanark itself. Their designation highlights the regional significance of these settlements.

3.10

Bridges are a key feature of the Landscape Partnership area, with crossing points over the river being celebrated by the architecture and design of elegant crossings and old toll houses. Many of these bridges are listed by Historic Scotland, add visual interest for the traveller, and provide an indication of the importance of settlements and villages in the past as a key river crossing. Notable B listed bridges include Cartland Bridge designed by Telford (across Mouse Water), Mousemill Bridge, Crossford Bridge, Garrion Bridge and the footbridge at Bonnington Linn. Bridges are of regional importance.

New Lanark World Heritage Site 3.11

New Lanark is a purpose built mill village founded in 1785, and comprises a large complex of mill buildings, workers’ housing, educational institute and school. New Lanark is a significant example of benevolent paternalism in industry by Robert Owen, and was an important influence on other industrialists at the time. The World Heritage Site sits within the steep sided Clyde valley, illustrating the strong ties between the landscape and the industrial heritage of the area. New Lanark attracts approximately 350,000 visitors per year, providing an important visitor attraction within the Landscape Partnership area. Its World Heritage Site status makes this an internationally important feature within the Landscape Partnership area.

Area of Great Landscape Value 3.12

The subject area of the Landscape Partnership Scheme is the Clyde and Avon Valley Area of Great Landscape Value, a designation which recognises the outstanding scenic values of the landscape, reflecting the contribution of the above components to the character and visual interest of the area as a whole. This designation confirms the regional significance of the area for its scenic qualities.

45

4 Risks and Opportunities

1

4 Risks and Opportunities Introduction 4.1

The scale and nature of the landscape partnership area means that there are many risks and opportunities relevant to the overall aims of the partnership and the individual projects. This section of the report explores the main risks and opportunities for the Clyde and Avon Valley.

4.2

At a strategic level, the key opportunity provided by the landscape partnership is that it provides an area focussed development programme rather than a topic focussed project approach.

Previous schemes addressed topics only, with limited impact. Whilst many funding streams can be appropriate to tackle some of the topic or problem based issues, this disperses the impact of any improvements across a very wide area. These funding streams often work in parallel but are seldom co-ordinated to ensure the longer term benefits of funding. There is now an opportunity to take a coordinated approach not possible through single strand funding.

4.3

The Landscape Partnership will complement these previous efforts by now approaching investment in a co-ordinated and integrated way to ensure the needs of the landscape and the needs of the community are met.

4.4

In summary the key risks to the landscape without the implementation of the landscape partnership scheme are: •

the landscape will be at serious risk of future deterioration;

•

there will be a decline in the area’s biodiversity and natural heritage values;

•

there will be a decline in the area’s built heritage features;

•

there will be a lack of future investment opportunities for this area;

•

there will be unconnected or uncoordinated topic based investment;

•

there will be limited implementation of projects;

•

there will be a lack of community engagement with the landscape.

46

4.5

The tables below (Tables 4.1-4.9) outline the main risks and opportunities under the following themes: •

land use, ownership and management;

•

access to funding streams;

•

communities;

•

access, transport and tourism;

•

built heritage;

•

natural heritage;

•

cultural heritage and intellectual access;

•

partnership working;

•

climate change.

Challenges for land use, ownership and management 4.6

The key challenges centre on the need to engage landowners and facilitate their involvement in the Landscape Partnership. This involves developing relationships with landowners, identifying barriers and providing solutions to meet the vision for the area.

This can be achieved through mechanisms such as third party grant schemes, and by linking the landscape enhancement opportunities with practical work supported by communities.

47

Table 4.1: Risks and Opportunities: Land use, ownership and management Risks

Opportunities

Woodlands, estate lands, hedgerows and orchards are all threatened by neglect and inappropriate management.

The landscape has a high scenic value and many important landscape features are in a condition from which they can be restored and enhanced. Work is needed to halt the decline before the intrinsic value of the area is lost; ‘A stitch in time‌’ to save the need for substantially greater investment in the future and therefore to secure this special area for future generations. There are also opportunities to develop heritage skills and strengthen land management practices.

Lack of investment in the landscape as high scenic value means it has been taken for granted. There has been an erosion of landscape quality. This will continue without intervention.

New woodland planting should not conflict with the existing character or obscure important views, however cognisance of the complementary role between maintaining landscape character and enhancing biodiversity value should be part of the decision making process.

Decline of field boundaries, hedges, walls and trees in pockets of agricultural and other open land.

The species mix within hedgerows makes an important contribution to biodiversity, providing food and shelter for a range of species. New hedgerows also have a role to play within new developments, contributing to biodiversity and making links with the existing landscape character.

Willingness of landowners to undertake work on their land. The implementation and delivery of many physical projects that will sustain the special landscape are not within the control of public bodies or NGOs.

Orchard owners and keepers have limitations in capacity especially relating to maintenance and harvesting. There are opportunities to expand this capacity through community involvement and training (Ref.3).

The lack of investment in agriculture, and the growing lack of connectivity between communities and agriculture, makes sustaining the landscape in the longer term a significant challenge.

Orchard owners indicated firm support for establishment of a new community business and brand, and a willingness to engage with developing the revival (Ref.3).

Farmland threatened by encroaching built development, particularly on the flood plains.

Revival of orchards and new rural management and access activities will raise awareness of the value of farmland.

The orchard resource has contracted since 2001, there has been a significant loss of plum trees (Ref.3).

Opportunities for orchard revival projects and support of the Clyde Valley Orchards Group.

Income from orchards never exceeds costs in the current economic framework, with implications for sustaining future management (Ref.3).

Opportunities for revival of orchards, establishment of a new community business and brand, encouragement of new business opportunities, including marketing of historical local fruit varieties.

Some management activities of orchards Opportunities to encourage good practice management such as treatment of the orchard floor with techniques in Orchards through providing training in Orchard herbicides, will affect the biodiversity (Ref.3). maintenance skills.

Glasshouses are falling into a state of disrepair, although some have been converted to garden centres.

Revival of orchards could lead on to revival of glasshouses, including new business opportunities.

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Challenges from access to funding streams 4.7

The Landscape Partnership area faces a number of issues related to access to funding. The proximity to urban areas makes it suitable for many projects which engage and involve people, however it falls just beyond the limits of areas identified for funding priorities.

The nature of farming in the area makes access to rural funding sources more challenging for landowners. This highlights the role of the Landscape Partnership bid in ensuring a cohesive approach to managing the landscape, focussing investment in the valley and bringing the communities and landscape together. Figure 4.1 illustrates the proximity of settlements to the Landscape Partnership area, the location of Inventory and non inventory listed designed landscapes and areas identified as core areas for woodland and hedgerow management and expansion. This illustrates the wealth of opportunities for landscape enhancement within the area.

Table 4.2: Risks and opportunities: Access to funding streams Risks

Opportunities

The location of the valley beyond larger settlements precludes it from a number of current priority funding streams targeted towards urban areas.

Opportunities to encourage access by residents of nearby settlements, and creation of path links with communities.

The rural nature of the area means that it has not been a priority focus for the Greenspace Initiative or Green Network proposals.

Although much of the land is eligible for SRDP funding support, projects in the past have targeted specific areas of national or international importance. Previous or current initiatives have taken place in a topic focussed way to address some Landscape Partnership issues. There is a long history of working in partnership in this general area. Some activity in the past has addressed woodland management and path provision within the Landscape Partnership area, however this has, by necessity of the schemes, been limited to very specific sites, and for very specific purposes.

Opportunities to lead an area focussed development programme to link projects together.

The relatively small size of farms in the Landscape Partnership area potentially makes it less economically viable for land to be used for woodland planting or management for landscape aims.

Opportunities to lead area focussed projects that could include multiple farms and landowners.

49

West Lothian

North Lanarkshire

Clyde and Avon Valley LCAP Woodland Core Areas, Non Inventory Designed Landscapes and Inventory Listed Designed Landscapes

Local Authority Boundary LCAP Boundary Designed Landscapes (non-Inventory) Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes Sites Woodland Core Areas Settlement Boundaries

South Lanarkshire

Figure 4.1

ÂŻ

0

1

2

3

4

5 Km

Reproduced from Ordnance Survey digital map data Š Crown copyright 2011. All rights reserved. Licence numbers 100047514, 0100031673.

Map Scale @ A3: 1:65,000 LUCGL 5140-002-r-1_Woodland and designed landscapes_Figure 4_1 18/08/2011

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Challenges for communities 4.8

There are key challenges for involving and engaging communities. At a strategic level this involves improving the community networks and support mechanisms for community groups and information sharing. There is also a key role for partners in sharing information and streamlining work with community groups, and making use of established networks in order to facilitate involvement of all members of the community. At a grassroots level there is a need to stimulate and engage with communities, identifying their interests and linking these to the opportunities presented by the Landscape Partnership.

Table 4.3: Risks and opportunities: Communities Risks

Opportunities

Work needs to be done to stimulate interest in the landscape and to engage people and to help people appreciate the value that it has and benefits that it brings to the local community.

Opportunity for the landscape partnership to create the catalyst to bring the people and the landscape together.

Bringing the communities closer to the landscape by providing a range of volunteering and learning opportunities will ensure longer term sustainable growth for the area and potential engagement in projects.

Development of communities in recent years provides opportunities to re-engage both the original and the new communities throughout the area to ensure their needs and aspirations are developed and the communities grow sustainably over the coming years.

There is a lack of community group participation which means few projects come forward from the community for LEADER funding.

There are new groups now emerging who are keen to become involved in this programme. The landscape partnership will stimulate interest in the land and engender a sense of pride and ownership that leads to a desire to contribute to sustaining this special landscape for future generations.

The Community Links Rural Development Opportunities research (2011, Ref.46) ‘focus group’ participants showed limited interest in future participation, limited cohesion between communities and a reluctance of communities to become involved in improving the area.

The landscape partnership will help people appreciate the value that the landscape has and the benefits it brings to the local community. As projects progress, the sense of cohesion will increase and draw in more participants.

Community Links (Ref.46) also identified a weak voluntary sector, a lack of substantial Community Development Networks across the Clyde and Avon Valley area, and a lack of partnership working between key agencies and the voluntary sector.

The landscape partnership provides opportunities for community groups, private, voluntary and public sector partners to work together, and actively develop projects to achieve their joint aspirations for the sustainable growth in the proposed areas.

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Risks

Opportunities

Community capacity needs to be built to engender a positive attitude amongst communities and community groups to achieving the aims of the Landscape Partnership.

The 2011 Residents Survey (Ref.8) identified that 13% of respondents said they had given up time for a community or environmental project within the past 6 months. This illustrates an existing level of activity which can be built on through the Landscape Partnership.

The 2011 Residents Survey (Ref.8) found that 21% of respondents said they would like to learn more about the history and heritage of the area, indicating the baseline of interest in the area, and opportunities for community involvement.

There are a number of community groups, but they do not tend to work together in a connected way.

Opportunities to connect these groups and share resources will create a valuable community resource.

For those settlements that do not have active community groups or seek to engage with group activities, there is an opportunity to engage with the wider community through tapping in to the community resource.

The Community Links research (Ref.46) identified a demand for intergenerational and relationship building projects. There is also support for the Landscape Partnership and its work from those in the health and mental health field.

Advertising was identified as a good way to encourage both locals and visitors to use the area more (Ref.46) – marketing opportunities.

Levels of deprivation persist within the Landscape Partnership area.

Opportunities to increase community involvement in local businesses such as orchards, thus increasing business potential and creating jobs.

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4.9

Levels of deprivation within the Landscape Partnership area are relatively low. Of 21 data zones which cover the Landscape Partnership 1 is classified as within the overall 15% most deprived - Smyllum in Lanark. Two data zones are classified as within the lowest 20% in Scotland for Income; three are within the lowest 20% for Employment with two of these are in the lowest 15%. 1 data zone is in the worst 15% for health (2008). Edging onto or close to the boundary of the Landscape Partnership area are several communities that fall within many of the most deprived areas in Scotland. Significantly 6 data zones fall within Scotland’s 15% most deprived data zones overall and border directly on to the Landscape Partnership area. Two of these are in Overton and four in Larkhall. In addition major clusters of deprivation exist within two miles of the Landscape Partnership area in Hamilton Wishaw, Craigneuk, Blantyre and Larkhall. However, In rural communities, deprivation can frequently be hidden by their social mix. This lifts deprivation figures out of the most severe categories and means the area is often not considered a priority.

Challenges for access, transport and tourism 4.10

The Landscape Partnership Area has many strengths in its current provision of access, transport and tourism opportunities. The key challenges are to further develop the potential of the area, linking visitor attractions and routes, to support the visitor and community engagement with the whole landscape and the heritage and cultural opportunities developed through the Landscape Partnership.

4.11

The A72 runs through the Landscape Partnership area, carrying visitors, tourists, commuters and those on local journeys along the bottom of the Clyde Valley, whilst the M74 to the west and A73 to the east carries the similar traffic along the valley shoulders, each with views into the scenic area. In addition, the A71 cuts through the scenic area providing views along the river. A number of minor roads cross the valley from east to west, following the incised valleys of tributaries and where easier topography allows. The Avon Valley has main routes running along the boundary, with a few minor roads crossing the AGLV where topography is easier. There is an extensive network of C-class roads which criss-cross the valleys that all provide scenic drives or cycle routes and wonderful views across the scenic landscape.

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Table 4.4: Risks and opportunities: Access, transport and tourism Risks

Opportunities

New development increases traffic volumes on the A72. Whilst it is important to encourage new development that will sustain the economy of the valleys, the need to accommodate a growing number of vehicles could present a challenge to existing infrastructure that would require sensitive treatment in the confined space available on the valley floor.

The area has wide popularity and recognition as a day-trip destination, and recognition as a desirable place to live. There are clear marketing opportunities relating to this.

Access routes may be affected by climate change through erosion and landslides as a result of higher intensity rainfall.

The Scottish Recreation Survey (2009, Ref.47) identifies that levels of outdoor visits within North and South Lanarkshire are below the Scottish average. In relation to the National Performance Indicator “% of adult residents normally taking visits to the outdoors at least once per week”, the national average during 2006 – 2008 was 45%, for North Lanarkshire this was 33% and for South Lanarkshire 25%. Increasing visits to the outdoors is a key opportunity for the Clyde and Avon Valley area. The Landscape Partnership scheme has opportunities to improve access routes.

The quality of road maintenance and signage was highlighted as an issue by respondents to the 2011 Destination Research (Ref.9).

Respondents to the 2011 Residents Survey (Ref.8) found that 32% of respondents agreed or agreed strongly that they regularly used the area for outdoor activities such as walking, cycling or canoeing. This provides a sound baseline for opportunities for further engagement of communities in outdoor recreation.

The availability of good public transport with good local connections and a lack of general maintenance of paths and walkways was identified by participants in the Community Links research (Ref.46). However, the 2011 Destination Research (Ref.9) identified that just over half of the respondents said they expected to stay less than 3 hours.

There is scope for providing a greater number of visitor and recreation opportunities to encourage people to stay longer within the area.

The Clyde Walkway runs along the opposite side of the river to most settlements within the Clyde Valley, limiting access for users to bridges at Garrion, Mauldslie, Crossford, and Kirkfieldbank.

The Clyde Walkway provides a key access route, and opportunities for access links to this ‘spine’ for walking, cycling and horse riding. Opportunities to create additional path links to communities and increase accessibility to important access routes.

Lack of signage to existing paths.

There are paths from the main settlements adjoining the valleys, but these could be much improved and better publicised to increase awareness of countryside routes and encourage their use by provision of more information about the routes, destinations, difficulty, and time the route is expected to take, as well as waymarking.

New Lanark attracts approximately 350,000 visitors per year, providing an important visitor attraction within the Landscape Partnership area. The River Clyde is important to anglers and kayakers.

Economically successful garden centres along the valley floors provide a focus for drawing people into the area, providing potential hubs for linking to other projects within the Landscape Partnership area.

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Challenges for built heritage 4.12

There are key issues surrounding quality of design and planning in relation to the built heritage. There is a key opportunity for a joined up approach to landscape planning and planning for the built heritage within a wider landscape strategy for the Landscape Partnership area. This highlights the need for partnership working between the Steering Group and local authority planners. Interpreting and understanding historical built features provides an opportunity for increasing awareness of the industrial heritage of the area, and making links with the past through inspiring new design.

Table 4.5: Risks and opportunities: Built heritage Risks

Opportunities

Smaller, workers’ cottages threatened by unsympathetic extensions, alterations and materials

Opportunities to mitigate the adverse visual effects of recent development and introducing new elements that reinforce the landscape character.

Village character threatened by universal, suburban Opportunities to mitigate the adverse visual effects design of new housing developments on the periphery, of recent development and introducing new elements and the scale of these developments relative to the that reinforce the landscape character. size of the village.

Many large historic houses have been lost; new single houses are seldom of a similar quality of design.

Opportunity for unused historic buildings to provide a resource for project related work, such as a community hub or training venue.

Visual and landscape impact of urban fringe activities and recreational development pressures.

There is a large number of abandoned industrial sites across the area (Ref.5). These provide opportunities to be interpreted, renovated or reused.

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Natural heritage challenges 4.13

The Landscape Partnership area is recognised for its biodiversity value, which is illustrated by the natural heritage designations which cover much of the area. There is a strong synergy between landscape enhancement and improvements for biodiversity.

4.14

The rivers and streams that are characteristic in the area are generally not under threat; indeed, in recent years there has been significant improvement to water quality that has seen biodiversity enhanced. Fishing is managed by local angling associations; fish stocks are returning to levels nearer those enjoyed in earlier times. The steep sides of the gills and incised valleys have made these inappropriate for development, thus woodland of high ecological value can be found in all the gills and deep valleys that run to the Clyde. There are opportunities to further enhance the watercourses and encourage access to them.

Table 4.6: Risks and opportunities: Natural heritage Risks

Opportunities

Lack of natural regeneration, the need to control and if possible eradicate invasive non-native species, the need to exclude stock from native woodlands, and deer management are all identified as risks to woodland (Ref.2).

Core priority areas for the management, establishment or expansion of woodland which will have the greatest potential contribution to the project objectives have been identified. This identifies 13 core areas covering approximately 5,300 hectares. Within these approximately 2,150 ha were identified as suitable for woodland management, 650 ha for woodland expansion, a further 850 ha for woodland creation and 1,250 ha for the creation or enhancement of hedges (Ref.2).

The orchards are identified are having great local biodiversity value for lichens. In particular the larger sites with the greatest mix of orchard tree species were identified as being most valuable for lichen diversity, (Ref.4). The continued decline of the orchards threatens this biodiversity resource.

Orchard revival and training in orchard management skills will create opportunities for enhanced biodiversity in existing and new orchards.

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Cultural heritage and intellectual access challenges 4.15

The Landscape Partnership area has a rich cultural heritage, however there are key challenges to recording the cultural history of the more recent past and bringing this to life for communities today. Opportunities centre on the need to link cultural heritage interpretation to sites and projects. The key challenge for improving intellectual access is to increase the accessibility of the information resource, this may include physical access but also interpretative access for example through story-telling, re-enactment or art works.

4.16

Both Lanark and Carluke Parish (which includes a significant proportion of the Landscape Partnership area) have local history societies, both of which hold impressive paper and other records that relate to the history and culture of the Clyde Valley, but their premises are manned by volunteers and have limited opening hours as a result. The Carluke collection, for example, can be accessed on the last Saturday morning of every month. Space is limited, thus a number of records are not on display; they do, however, have a well-managed storage system making information on particular topics easy to find. The Carluke Parish Historical Society is keen to increase awareness of local people about the collection, and to improve storage and display facilities for it. Members also give talks and lectures on request; it seeks to increase the engagement that it has with local schools and other groups and build capacity to inform others about the history of the area but is currently limited through lack of resources, support and funding. They have also expressed a desire to attract a younger membership. It is clear there is both scope and opportunity to provide learning and understanding opportunities, but it is also evident that there may be a need to provide assistance and training for members to allow them to deliver this.

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Table 4.7: Risks and opportunities: Cultural heritage and intellectual access Risks

Opportunities

Oral history is held by older residents and there is a need to record this information before it is lost.

Historical associations of the area with agriculture, market gardening and fruit growing provide a wealth of inspiration for projects within the Landscape Partnership area and raising awareness of the area’s history. There are opportunities to record oral histories and save and collate unwritten aspects of the cultural history, as well as to interpret and present it through different media.

Intellectual access to information about the landscape is limited at present and there is significant scope for improvement.

The area has historical importance as an inspiration for art and poetry, and there are opportunities to continue this engagement with cultural arts.

The National Nature Reserve sites all provide interpretation about the natural history of the woodlands, mainly related to each specific site and about the importance of woodland habitat in the Clyde Valley.

There are opportunities for further interpretation about NNRs and other sites, relating to both general and specific topics such as geology, ecology, historical associations etc.

Information about the history of the area, the importance of the area as inspiration for literature and culture is not readily available.

There are many opportunities for the Landscape Partnership scheme to record, collect and collate information about the history of the area and to interpret and present it through different media, including educational talks, guided walks or published media.

The associations of the Clydesdale horse with the area are significant for the cultural history, but the breed is ‘at risk’.

Associations with the Clydesdale breed and the animals themselves can provide inspiration for art and interpretation.

There are opportunities to employ teams of Clydesdale horses for woodland management in sites inaccessible to vehicles, and business opportunities to set up horse teams for this type of work.

There is a lack of some recorded historical information about orchards in the Clyde Valley.

The history of potential development of local apple varieties within the area can provide an inspiration for the rejuvenation of neglected orchards, interest in development of new varieties, and future grafting.

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Partnership working challenges 4.17

Partnership working is critical to the delivery of the project, and to achieving maximum benefits. The project steering group will work closely with the project team to achieve this. Challenges centre on the requirement for the partnership to proactively identify opportunities for joined up working associated with the projects, and to maintain a flexible approach to the project in order to support its aims in light of organisational or funding changes.

Table 4.8: Risks and opportunities: Partnership working Risks

Opportunities

Programmes across the Landscape Partnership need to be joined up to secure benefits across the four programme themes.

Opportunities for the Project Team to provide a key mechanism to broker links between projects and secure wider benefits.

The availability of match funding from other sources may change.

Opportunities for Partners to work together to achieve corporate aims through actions that may be interdependent and mutually supportive.

Project partners may be subject to organisational change due to the changing economic climate and budgetary constraints within the public sector influencing the availability or skills levels of staff within partner organisations to deliver projects.

The Project Team will provide a key mechanism to broker opportunities that arise from changes of skills, and to link projects with relevant partner organisations.

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Challenges from climate change 4.18

Climate change presents further risks to the deterioration of landscape and heritage features within the Landscape Partnership area. Active management of these features, taking into account the additional risks of climate change will help to avoid acceleration of changes which are already occurring. There is a need for awareness raising of the risks of climate change amongst project partners and the requirement to built flexibility into projects to adapt to new climate related challenges as they are identified.

Table 4.9: Risks and opportunities: Climate Change Risks

Opportunities

Climate change presents a risk to the Partnership area and the landscape management aims. Risks include those associated with winter water logging and summer drought, fires, impacts on fruit set and yield and changing pest and disease pressures (Ref. 48).

Opportunities for woodland management to take climate change risks proactively into account, increasing the resilience of existing woodlands to climate change and creating new habitat links. New orchard planting and orchard management should seek to adapt to the risks of climate change.

Loss or damage to historical buildings and national heritage as a result of climate change is an identified risk and research is currently being undertaken by Historic Scotland to better understand the impacts of climate change on the historic environment (Ref. 49).

Increased flooding events may impact on the maintenance of historic bridges and pedestrian bridges.

Opportunities for woodland management and hedgerow reinstatement to strengthen habitat networks to support species migration. Opportunities for proactive works on structures to strengthen them against damage.

Potential management responses to subsidence and erosion along watercourses, and ensuring management responses are in keeping with the scale and character of intimate valley landscapes.

Water volumes are significant for biodiversity and the visitor experience of the dramatic waterfalls within the Clyde and Avon Valleys. This presents both a risk and opportunity as rainfall patterns may result in more episodes of low flow and spate.

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5 Vision and Delivery Strategy

1

5 Vision and Delivery Strategy Vision 5.1

The unique and distinctive landscape qualities of the Clyde and Avon valleys result from a combination of physical features, land cover, land use and settlement. They are given unity by the topographic enclosure of the valleys and the continuity of their watercourses. The landscape is scenic and rich in heritage. Settled pastoral and arable land hedged by beech and hawthorn contrasts with the drama of incised gorges with crags and ancient deciduous woodlands. Managed and remnant orchards are an important valley feature and once a renowned characteristic of the area. Small villages lie within the incised valleys, and are orientated along the main transport routes. The predominant industry is agriculture, although historically the rivers were an important source of power and water for textiles and milling, leaving a legacy of fine industrial buildings. Sizeable garden centres are a more recent feature within the valley floor. Towers, castles, gatehouses, bridges and numerous fine houses complement the natural heritage of the valleys. These are frequently associated with the distinctive patterns of designed landscapes in which policy woodlands and towering exotic conifers add diversity to the scene.

5.2

The Clyde and Avon Valleys will continue to have a strong distinctive landscape character and high scenic and biodiversity value. Native woodlands within the steep sided valleys will be safeguarded through positive management. Beech and hawthorn hedgerows, tree lines and shelterbelts will once more be complete and maintained to create spatial integrity, shelter and wildlife corridors. The distinctiveness of policy woodlands, including exotic specimens will also be conserved and the Clyde Valley will once more be renowned for its orchards and the continuing tradition of fruit growing and associated businesses. Important built heritage features such as towers, castles, walls and bridges will be conserved for future generations to appreciate, and new development will sit comfortably within the landscape and existing settlements as a result of positive guidance and an increased awareness of the local heritage amongst developers.

5.3

The whole community will have a greater knowledge and appreciation of the Clyde and Avon Valley landscape. This will engender close involvement in custodianship of local features of importance such as the orchards, woodlands, and historic landscape features. The community will provide a strong volunteering base for all events and projects which take place to support the landscape quality. People of all abilities will be able to access and enjoy the landscape more readily using the Clyde Walkway and other access routes for recreation, education and access to work.Visitor attractions such as New Lanark, and the garden centres will provide important hubs for exploring the wider area, helping to create a network of facilities for visitors and locals. People will be able to learn about and understand all aspects of the valleys’ landscape, 61

biodiversity, history and culture through a range of interpretation media, events and activities. Local people will have a range of skills which they will use to care for the landscape, and run community groups which support the landscape partnership programme.

Delivery Strategy 5.4

The framework for Landscape Partnership Schemes provides the context for delivery of the LCAP. The Vision Statement was created from an analysis of the key features of the landscape, the threats that were subject to, and the opportunities presented by the tangible and intangible heritage resource. The Programme approach allows consideration of a range of topic-based actions aimed at addressing these threats and opportunities, and a means of identifying the resource necessary to deliver work that will lead to the desired outcomes, rather than undertaking a range of projects where the outputs are of most importance. However, individual projects must also be considered in terms of implementation time; something that the outcome-driven approach does not accommodate so well.

5.5

We have therefore developed a tiered approach within each programme that we consider provides the flexibility to manage budgets, implementation programmes, delivery mechanisms and the delivery partner role in a more structured manner. The hierarchy that has been developed is: > Programmes > Workstreams > Strategic Projects > Project sheets or activities

5.6

The Strategy is focussed on the delivery and management of the Strategic projects within each Programme. Each Strategic project will feature across all delivery years and provide a constant framework for shaping and informing the specific outputs described in the project sheets, with the method of delivery and the most appropriate match funding stream being identified according to the required output and funding context at the time of implementation.

This will allow us to shape activities around outputs to ensure that the contribution that activities make to the delivery of the LCAP vision can be maximised wherever possible. Strategic Projects will also be the key vehicle for budget control, allowing an appropriate level of budgetary overview without the over-complication of managing specific activities on a day-to-day basis. It also allows selection of good ideas from project sheets to be developed with the delivery partner without undue limitations on the costs provided, which can be adjusted by exploring the most efficient means of delivery

5.7

Programmes will set the context for all of the work within the LCAP. The programme structure has been provided by HLF, and this has remained the main strategic context for LCAP delivery. Each 62

programme has been further divided into a number of workstreams that relate to delivery of the outcomes informed by the Vision.

5.8

Workstreams will help to group similar projects together and accommodate the various topics covered by each programme.

For example, in programme A there are workstreams for both the natural and built heritage, and within Programme C there are workstreams for physical access and intellectual access.

5.9

Strategic projects have been generated from the Development Year work that aimed to confirm the vision, strategic direction, issues and opportunities identified within the Stage 1 bid and the spread of activity and expenditure across the four delivery programmes.

Also considered were the need for conservation works, the opportunities presented, the aspirations of partner organisations, and ideas from the community.

5.10

Project Sheets or Activities are nested within the Strategic Projects.

Each sheet then forms ‘activities’, with each activity easily related to the delivery partner responsible for implementation and management of the specified work. This structure allows work identified within each completed sheet to be more readily managed across a timeline (each project sheet has outputs and actions identified for a number of years within the LCAP) and allows more accurate tracking of annual and project budgets by both the CAVLP team and the partner organisation responsible for delivery.

5.11

Details of the Programmes, Workstreams, Strategic Projects and Project sheets can be found in the Chapter 6.

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MANAGING NNR AND RESERVES WORKSTREAM:

A

SUPPORTING SUCCESSFUL STEWARDSHIP WORKSTREAM: BUILDINGS FEATURES AND STRUCTURES WORKSTREAM: BIODIVERSITY IN THE LANDSCAPE

WORKSTREAM: SUPPORTING VOLUNTEERS

B

WORKSTREAM: CAVLP MEMORY BANK WORKSTREAM: THE INSPIRING LANDSCAPE

WORKSTREAM: IMPROVING ACCESS WITHIN NNRs WORKSTREAM:

C

IMPROVING ACCESS TO FEATURES AND ATTRACTIONS WORKSTREAM: TRAVELLING THROUGH TIME WORKSTREAM: UNDERSTANDING THE LANDSCAPE

D

SAVE OUR SKILLS

E

PEOPLING OUR PROJECTS

WORKSTREAM:

WORKS-TEAM:

of which Year 1 Activities

WORKSTREAM:

Number of Activities per project

Programmes

WORKSTREAMS

Projects A1-A9

13

8

Projects A10-A11

5

4

Projects A12-A15

11

4

Projects A16-A17

3

1

Projects B1-B2

9

4

Projects B3-B4

5

0

Projects B5-B6

9

0

Projects C1-C6

11

8

Projects C7-C8

5

2

Projects C9-C10

4

3

Projects C11-C12

5

3

Projects D1-D2

2

2

People E1-E6

6

6

Projects

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Programme Strategy 5.12

The general approach for each Programme can be summarised as Programme A will concentrate on physical works related to woodland management predominantly within designated sites, further work to support orchards, and key studies and research aimed at providing a framework for community activity in learning about and recording key built features of the landscape. In the main, proposals will be delivered by CAVLP partners who manage the woodland sites, and RDT, who support the business activities of Clyde Valley Orchard Group. This work will be complemented by outreach work to engage with the private landowners based on the Landowner Liaison Study and will be led and delivered by the CAVLP Landowner Liaison officer with a view to preparing a number of physical projects for implementation on the ground from year 2 onwards.

Programme B will concentrate on ‘soft’ outputs and largely comprises a range of activities that will be led and delivered by the CAVLP Community Development officer. Led by the findings of the Public Perception Study and a range of community engagement events held over the development year, Programme B has an emphasis on developing a volunteer programme and creating a bank of volunteers for a range of activities over the Scheme period that will help deliver projects and provide opportunities for learning about the creation, culture and context of the landscape, both in time and place, over the past centuries. The main effort will be in progressing development of the Memory Bank and Cultural Hub, which will provide a focus for community activity and cultural depository for the CAVLP area.

Programme C will provide woodland paths and interpretation related to, and complementing, the woodland management works within designated sites, and be delivered by CAVLP partners. Work on a historic route joining both Council areas will begin following the feedback and support from communities for this route to be rescued and reinstated. CAVLP staff and partners will support the local community group to undertake this work, thus also contributing to community capacity building. Intellectual access will be led by piloting the formal education programme developed by teachers, whilst the Community Development Officer will organise events that will allow communities to participate and learn about CAVLP, thus supporting and enjoying the efforts of the Partnership and volunteer outputs.

Programme D will primarily deliver key skills in horticulture and fruit tree management for orchard owners and the wider community, including community growing organisations. Training for special needs groups will be delivered by CCI, a CAVLP partner.

There will be discussions aimed at establishing an accredited training course in relevant skills (related to the physical projects identified) that can be supported by the revised Future Jobs Fund and identification of a provider for that course.

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Programme E expenditure, outwith staff costs, will be delivered early in the year to ensure that the office is established and equipped, ready for incoming CAVLP staff. This will be made possible due to the extension of contracts for development year staff to cover the period between lodging the Stage 2 application and new staff taking up posts following recruitment in January 2012.

Mostly, project staff will be engaged in developing projects intended for years 2 and beyond, and in undertaking the delivery of year 1 projects that will deliver ‘soft’ outputs.

General Guiding Principles 5.13

All Strategic projects and specific activities selected for implementation will be governed by the following general principles to ensure that the Vision and Management Strategy is delivered.

Guiding principles for implementation of the LCAP will be operated at two levels: A. Strategic level, that will inform the delivery and implementation of the projects as a whole, and within which projects will be devised, delivered and funded; B. Project level, which will ensure minimum quality standards for each output the project or activity is intended to deliver, and ensure that projects are consistent with the strategic direction of the LCAP.

5.14

A.

We believe that the key to ensuring projects embrace the Programme approach is to ensure that each project delivers outputs for other programmes.

Strategic Level Principles

5.15

Public sector and charitable organisations generally manage their land and resources for wider public sector benefit and enjoyment.

The considerable investment in conservation works within reserves that hold key built and heritage resources planned in the LCAP and match funded from Scottish Government sources offers the best opportunity to widen the public benefit beyond recreational visits and conserving scenic value by offering opportunities for involvement and learning. In so doing, outputs and planned action across LCAP Programmes B, C (learning) and D can be supported and delivered through implementing physical works forming Programmes A and C (physical access).

5.16

The public sector is well placed to consider the delivery mechanisms for that work, including alternatives to commercial contracting to deliver outputs, which may reduce capital costs. This approach has the added benefit of engendering a wider sense of ownership within local communities and those who wish to contribute to sustaining these considerable assets in the longer term.

5.17

To enable this to happen, land-owning partners will make land under their control available for these ‘people’ activities, and identify practical work within their proposed projects that would be suitable for volunteers or community engagement, and identify opportunities for learning and informing to be developed and/or made available for 66

communities and visitors.

5.18

Partners have signed up to supporting partnership activity in this way through the Partnership Agreement; by so doing, the partner commitment to supporting the project can be registered and evidenced in a manner that should provide confidence to HLF that each organisation forming the partnership is supportive of the LCAP outcomes and to the partnership as a whole.

Match funding for project delivery 5.19

The task of seeking and securing match funding for the LCAP as a whole and for individual project will be on-going throughout the life of the Partnership due to the ever-changing funding environment.

The proposal is to identify both strategic funding that will match fund specific work-streams over a number of years, and to approach funding for some projects on an individual and/or year-by-year basis. This should provide a balance of longer-term secured funding whilst offering flexibility to target new funding sources as they become available alongside accommodating the ability to develop projects that require lead-in time before the can be implemented.

The requirement to identify and secure match funding has been incorporated within the Partner Grant Scheme, which requires approval for each project seeking funds to be secured before work on project development can proceed.

Addressing community audiences 5.20

It is important to our delivery strategy that we address all potential audiences and target groups, and that our projects are as inclusive as possible. Whilst we appreciate that it will be necessary to ensure that projects are accessible to specific groups (for example, there is a specific volume of visitors who visit garden centres who may be encouraged to venture further afield if level paths and short circular routes were developed, or that we seek activities that may be more attractive to younger people), projects will be developed to appeal to all those with an interest in the work, whatever audience group they may belong to; no group will be specifically excluded, however some projects will reflect the particular interests of some groups.

Preferences and interests of specific target audiences has been indicated in general terms as part of the community perception study and the community phone/face-to-face questionnaire, however more detailed ‘market-testing’ will form an integral part of the community engagement plan.

5.21

Partners will take this requirement into consideration when developing and delivering projects to be taken forward within the LCAP. It is also incorporated within the Partner Grant Scheme as a pre-requisite for drawing down Scheme funds towards any given project.

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B.

Project Level Principles

5.22

It is also important that the implementation of the projects supports the aims of sustainable development, minimum industry standards and future proofing for climate change. All projects within the LCAP will be overseen by the Landscape Partnership Project Team.

The project team will work with the identified project manager for each project who will be responsible for identifying and applying relevant standards and applying the guiding principles set out below.

Furthermore, the project manager will be responsible for collecting monitoring and evaluation information, and providing this to the Programme Officer who will collate information gathered from all projects. Monitoring and evaluation data requirements for individual projects are referenced within the Monitoring and Evaluation chapter.

5.23

The principles set out below will be applied to each of the projects as appropriate:

5.24

•

Projects do not result in conflict between different types of heritage. This includes conflict between access and nature conservation; access and conserving the historic environment; conserving the historic environment and nature conservation.

•

Relevant conservation standards are identified and met where relevant to individual projects.

•

Physical works are carried out to the highest design standards to ensure that they are of high quality and appropriate to the site, including the choice of materials, scale and location.

•

Projects identify and address risks associated with climate change.

•

Projects support sustainable transport.

•

Projects support the conservation of energy (e.g. pooling resources), and meeting environmental standards.

•

Projects promote the use and development of renewable energy where appropriate.

•

Projects support waste minimisation by application of the principles of the waste hierarchy (reduce, reuse, recycle).

Projects generated by the community for physical works will be expected to adopt these principles and conditions of third party grant schemes will reflect these requirements. Applications will be assessed for compliance before any award is made from the Scheme funds. Work undertaken by private individuals or community groups will be monitored in line with the grant scheme conditions to ensure that they comply with conditions of grant.

Ensuring sustainability 5.25

The partnership envisages that the project will have a significant legacy for the communities and landscape. Firstly the depleted woodlands and countryside will have undergone significant and measurable improvement. Secondly the community will have long term opportunities to access, learn and will be able to engage more 68

fully with the landscape through the community orchards, paths, interpretation. Thirdly the partnership that has been established will continue to work together for the overall benefits of the area and further community projects.

5.26

At the end of the implementation phase partners will have on-going responsibility for the projects that they delivered. This commitment will include an on-going management and maintenance of landscape and heritage assets but also in continuing the community engagement and learning. All Partners will have an interest and investment in continuing the benefits gained by the scheme. The HLF grant allows a large step change in the quality and delivery of the heritage product and it would be all partner intention to continue these benefits in some fashion. Addition projects and funding may be sought from relative long term sources such as the local Renewable Energies Fund from wind farms to continue some of the key community benefits.

5.27

It is the Landscape Partnership proposal to have a web site which will present a profile for the project. The site will provide information on projects and events on-going but also at the end of the project will provide on-going information gathered including, school info packs, walking trails, countryside information, contacts and partners. Project staff time has been allocated within the Stage 2 HLF application for administration of the Landscape Partnership website and a strategy will be put in place to hand over maintenance of the site in the longer term to another party in order that the service can be sustained.

5.28

It would be hoped that the success of the project may allow for continued employment of project staff however forecasting revenue funding into 2016 is impossible. It would however definitely be the partnerships intention that the Landscape Partnership Board would continue to meet and coordinate initiatives over the area after the 5 year implementation plan. Furthermore it would be planned to include community members within the board over the period of the implementation and that they too would further the project after the HLF funding stops.

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FUNDING STRATEGY 5.29

The task of seeking and securing match funding for the LCAP as a whole and for individual project will be on-going throughout the life of the Partnership due to the ever-changing funding environment.

The proposal is to identify both strategic funding that will match fund specific workstreams over a number of years, and to approach funding for some projects on an individual and/or year-by-year basis.

This should provide a balance of longer-term secured funding whilst offering flexibility to target new funding sources as they become available, whilst also accommodating the ability to develop projects that require lead-in time before the can be implemented.

Our strategy is based on three key elements:

A. Contributions from Partners B. Other Funding Streams C. Delivery by Volunteers A. Contributions from Partners 5.30

As constraints on public sector funding increase, CAVLP must assume that even the modest contributions anticipated from public sector partners may be threatened or unable to be honoured.

This has resulted in the Partnership placing greater importance on other funding streams to find capital match for the project, and on volunteer effort to deliver the identified outputs. However, other funding streams are also constantly subject to change, and our strategy reflects the need to remain flexible, both in terms of the targets set for the outputs, and in considering the delivery mechanism. For example, reliance on volunteer labour or effort to delivery projects is likely to take longer, thus the outputs are likely to be less than first anticipated at the stage 1 application stage.

That said, use of volunteer effort will contribute to outcomes for Programmes B and C; the Project Team staffing structure must also take this into account. Volunteer effort is discussed below.

5.31

The woodland management works planned for years 1 and 2 will also generate an income, or can make a valuable contribution to supporting other projects and businesses. Partners who own land and intend to undertake woodland work have agreed in principle to contributing the income or timber to deliver CAVLP outcomes.

Where there will be capital generated from timber sales, the income will be recycled into CAVLP projects where match funding is required. In addition, timber from thinning, or of unsuitable quantity and/or quality will be used to support production of furniture and timber products; some will be used to provide fuel for wood-fuelled heating, some sold as fire logs, and some may be suitable for local fencing, arts and crafts projects or for horticultural chipping. Timber quantities and values will be calculated as an integral part of the

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long-term woodland management plans; timber ‘income’ will be calculated based on the known nature and volume of timber from each site and assessed against known local market to assign a value.

5.32

In recognition of the pressure of resources to secure match funding, partners bringing forward project ideas will be requested to secure match funding from their own staff time rather than rely solely on CAVLP project team staff, although assistance and guidance will be provided to ensure that a strategic approach to funding is maintained, that there is minimal overlap of applications to one source at the same time, and opportunities for ‘packaging’ into more attractive and efficient packages can be created.

B. Other Funding Streams 5.33

An initial review of potential funding sources and application processes has identified the need for funding to be sourced in two ways: •

Strategic funding, where an application can be made for multiple years based on delivery of a number of smaller projects concerned with the same outputs, e.g. for supporting community project development work or for landscaping and other environmental improvements, or for culture and arts projects. Examples of this funding would include the Renewable Energy Fund or European funding streams.

•

Project funding where an appropriate funding stream can be identified on a project-by-project basis, and is dependent on the outputs and delivery mechanism.

5.34

Both funding approaches allow a degree of flexibility to build funding packages in an ever-changing funding environment; the former also offers an opportunity for planning an approach with more certainty that costs can be met. Funding streams that will be targeted for match funding, and the projects that are likely to be suitable for each, have been identified and discussed in the ‘costs’ section of the LCAP

5.35

Over the development year, changes have been made to key match funding streams, such as the Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP), Future Jobs Fund and Woodland Grants. Other key potential match funding programmes have been announced from Creative Scotland, Big Lottery and HLF Young Roots. There are clearly opportunities to explore how best the funding available can help support the delivery of the LCAP, and this will be considered at a strategic level as well as an individual project level, and will be ongoing throughout the life of the Scheme.

5.36

Additionally, the development year studies have revealed that the scale and nature of potential works at some key sites would suggest that other lottery funding streams such as Our Heritage and Parks for People may be better mechanisms to meet the aspirations of partners than LP funding, albeit that the works would make a significant contribution to the outcomes of the LP Scheme. This will be explored at a later date.

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C. Delivery by Volunteers 5.37

As stated within our Stage 1 bid, there has always been a strong intention to involve the community in delivery of project outputs.

The aim is to assist in integrating work between programmes whilst ensuring that volunteer effort is directed to attaining conservation outputs. Although use of volunteer labour may reduce costs for contractors or labour costs, such work will still incur costs, and these must be planned for. Whilst materials will be needed, the main cost is staff time required to organise volunteers, ensure they receive sufficient training and that the work is supervised to ensure an acceptable standard of workmanship, particularly where activity is aimed at conserving key heritage resources. Volunteer time will also contribute to ‘in-kind’ contributions where volunteers will deliver projects on behalf of CAVLP.

5.38

Funding physical works and other outputs, therefore, may incur lower capital costs than currently estimated by partners on the project sheets, but may be funded through investing in training or other volunteer support; this opens opportunities to access a wider range of funding, but will make funding packages less straightforward to assemble.

5.39

Community groups with special interests (e.g. local history societies) will also help us deliver outputs that can contribute towards CAVLP outcomes. Working in partnership with local groups can also limit costs for research projects, with the added benefit of learning opportunities for individuals with particular skills or interests.

Exit strategy 5.40

CAVLP will work on the assumption that the effort and activity of the Partnership over the next five years will deliver the intended outcomes and result in: •

More collaborative working within and between organisations to achieve mutually shared goals, visions and outputs;

•

A more informed community that will grow to value and appreciate the landscape and environment and take actions to conserve those aspects that they value most;

•

That community groups will be better equipped to manage themselves successfully, and that the membership base will be extended to include more younger people to ensure succession of effort and activity;

•

That people will be more willing to give time to volunteering activities, and volunteer effort becomes a key delivery mechanism for undertaking maintenance and other tasks within annual maintenance programmes of all landowners;

•

That links between volunteer client groups and those who can provide volunteer opportunities are maintained;

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•

That there will continue to be a range of grants and support funding for activities that will address needs and deficiencies (market failure) in resources required to conserve communities and environments that are important for social, economic and environmental well-being in future, however this is not in itself sustainable.

5.41

With regard to the 10 year management obligation, it has been assumed that all landowning partners will maintain sites for which funding has been awarded without additional costs to their current annual management budgets. This may be augmented by greater ability to undertake work by volunteers, should this element of the LCAP prove successful. No allowance has been made within the programme for future maintenance of land owned by partner organisations as partners are committed to supporting volunteers beyond the life of the project and to maintaining work undertaken as part of it beyond the life of the project.

5.42

There will be a need to allow maintenance payments in some form for work undertaken on privately owned land. This could be in the form of conditions of grant, or, potentially, entering a contract with the landowner to have on-going maintenance undertaken by trainees as part of a managed scheme, or by a social enterprise formed as a result of HLF funding and focussed on ensuring the delivery of conservation work that ensures the conservation of key features of the Clyde and Avon valley landscapes.

5.43

The aim of training will be to develop social enterprises that can help the public and private sectors to maintain land and to create jobs. Some training opportunities need to be continued after the end of the project. Training should be viewed as a means of ensuring that landowners will have, or be able to source, sufficient skilled labour to maintain work in the longer term.

5.44

The CAVLP project team will continue to monitor opportunities and funding sources that will help sustain effort in the longer term, always forward planning for the immediate and longer-term future. This role will be fulfilled by the Programme Manager and RDT, assisted by steering group partners. This approach requires all partner staff to be aware of imminent change and the political climate of the public sector and Scottish Government.

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6 Scheme Plan and Projects

1

6 Scheme Plan and Projects 6.1

Our Stage 1 application listed outcomes for each programme, which have been retained and reviewed for the development of the LCAP. The outcomes have become the framework for development of the Workstreams that have been introduced to allow projects that deliver for the same outcome to be brigaded together, and so allow consideration of similar issues for implementation. Within each workstream, we have developed a number of strategic projects that will deliver the outcomes and reflect the vision of CAVLP. The strategic projects have been generated from the Development Year work that aimed to confirm the vision, strategic direction, issues and opportunities identified within the Stage 1 bid and the spread of activity and expenditure across the four delivery programmes.

Project sheets reflect the work to be managed by individual partner organisations and detail the costs, range of outputs and timeframe for implementation across the LCAP programme.

Strategic projects 6.2

Strategic projects were then identified by reviewing and reference to the list of outcomes in the stage 1 bid. These strategic projects form the basis for budget planning over the LCAP period as they provide an opportunity to clearly identify the focus of activity and the budget allocated for each outcome.

Project sheets or Activities 6.3

The sheets have been, for the most part, provided by CAVLP partners, however through our community consultation events, we are aware that there are other project ideas within the community.

We are also aware that the total sum of all project sheets submitted significantly exceeds the LCAP budget in some areas; nonetheless, we consider that the sheets offer some inspiring ideas and reflect the interest and aspirations of the groups with which we have engaged over the past year. It is our aim to review these project ideas and explore how they could be best supported within the CAVLP Scheme. This work will take place over the delivery years as expressed interests change and funding availability fluctuates.

Programme A: Conserving Built and Natural Features Aim: To reinforce and restore historic landscape patterns and maintain the built character and landscape setting of settlements.

6.4

Programme A will concentrate on physical works related to woodland management predominantly within designated sites, further work to support orchards, and key studies and research aimed at providing a framework for community activity in learning about and recording key built features of the landscape. In the main, proposals will be delivered by CAVLP partners who manage the woodland sites, and RDT, who support the business activities of Clyde Valley Orchard Group. This work will be complemented 74

by outreach work to engage with the private landowners based on the Landowner Liaison Study and will be led and delivered by the CAVLP Landowner Liaison officer with a view to preparing a number of physical projects for implementation on the ground from year 2 onwards.

Outcomes A(i): Native woodlands remain key characteristics of the landscape and continue to make a significant contribution to the landscape character, scenic value and biodiversity value of the Partnership area A(ii): The loss of traditional orchards is halted, and so orchards remain key features of the landscape and continue to make a significant contribution to the landscape character, scenic value and biodiversity value of the Partnership area A(iii): The length of traditional hedgerows and shelterbelts which create characteristic patterns in the landscape is increased above today’s levels A(iv): The contribution made to the scenic value and landscape character of the Landscape Partnership area by estate planting and designed landscapes is maintained and enhanced A(v): The cultural importance and scenic value of structures and buildings in the landscape as both landmarks and key features of the landscape character is recognised and enhanced A(vi): Restoration of the landscape character and scenic quality where the scale, siting and design of past development has been incompatible with its location and setting A(vii): The ecological and biological value of the area is understood, protected and enhanced, and informs the management of the landscape of the Partnership area.

6.5

Four workstreams have been developed to reflect the varied work intended to conserve and enhance our natural and built heritage resource.

Workstream A1 6.6

MANAGING NNRS AND RESERVES

One strategic project has been created for each NNR or other designated Reserve; all project sheets created to identify work within reserves undertaken to conserve the resource will be listed as ‘activities’ under each Reserve name. The management of the Reserves within CAVLP is a key component of the LCAP, and a focus for all activities across the LCAP programmes. This workstream relates to land and sites owned and managed by public sector or NGO partners. CAVLP partners will be responsible for managing the programming, budgets, and implementation of work within Workstream 1.

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Strategic Projects A1: Falls of Clyde wildlife enhancement A2: Garrion Gill wildlife enhancement A3: Lower Nethan Gorge wildlife enhancement A4; Upper Nethan Gorge wildlife enhancement A5: Chatelherault wildlife enhancement A6: Cartland Craigs & Cleghorn Glen wildlife enhancement A7; Mauldslie Woods wildlife enhancement A8: Baron’s Haugh wildlife enhancement A9: New Lanark Woodlands wildlife enhancement

Workstream A2 STEWARDSHIP 6.7

SUPPORTING SUCCESSFUL

This workstream covers all work that will be undertaken in association with private landowners, and has been created to enable project staff to manage issues related to private gain and State Aid that are not relevant to woodlands and other assets owned and managed by the public sector and reflects the need for specific policy and effort in the wider countryside outwith reserves that is necessary to conserve and restore the key patterns of the landscape. Most designed landscapes within the CAVLP are also in private ownership, therefore recognises that an appropriate policy approach will be required to secure their restoration. The expenditure, outputs and timescales will determined by the level of interest expressed by private landowners; a significant cost of managing the delivery of activities will be borne by the CAVLP landowner liaison officer, who will be responsible for the dayto-day management of this workstream, working with individual landowners to secure appropriate funding from existing sources, such as SRDP; it is intended that funding gaps are addressed by a third party grant scheme from Scheme funds.

Strategic Projects A10: Designs in the Landscape: will include hedgerow repair, conservation and creation, estate woodland management and designed landscape restoration, farm woodland creation A11: Reviving the Clyde Valley Orchards: will include supporting new economic activity and community activity within existing orchards

Workstream A3 STRUCTURES 6.8

BUILDINGS FEATURES AND

This workstream covers all built features of interest within the CAVLP area. The strategic projects are designed to reflect the key building and structure types that add character to the landscape and are key features within it. Activities within this workstream will be taken forward in discussion with local communities, and it is intended that all will include an element of delivery by interested 76

community groups. The general approach also includes an element of further research by consultants, and/or training for groups to help them deliver quality products. As a result, activities within these strategic projects have not yet been fully developed; budget allocations are therefore based on the expenditure anticipated in the Stage 1 application, but will be subject to review based on the effort that will be made by volunteers against that required by professionals.

6.9

Programming work beyond the first year, when development work with communities and training will be undertaken, will be dependent on the response and support we receive; the activities will be selected by the community groups based on their group or personal interest, and in filling knowledge gaps following review of material that we understand by individual community groups, e.g. there is a record of all mills within the Clydesdale area; some groups have detailed records of gravestones within local graveyards. The CAVLP Community Engagement officer is expected to play a key role in delivering this workstream, with the assistance of the Projects and Contracts officer, who will manage additional research where required to assist and support communities.

Strategic Projects A12: Structures and Features: will include kirkyards, graveyards, industrial archaeology A13: Uncovering the Past: will include old roads, pre-history, early ruins currently not accessible A14;Viewpoints and landmarks: will include features in designed landscapes, viewstops, viewpoints A15:Villages and Farmsteads: will include improvements within Conservation Areas, listed buildings, vernacular architecture

Workstream A4 6.10

BIODIVERSTITY IN THE LANDSCAPE

This workstream has been introduced over the development year in recognition of the biodiversity value and opportunity for enhancing biodiversity values within the CAVLP area and outwith the initiatives noted above in other workstreams. Work will be particularly concerned with the riparian environment, monitoring and recording changes in biodiversity, and removing alien species that threaten survival of native species and habitats. It is intended that volunteers will assist in delivery; training will be required to enable participants to identify and dispose of alien species, and to record and monitor native species distribution. Work will be overseen by partners, assisted by members of the CAVLP team including the ranger/ volunteer co-ordinator and contracts manager.

Strategic Projects A16: Aliens and Natives: will include ecological recording and removal of invasive species A17: Rivers of Life: will include potential for re-introduction of salmon to the river Avon 77

Programme B: Community Participation Aim: To increase community understanding of the local area, to increase involvement in local groups, and to increase participation in training opportunities and practical volunteering tasks.

6.11

Programme B will concentrate on ‘soft’ outputs and largely comprises a range of activities that will be led and delivered by the CAVLP Community Engagement officer. Led by the findings of the Public Perception Study and a range of community engagement events held over the development year, Programme B has an emphasis on developing a volunteer programme and creating a bank of volunteers for a range of activities over the Scheme period that will help deliver projects and provide opportunities for learning about the creation, culture and context of the landscape, both in time and place, over the past centuries. The main effort will be in progressing development of the Memory Bank and Cultural Hub, which will provide a focus for community activity and cultural depository for the CAVLP area.

Outcomes B(i):Villagers in the Landscape Partnership area have developed a strong sense of belonging to and understanding of the historical development of their settlement B(ii): All community groups within the Landscape Partnership area are ‘future-proofed’, self-sustaining and attract a wide and varied membership benefiting from support networks, access to advice and information and best practice examples to build confidence and expertise necessary to sustain them in the longer term B(iii): Local communities are engaged in a wide range of indoor and outdoor volunteer activities embracing all aspects of the LCAP programme and which cater for a broad range of participants B(iv): All participatory events and volunteering projects are widely publicised through all forms of media to reach the immediate and wider community with an interest in learning more about the Landscape Partnership area 6.12

Three workstreams have been developed to ensure that projects and activities are targeted to deliver the outcomes within this Programme. In order to help us define projects and activities, we have felt it important to identify two specific target groups within the community: Active audience: those who could help deliver projects within the programme if given the opportunity and work with CAVLP and partners to achieve specific outputs, and Participatory audience: those who would benefit from the outputs of specific projects by having their experience within the CAVLP area enhanced, or who will participate in events organised

by CAVLP 78

6.13

The workstreams reflect the differing support needs and actions required to ensure all sectors of the community have an opportunity to experience some aspect of the CAVLP scheme according to ability and personal interest.

Workstream B1 6.14

SUPPORTING VOLUNTEERS

The ‘Active’ audience will consist of two main streams of volunteers.

Firstly, volunteers who can deliver physical projects and contribute to construction, maintenance and planting activities. These activities will be linked to projects in Programme A and the access work within Programme C. The volunteer co-ordinator role within the CAVLP team will liaise with supporting partners such as the NHS Trust to provide participants from their client groups. Secondly, volunteer effort will be found within existing community groups, such as local history societies, who can research information that can be used to inform learning materials and provide sources of information for other activities to meet outcomes within the learning strand of Programme C. It is anticipated that the Community engagement officer of CAVLP will also have a role to play in providing delivery support for such groups and facilitating training needed to help groups fulfil this role.

Strategic Projects B1: Training – Groups and Volunteers B2:Volunteer support and management

Workstream B2 6.15

CAVLP MEMORY BANK

It is intended that the community take the lead in providing material for the Memory Bank, and also that the Bank becomes the ‘gateway’ for communities to access information about CAVLP. Ideas currently being explored include the establishment of a ‘Virtual Museum’ – potentially a means of making local history collections more readily accessible a wider audience – and the potential for a ‘Virtual Gallery’, where work generated from projects and activities within Programme C can be made available. Providing wider public access allows the ‘participatory’ audience to engage with what is happening within CAVLP. This work is under development and significant effort in developing the concept and securing funding is scheduled for the first delivery year. CAVLP and South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture Trust will lead discussions with the wider community.

Strategic Projects B3: The Cultural Resource Centre B4: Mapping our Cultural Past

Workstream B3 6.16

THE INSPIRING LANDSCAPE

This workstream aims to engage the participatory element of volunteers, with opportunities for events, competitions, and activities supporting information about the influence the landscape has had on the culture of the CAVLP area. Community groups and members 79

will also be recruited to assist in delivering events and organising activities for members related to the visual and written arts. The CAVLP community engagement officer will co-ordinate activities for this workstream, based on the ideas, feedback and support of groups and individuals who have expressed support and interest in engaging and potentially delivering cultural projects; there will be links with the formal education programme as it is anticipated that there are opportunities to work with schools and colleges within this workstream in particular.

Strategic projects B5: Art in the Landscape B6: The Language of Landscape

Programme C: Physical and Intellectual Access Aim: To enhance physical access opportunities and provide opportunities for learning about the area through interpretation, events and involvement in projects.

6.17

Although already spilt between two distinct access groups – physical and intellectual – we have felt it helpful to devise workstreams within these general groupings to reflect the nature of the project management, potential funding and delivery management. This Programme delivers both ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ outputs, and will be delivered by a range of partners, CAVLP staff and volunteers. There are close links with Programme B, whilst there is considerable potential to support formal training activities within Programme D. Learning projects are likely to be led by, or require input from professionals, and within the learning activities there will be some commissioned work in support of volunteer effort.

Outcomes C(i): That local people and visitors to the area have the opportunity to access, enjoy and understand the landscape from all villages and settlements within and around the Landscape Partnership area on routes free from vehicular traffic C(ii): All key attractions within the Landscape Partnership area are recognised focal points for learning about and exploring the Landscape Partnership area, and are linked by a network of routes that provide opportunities for experiencing, viewing and understanding the landscape C(iii): At every stage, all local people and visitors will be encouraged to engage with the website for information and communication purposes to reminisce about their experience, read about stories of days gone by, and identify what opportunities there are to experience the landscape now.

Alternative transport will also be encouraged where appropriate throughout the Landscape Partnership area to ensure local

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people and visitors really experience the landscape first hand C(iv): All sectors of the community have the opportunity to learn more about all aspects of their local history and culture through a variety of events and learning opportunities C(v): The cultural importance and scenic value of structures and buildings in the landscape to the historical and cultural past of the Landscape Partnership area is understood and appreciated by both communities and visitors C(vi): A range of interpretative information that assists understanding about the contribution that local people and places have made to national and local culture and traditions

Workstream C1 6.18

IMPROVING ACCESS WITHIN RESERVES

Paths, signs and access improvements within Reserves have been provided with a dedicated workstream to assist partners in planning their delivery, and to reflect the likely match funding source from SRDP. The access improvements will complement the woodland management, and it is likely that path work will be undertaken in close synergy with timber extraction activities under Programme A. The work will be managed by partners responsible for each of the Reserves and will be phased over a number of years of the CAVLP programme. Funding for year 1 access improvements will be determined in September 2011.

Strategic Projects C1: Falls of Clyde path and signage improvement C2: Garrion Gill path and signage improvement C3: Lower Nethan Gorge path and signage improvement C4: Upper Nethan Gorge path and signage improvement C5: Chatelherault path and signage improvement C6: Cleghorn and Cartland path and signage improvement To be developed:

Mauldslie path and signage improvement Baron’s Haugh path and signage improvement New Lanark Woodlands path and signage improvement

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Workstream C2 ATTRACTIONS 6.19

ACCESSING FEATURES AND

It is intended to define a programme of priority routes through closer engagement with local people, and the focus of effort for the first delivery year will be in assimilating information that has been provided and developing the volunteer resource who could assist in undertaking the work. There is also potential within this workstream to provide training opportunities for certificated training courses. Work will be managed by the CAVLP community engagement officer, who will work closely with Council Access officers to deliver activities under the strategic projects identified.

Strategic projects C7 : Walkway links C8: Wider links

Workstream C3 6.20

TRAVELLING THROUGH TIME

The development year studies have identified a number of features of historical and/or cultural interest that would benefit from creation of or improvement to paths from existing settlements or visitor attractions. These are quite distinct from paths within Workstream 1, and will require not only match funding from a broader range of sources, but also could be delivered by volunteers or communities. Many routes may also be defined by communities, who have already provided information to CAVLP about routes they walk locally; feedback has also indicated that walking activities could be enhanced by provision of information about the heritage through which routes pass. The provision of information on routes, including restoration of old traditional paths and tracks, will have close synergies with Programme B.

Strategic Projects C9: Historic Trails C10 : Access monitoring

Workstream C4 6.21

UNDERSTANDING THE LANDSCAPE

All learning activity has been included within this workstream, with strategic projects reflecting the parallel activities related to working with schools and with the wider community. The formal education element is being led by SNH but is being driven by a working group of teachers from both Councils. The aim of this work is to generate learning support materials, but also to develop a network of ‘champions’ within the teaching staff who will assist colleagues to access CAVLP as a learning resource. Learning support materials are also likely to be of interest to the wider community. In addition, CAVLP will help support a Grounds for Learning project aimed at promoting the value of orchards in local primary schools, and supporting the development of small orchards within school grounds.

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6.22

The ‘working with communities’ project envisages the delivery of events and themed activities and days that will provide information to communities in an informal way, whilst a number of interpretative activities will provide information for local communities and visitors about the culture and history of the CAVLP area. The CAVLP ranger, assisted by rangers from partner Reserves is likely to play a major role in delivering projects within this workstream.

Strategic Projects C11: Working with Schools C12: Working with Communities

Programme D:Training Aims: To provide a suite of heritage skills and community group management training opportunities.

6.23

This Programme is concerned with the delivery of certificated training and the development of skills amongst landowners to help them maintain their land.

Outcomes D(i): A greater proportion of the local population has developed and learned new skills relevant to the understanding and care for the landscape D(ii): Representatives from all community groups are equipped with skills to assist run, manage and sustain successful community groups that will continue to develop, grow and thrive after completion of the Landscape Partnership programme D(iii): Skills training supports the development and delivery of projects within the Landscape Partnership programme

Workstream D1

SAVE OUR SKILLS

6.24

The aim of the training is to improve employability within target groups, mainly young unemployed, with a view to providing a pool of suitably trained people who could implement projects within this programme and ensure a local workforce suitable to undertake work under contract to landowners. The training schemes will be delivered by a partner with experience of running such course, and for which accreditation from various organisations has already been obtained. It is also intended that the development of a skilled workforce could assist the development of social enterprises, ensuring the community benefits of training in the longer term.

6.25

Community growing projects will be aimed at supporting community groups to grow their own food, and in particular will equip community members to manage community orchards and allotments that may support community businesses or supply other social enterprise companies within the CAVLP area.

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Strategic Projects D1: Employability Training D2: Community Growing Training

Individual Projects 6.26

Individual Projects sheets showing activities are discussed further in Chapter 8, where the activities comprising the Year 1 delivery programme are listed, together with a timeline showing the annual sum of activities for 2012, including Year 1 projects.

The Project/Activity SHEETS 6.27

The Programmes, Workstreams, and Strategic Projects for the LCAP are set out in Table 6.1 below; these will remain constant and unchanged for the duration of the Scheme. Project sheets were submitted by Partners, community groups and others and these were grouped according to the Strategic project to which they relate. These have been assigned numbers and also included in the table.

6.28

The Scheme plan is focussed on the delivery and management of the Strategic projects described above. The Strategic Projects within each Programme will feature across all delivery years and provide a constant framework for shaping and informing the specific outputs of the project sheets, the method of delivery and the most appropriate match funding stream. It will allow us to shape activities around outputs to ensure that the contribution that activities make to the delivery of the LCAP vision can be maximised wherever possible. Strategic Projects will also be the key vehicle for budget control, allowing an appropriate level of budgetary overview without the over-complication of managing specific activities on a day-to-day basis. It also allows selection of good ideas from project sheets to be developed with the delivery partner without undue limitations on the costs provided, which can be adjusted by exploring the most efficient means of delivery.

6.29

All projects selected for implementation will be governed by the following general principles to ensure that the Vision and Management Strategy is delivered.

6.30

Project sheets follow the format recommended by HLF, and provide a description of the project as a whole. Whilst allowing work to be seen in terms of outputs, annual activities and estimated costs, the sheets do not support consideration of potential delivery mechanisms and the impact this may have on project planning and costing.

6.31

It has been very difficult, therefore, to reflect not only how each project will deliver across the whole range of LCAP Programmes, but also to describe the nature of development work that would be required to support activity required to allow that crossProgramme activity to occur. For example, where some outputs could be delivered by volunteers, there is a dependence on activities and included within Programme B to establish the volunteer resource, suitably trained, to deliver the work. Equally, the success 84

of the volunteer programme is dependent on sufficient activity and opportunities being made available for volunteers to participate in, and recruiting sufficient volunteers to deliver the physical output.

6.32

We have invited all partners, members of community groups and other interested people to propose projects that will contribute towards achieving the outcomes of CAVLP. Overall, we have received over 80 project sheets outlining projects and ideas that would help attain the outcomes we had set - too many to manage individually and so they had to be organised and managed in a more strategic way. From these sheets, the strategic projects were informed and populated as described above.

6.33

The individual projects submitted to CAVLP have been included in support of this application to demonstrate the interest expressed in the project and the range of potential activities that could be incorporated within the LCAP programme, dependent on funding and a credible means of delivery. The sheets named in the table below can be found in the annex to this document, with sheets for projects to be implemented in year 1 within the following chapter.

6.34

Project Briefs where they have been provided can be found on CD 2 under the appropriate Programme as follows: Programme A (Programme A.pdf) Programme B (Programme B.pdf) Programme C (Programme C.pdf) Programme D (Programme D.pdf) Programme E (Programme E.pdf)

Project evaluation 6.35

6.36

Project sheets received were reviewed by CAVLP staff and the Steering group. Projects were considered for: •

fit against the vision

•

significance of contribution to the programme outcomes

•

the nature of the outputs

•

linkage to other projects

•

potential for collaborative working

•

potential to engage volunteers or the wider community

•

potential to support training team activity

We also have a clear idea of projects likely to be supported by the community through participation should opportunities be presented.

At present, some ideas and projects that have been submitted have not been considered in sufficient detail to enable all selection criteria to be met. This does not preclude future inclusion in the LCAP scheme; where ideas are supported by the community and can obtain match funding, effort will be made over the coming months and through the first delivery year to develop the concept further. In some cases, there are dependencies on other work 85

programmed for the first delivery year that need to be in place before the idea can be implemented; successful staff development work within Programmes B and D in particular, will play a significant part in shaping the future activities programmed beyond Year 1.

6.37

Those suggesting projects were asked to provide as much information about their proposal as they could; it was not always possible to provide accurate estimates, particularly where projects or some operations within projects were not intended to be undertaken in Year 1. It was also necessary at this stage to provide costs based on commercial rates due to the uncertainty of securing sufficient volunteer time at this stage of planning.

6.38

The following table shows all of the projects that were submitted for inclusion in the LCAP, grouped according to Programme and Strategic Project, from which year 1 projects were selected.

Locations for projects are shown on Figure 6.1

86

Table 6.1: Full Project List Programme

Project Code

Title

A

WORKSTREAM: MANAGING NNR AND RESERVES A1

Falls of Clyde Wildlife Reserve Enhancement

A2

Garrion Gill Wildlife Reserve Enhancement

A3

Lower Nethan Gorge Wildlife Reserve Enhancement

A4

Upper Nethan Gorge: Wildlife Reserve Enhancement

A5

Chatelherault: Wildlife Reserve Enhancement A5.1

Managing the Heritage Resource: Chatelherault

A5.2

Chatelherault: Woodland Management

A6

CC&CG: Wildlife Resere Enhancement A6.1

Cleghorn Glen and Cartland Craigs: Habitat Management

A6.2

Cartland Craigs NNR: Boundary Eutrophication

A6.3

Cleghorn Glen and Cartland Craigs: Wildlife / Habitat Surveys

A7

Mauldslie: Wildlife Reserve Enhancement A7.1

Managing the Heritage Resource: Mauldslie Wood

A7.2

Mauldslie Woods: Woodland Management Demonstrations

A8

RSPB Barons Haugh Reserve: Wildlife Enhancement

A9

Setting the Scene: New Lanark Woodland Enhancement

WORKSTREAM: SUPPORTING SUCCESSFUL STEWARDSHIP A10

Designs in the Landscape A10.1

Designs in the Landscape

A10.2

Agricultural Landscape: Boundaries

A10.3

Dalzell Estate: Woodland Management

A11

Reviving the Clyde Valley Orchards A11.1

Reviving the Clyde Valley Orchards: Research to Develop the Knowledge Base

A11.2

Reviving the Clyde Valley Orchards: Enterprise Development

WORKSTREAM: BUILDINGS FEATURES AND STRUCTURES A12

Structures and Features A12.1

Kirkyard Conservation

A12.2

Chatelherault: Replacement/Repair of White Bridge

A12.3

Network Bridge Inspection Programme

A13

Uncovering the Past A13.1

Cartland Craigs: Archaeological Investigation of Castle Qua

A13.2

Capturing our Industrial, Horticultural and Agricultural Past

A14

Viewpoints and Landmarks A14.1

Corra Linn Viewpoint

A14.2

Falls of Clyde: Features Restoration 87

Programme

Project Code

Title A14.3

Falls of Clyde Heritage Review

A14.4

North Lodge Bridge, New Lanark

A15

Villages and farmsteads A15.1

Conservation Area Character Appraisals

A15.2

Building Surveys

WORKSTREAM: BIODIVERSITY IN THE LANDSCAPE A16

Aliens and Natives A16.1

Invasive Species: Monitoring and Control

A16.2

Biological Recording and Monitoring

A17

B

Rivers of Life: Avon Water Millheugh Fish Pass

WORKSTREAM: SUPPORTING VOLUNTEERS B1

Training: Groups and Volunteers B1.1

Community Training

B1.2

Training: Biological Recording Skills

B1.3

Training: Invasive species Identification and Survey

B2

Volunteer support and management B2.1

Reviving the Clyde Valley Orchards: Publication

B2.2

Reviving the Clyde Valley Orchards: Community Engagement

B2.3

Reviving the Clyde Valley Orchards: CVOG Capacity Building

B2.4

Community Growing Project

B2.5

Lesmahagow Community Allotment and Orchard

B2.6

Heritage Skills Training for Hard to Reach Groups

WORKSTREAM: CAVLP MEMORY BANK B3

The Cultural Resource Centre B3.1

Virtual Museum

B3.2

Cultural Hub

B4

Mapping our cultural past B4.1

Putting Clydesdale on the Map

B4.2

Training: Researching Historical Archives

B4.3

How We Lived: Oral History

WORKSTREAM:THE INSPIRING LANDSCAPE B5

Art in the Landscape B5.1

Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Exhibition

B5.2

Flora Watch: Teaching, Mentoring, and Observing the Natural World

B5.3

Camera Obscura

B5.4

Art Competitions and Events

B5.5

Landscape Painting and Art History Study Courses at New Lanark 88

Programme

C

Project Code

Title

B6

The Language of Landscape B6.1

Clyde Valley Folk Festival

B6.2

Songwriting: From Clyde to Avon

B6.3

Landscape in the Local Dialect

B6.4

Writing Competitions and Events

WORKSTREAM: IMPROVING ACCESS WITHIN NNRs C1

Falls of Clyde: Wildlife Reserve Access

C2

Garrion Gill: Wildlife Reserve Access

C3

Lower Nethan Gorge: Paths and Signs

C4

Upper Nethan Gorge: Paths and Signs C4.1

Upper Nethan Gorge: Wildlife Reserve Access

C4.2

Nethan Gorge National Nature Reserve: Signage Project in Collaboration with Historic Scotland

C5

Chatelherault: Paths and Signs C5.1

C6

Chatelherault: Restoration of Daurlin’ Ride Cleghorn Glen and Cartland Craigs: Paths and Signs

C6.1

Cleghorn Glen and Cartland Craigs: Access Infrastructure

C6.2

Cleghorn Glen and Cartland Craigs: Access Links

C6.3

Cleghorn Glen (NNR): Creation of Circular Walk

C6.4

Cleghorn Glen (NNR): Upgrade / Replacement of Leithchford Bridge

C6.5

Cartland Bridge:Viewpoint/ Interpretation

WORKSTREAM: IMPROVING ACCESS TO FEATURES AND ATTRACTIONS C7

Walkway Links C7.1

Access: Nethan Walkway

C7.2

Clyde Walkway: Community Link Routes

C7.3

Larkhall: Path from Millheugh to Chatelherault

C8

Wider Links C8.1

Cleghorn Glen and Cartland Craigs: Parking Provision Report

C8.2

Community Centred Transport

WORKSTREAM:TRAVELLING THROUGH TIME C9

C10

Historic Trails C9.1

Trail: Local Heroes

C9.2

Access: Jacob’s Ladder Restoration

C9.3

Trail: Travelling through Time - Routes around Roots Access Monitoring

WORKSTREAM: UNDERSTANDING THE LANDSCAPE 89

Programme

Project Code

Title

C11

Working with Schools C11.1

Formal Education

C11.2

Training: Forest School

C12

D

Working with Communities C12.1

Events, Activities and Promotions

C12.2

Trail: Shaping our Landscape

C12.3

Reviving the Clyde Valley Orchards: Access and Learning

WORKSTREAM: SAVE OUR SKILLS D1

Employability Training

D2

Community Orchard Training

90

West Lothian

North Lanarkshire ! (

! (

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36

Local Authority Boundary LCAP Boundary

34 ! ( 20

37

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35 ! ( 17

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23

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2

9

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13

40

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6

South Lanarkshire

! (

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33

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30

Project Locations 1. Falls of Clyde projects 2. Garrion Gill projects 3. Lower Nethan Gorge projects 4. Upper Nethan Gorge projects 5. Kirkyard Conservation 6. Kirkyard Conservation 7. Kirkyard Conservation 8. Kirkyard Conservation 9. Avon Water Millheugh Fish Pass 10 . Castle Qua 11. Cartland Craigs projects 12. Cartland Craigs and Cleghorn Glen projects 13. Mauldslie Woods: wood management 14. Jacob's Ladder 15. Cartland Bridge signs 16. Cleghorn Glen: bridge 17. Chatelherault: White bridge 18 . Chatelherault: Daurlin' Ride 19 . Chatelherault: Daurlin' Ride 20. Chatelherault: woodland management 21. Chatelherault: link to Larkhall Millheugh 22. Hill of Orchard 23. Stewartbank Orchard 24. The Braes Orchard 25 . Byrewood 26. Arthurs Craig 27. Hurleywells 28. Alderbank 29. Beechwood 30. New Lanark WHS 31. Corra Linn Viewpoint, Falls of Clyde 32. Bonnington Iron Bridge, Falls of Clyde 33. Metal bridge, Upper Nethan Gorge Wildlife Reserve 34. Landslips on 3 paths at Chatelherault Country Park 35. The White Bridge, Chatelherault Country Park 36. The Belhaven Mausoleum, Cambusnethan Auld Kirkyard 37. Horsley Brae footpath, Overtown to Law. 38. North Lodge Bridge, New Lanark 39. Lanark 40. Rosebank 41. Dalserf 42. Glassford 43 . Hallbar Tower 44. Lesmahagow

21

! (

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Project Locations

18 19

Clyde and Avon Valley LCAP

39

8

38 ! ( ! (! (

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2

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32

Figure 6.1

44

5 Km

Reproduced from Ordnance Survey digital map data Š Crown copyright 2011. All rights reserved. Licence number 100020730.

Map Scale @ A3:1:65,000 LUCGL 5140-005-r1_ Project Locations_Figure 6_1 18/08/2011

91

7 Costs and Funding

1

7 Costs and Funding Project Costs 7.1

Although costs were provided on most project sheets, not all costs for projects intended to be implemented beyond year 1 have been tested or reviewed. Nor have these costs been used to inform the overall Scheme budget, which is ultimately set by the budget parameters provided at the Stage 1 application stage. There is therefore a cap on activity set in the following manner: •

The overall Scheme cost will be limited to the cost estimated at Stage 1

•

The Programme costs will be limited to the cost estimated at Stage 1

•

The workstream costs will be limited to the costs estimated at Stage 1. There is sufficient detail within our Stage 1 preparatory material to create workstream budgets based on the general description of effort contained within the application form

•

The strategic project costs will be the key budget management and monitoring tool, allowing some degree of flexibility within the workstream budget

•

The activity costs indicated on each project sheet submitted will be reviewed and revised according to available match funding and the delivery mechanism, however in overall terms, the activities as a whole and in total will be capped by the strategic project budget indicated in the Scheme Plan.

7.2

The approach above allows us flexibility in considering future projects, within a certainty about the output meeting our strategic objectives. Programmes, workstreams and strategic projects will, however remain fixed over the LCAP period; project sheets will detail the actions that will be planned for and undertaken annually and where the flexibility will lie.

7.3

Spreadsheets setting out the costs for programmes, workstreams and individual projects across the delivery years have been provided separately in spreadsheet format (CAVLP Project Costs.xls), however the table below (Table 7.1) illustrates the projected spend profile for strategic projects within the Scheme.

92

7.4

Budget profiling and management will be undertaken by CAVLP project staff at the strategic project level, however, delivery partners must manage projects that have been detailed within the project sheets and feed in cost details to CAVLP to inform budget management. This is consistent with the roles and responsibilities set out in the CAVLP governance and Partnership Agreement which assigns a role of project manager to all delivery partners.

FUNDING SOURCES 7.5

A.

A funding strategy has been devised to guide the approach that will be taken to seeking appropriate match funding for the projects described in the project sheets. However it is clear that the funding stream targeted can depend on the scale of the project, its location within the CAVLP area, and the intended means of delivery. Some funds are open only to specific groups; some projects may be best managed as part of a larger package that opens up funding streams for more strategic work. In recognition of this, we have identified a number of potential funding sources, based on the broad range of project types that have been presented for inclusion in the LCAP. Potential sources are listed below.

Nationally Managed Funds

WAIT Woodlands In and Around Towns 7.6

7.7

The fund is managed by the Forestry Commission in Scotland and can provide up to 70% of eligible work. There are normally 3 rounds per year, but this is subject to change. The key objectives of the fund are: •

Bringing neglected woodland into management

•

Creating new woodlands

•

Supporting people to use and enjoy their local woods

This is a strategic fund for the Landscape Partnership and funding of £800,000 would be sought over the 4 years of the project for woodlands adjacent to settlements and in particular, is the key target for match funding for work within the Reserves.

F4P: Forestry For People 7.8

The F4P Challenge Fund sits as part of the WIAT programme and is managed by the Forestry Commission in Scotland. This is a Challenge fund and is to help groups realise the potential contribution of local woodlands to the health, learning and strengthening of communities. Eligible work could include production of guidance and advice, contribution towards staff time, feasibility studies and health and education projects. F4P can support education and training material and might also include setting up walking initiatives, natural play areas, establishment of volunteer groups, developing not for profit initiatives such as a green gym etc.

7.9

The fund can support projects from £5,000 to over £70,000 and can fund from 50% to 90% of projects depending on the scale.

95

7.10

This fund is not considered a core fund for the partnership but approximately £50,000 would be sought over the 4 years period to potentially support the CAVLP ranger in working with schools, development of health walks and develop learning materials.

SRDP: Scottish Rural Development Programme 7.11

SRDP is a programme of economic, environmental and social measures, utilising funding from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development plus Scottish Government co-financing. The programme is designed to support rural Scotland from 2007 to 2013. Individuals and groups may seek funding to help deliver the Government’s strategic objectives in rural Scotland.

Rural Development Contracts: Rural Priorities 7.12

Rural Priorities is a competitive mechanism to ensure that contracts are awarded for the proposals which are best able to deliver the agreed regional priorities. These are set out under three broad Axes: •

Axis 1 - improving the business viability and competitiveness of agriculture and forestry by supporting restructuring, development and innovation.

•

Axis 2 – improving biodiversity and the rural landscape by supporting environmental land management.

•

Axis 3 - improving the quality of life in rural areas and encouraging diversification of economic activity.

7.13

There is also a fourth Axis that uses the LEADER approach to deliver local projects across all Axis.

7.14

Rural Priorities provides a substantial range of funding to both individual landowners and collaborative initiatives and the intervention rates vary according to the prescribed activity. Only Axis 2 is currently open for applications and the maximum grant level for Axis 3 has recently been reviewed and is currently £250,000, however this may change in future years.

7.15

Both of the above funding streams have been identified as key in supporting private landowners in management and establishment of hedgerows and woodlands, and to have potential for assisting orchard owners develop better businesses.

LEADER 7.16

The LEADER Programme is the delivery strand of the Scottish Rural Development Programme [SRDP] that promotes community and economic development in rural areas. It contains funds from both the Scottish Government and Europe and promotes a grass-roots approach to community and economic development in rural areas, helping local communities to help themselves. It South Lanarkshire it is delivered by South Lanarkshire Council through the South Lanarkshire Rural Partnership and the Rural Development Trust. It is a discretionary grant fund and has two Action programmes: •

Action One supports local, innovative projects that fit with the SLRP ‘Working Towards Sustainable Rural Communities’ strategy 96

•

Action Two supports joint and collaborative projects with other LEADER groups in Scotland, the UK or Europe.

7.17

£1.98 million is available across South Lanarkshire for the period 2008-2013.

7.18

LEADER has a strong fit both with the strategic objectives of the Landscape Partnership and the community focused bottom-up delivery approach. It is a strategic fund which would contribute to both revenue and capital costs. Future funding rounds will be available in 2012 and the fund has the potential to contribute £100,000 up to the end of 2013 when the current fund will be closed. It is likely that a similar funding programme will be available in the 2014-20 EU funding period.

7.19

This funding stream will be key to supporting community activity, and in particular projects under Programmes B.

SEPA Water Environmental Restoration Fund 7.20

The fund will address physical pressures affecting the water environment. The project should also deliver wider environmental, social and economic benefits.

7.21

Projects can be as simple as planting native bank side vegetation or as complex as a catchment scale process restoration or large dam removal. Other examples include:

7.22

•

restoring natural processes in rivers, lochs or wetlands; engineering works to degraded rivers to restore natural profiles; or, removing or modifying weirs to improve fish passage. It also addresses the control of non-native, invasive bank-side and in-stream plants.

•

Scoping studies to assess costed options for physical restoration works can also be funded.

This fund will be suitable for specific projects such as improving fish passage on the Avon and funding and biodiversity work detailed in Workstream A4, and a total of approximately £75,000 will be sought from this source.

Historic Scotland Volunteer Sector funding 7.23

This fund can support 3rd sector organisations through supporting development of volunteer resources, and training for volunteers. We are also exploring the opportunities to train people in stonework repair that would allow repair to gravestones and stone walls and dykes within CAVLP.

7.24

This fund will be appropriate for training under Programme D and development of our volunteer scheme in Programme B.

Historic Scotland Building repair grant 7.25

This fund can contribute to restoration or conservation of significant architectural buildings at risk and may be appropriate for some of the listed structures within the designed landscapes.

97

Climate Challenge Fund 7.26

The Climate Challenge Fund is currently closed, however we shall maintain a watching brief for re-opening in future. This funding stream has the potential to provide both capital and revenue support for projects that reduce carbon footprints, including local food production. Orchards would be particularly suited to this funding source.

Community Jobs Fund 7.27

The fund is a successor to the Community Jobs fund and is managed by the SCVO and links to the local 3rd sector support agencies such as VASLAN. The scheme would pay for the employment and training of a young person for 6 months work experience.

7.28

This may be an opportunity for the partnership to develop the job and training elements of the programme. This is not assessed as a key funding opportunity for the partnership at this stage and no match funding is currently anticipated to be available, however this may change in future and the situation will be kept under review.

Creative Scotland 7.29

Creative Scotland has 15 funding programmes, many of which may be helpful to deliver projects across the range of LCAP Programmes.

Most relevant are: •

Access: a fund that which can provide between £10,000 £50,000 for projects which increase the audience to the arts, they are specifically interested in new partnerships and other sectors, especially when delivering a project that will work with under-participating groups. The projects must include, or engage with, high quality artistic activity.

•

Cultural Economy: £2,000,000 fund available to grow the cultural economy by building long term organisational and financial resilience for the cultural sector.

•

Innovations Fund: a £1,000,000 fund which will invest in distinctive and engaging work that will support the development of the Creative Industries and foster innovation in Scotland

•

Cashback for communities: £750,000 fund for local project based Arts activities.

•

Creative Scotland is a relatively new organisation and a number of funding streams have only been launched over the past few months. Funding from Creative Scotland is very complex, and some detailed consideration of an approach will be required as the LCAP projects must align with the funding requirements of both Councils and wider culture and arts programmes within their respective administrative areas. Nonetheless, funding from Creative Scotland is seen as the best means of supporting development of projects within Programme B, and also potentially Programme C. The intention is to develop a Culture and Arts strategy in 98

conjunction with South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture Trust and preparing applications over the next six months.

7.30

B.

The following funding streams are not considered to be core external funding sources for projects within the LCAP, however they may be suitable for project- specific funding, especially for partners such as community groups and schools. We are also aware of the newly-launched Young Roots funding stream that is has not been possible to asses fully as yet.

•

The Big Lottery: The Big Lottery has 29 active programmes in Scotland 4 of which may be able to fund projects around the partnership.

•

Awards for All: community groups and schools for equipment, trips training up to £10,000 in any 1 year.

•

Community Spaces: This is a £9m fund which can assist projects lead by communities which would improve the appearance, functionality, accessibility, effectiveness and sustainability of local spaces and places (including buildings).

•

Growing Community Assets: This is a large fund which will support community groups in owning and developing assets in the community such as land, buildings, orchards, and woodlands that will make communities more self-reliant and sustainable in the long term.

•

Investing in Ideas: A fund aimed at community groups which can provide up to £10,000 for the preparation of detailed plans and surveys for proposed projects. This would include business plans and building surveys.

•

LIFE + This is EU funding has 3 funding strands; most applicable to the Landscape Partnership is LIFE+ Nature and Biodiversity, the principal objective of which is to protect, conserve, restore, monitor and facilitate the functioning of natural systems, natural habitats, wild flora and fauna. The aim of the programme is to halt the loss of biodiversity, including diversity of genetic resources, within the EU. This fund can contribute 50% to projects and there is one opportunity to apply annually. Managing a second complex and substantial funding programme could prove difficult to manage within current CAVLP team and partner resources, therefore no assumption of funding has been made at this time; however, the potential for this fund to provide continuity of activity beyond the LCAP timescale has been identified and it may be appropriate to consider an application within years 3 or 4 of the current Scheme in order to maximise the benefits of LCAP work delivered.

Regional or Locally Managed Funds

REF Renewable Energy Fund 7.31

The fund consists of community benefit funding from South Lanarkshire wind-farm developments and is managed by South Lanarkshire Council. It can contribute up to 50% to eligible projects, 99

however currently only capital costs are eligible for support.

Relevant objectives that are a good fit with delivery of the LCAP Vision include:

7.32

•

To create employment, implement training and to promote or secure sustainable development.

•

To preserve protect or enhance the environment or heritage of Scotland including any building.

•

To promote and encourage environmental improvement or enhancement including the provision or upgrading of infrastructure.

•

To provide or assist in the provision of facilities for recreation or other leisure time activities.

•

To advance education and other social purposes beneficial to an eligible community

The REF will be a significant source of funding for projects over the 4 year period and therefore it is intended to develop a strategic funding plan that can be submitted that will allow individual projects to be assessed against that plan. It is anticipated that £250,000 could be available for LCAP projects

North Lanarkshire Environmental Key Fund Main grants Programme 7.33

The vision of the Environmental Key Fund is that it will be the key driver for community regeneration across North Lanarkshire by providing an accessible grant scheme which can address local need as well as stimulate and add value to wider community and environmental initiatives.

7.34

This scheme provides grants of between £10,000 and £30,000 to projects which either:

7.35

•

remediate contaminated land or water

•

reduce or mitigate the effects of pollution

•

provide or improve a park or other public amenity for leisure or recreational purposes

•

conserve biodiversity at a specific site

•

maintain, repair or restore a place of worship or building of historical or architectural significance

This fund will only fund projects within North Lanarkshire and will be used primarily to prepare a Flagship project – the restoration of the historic Jacob’s Ladder. A funding application for £20,000 will be made by the required deadline of early September to allow work to proceed early in the first delivery year.

North Lanarkshire Environmental Key Fund Flagship grants Programme 7.36

The programme has the same aims and objectives as the Main grants programme, with one award date each year. The programme 100

provides funding of between £100,000 and £150,000 for ‘flagship’ initiatives that promote ‘transformational’ change which: •

leads to significant and measurable social, economic or environmental enhancement as part of a strategic master plan or wider regeneration initiative;

•

acts as a catalyst for sustainable investment in communities across North Lanarkshire; or

•

drives forward new and best practices and promotes innovation, knowledge and expertise

7.37

Projects eligible for funding under this scheme must also be focused on the objectives of the Main Grant Programme, above, and will provide up to 50% of total project costs.

7.38

This is a priority fund from which the partnership would seek to secure £120,000 for work within North Lanarkshire. It would be appropriate for Reserves, estates and kirkyards/mausoleums that are projects identified within Programme A as well as the restoration of historic routes and trails.

Central Scotland Green Network 7.39

The fund is intended to support the development and implementation of early projects delivering the Green Network on the ground. Funds are available 100% of eligible capital and revenue costs.

7.40

This is a significant strategic fund which would contribute to revenue costs. Future funding rounds are projected for 2012 and the Partnership will seek funding of approximately £100,000.

VIRIDOR landfill tax Credits 7.41

7.42

The Fund is managed by Future Balance and will fund projects up to £30,000 for Environmental improvements and up to 75% of any individual project. The Eligible criteria which will assist the Clyde and Avon Valley project are: •

The provision, maintenance or improvement of public amenities and parks, which are open and accessible to the public and/or which are for the purposes of biodiversity.

•

The maintenance, repair or restoration of a building which is of historic or architectural interest and is open and accessible to the public.

The Viridor fund is only eligible for part of the Landscape Partnership area and would be applied to for specific projects it could contribute approximately £120,000 over the 4 year period.

101

WREN and BIFFA Landfill tax credits 7.43

Similar to VIRIDOR both these funds are eligible in only a sector of to fund part of the Landscape Partnership area. WREN can fund environmental projects in North Lanarkshire and BIFFA can fund projects near Hamilton.

7.44

Neither of these funds is assessed as priorities, however they may be appropriate for individual projects or activities emerging from work developed over year 1 and for implementation and delivery from year 2 onwards.

CEMEX Community Fund 7.45

The Fund will support environmental improvement projects within 3 miles of Lanark up to a maximum of £15,000.

7.46

This is not currently assessed as a significant fund for the project but funding of up to£15,000 may be sought over the 4 year project for specific projects as above.

Landtrust 7.47

The fund is a further Landfill tax credit fund which may be appropriate for environmental improvement projects up to £50,000 specifically in parts of the partnership area closer to Larkhall and Lesmahagow.

7.48

This is not currently assessed as a significant fund for the partnership however it may be suitable for specific projects that may be developed within year 1.

South Lanarkshire Aggregates Fund 7.49

South Lanarkshire Council manages a small fund received from aggregate quarries primarily located in rural Clydesdale. This fund can contribute to environmental improvement projects covering some of the partnership area.

7.50

This is not currently assessed as a significant fund for the partnership however it may be suitable for specific projects that may be developed within year 1.

7.51

For a summary of potential match funding sources, please see Chapter 07 CAVLP Project Costs.xls.

Accessing appropriate funding 7.52

The organisational status of our Partner organisations allows us to access many sources of funding that are not open to public sector bodies. Where appropriate, a lead partner will be agreed to make applications on behalf of the partnership to funding streams open only to third sector organisations, trusts, and NGOs. Applications to larger funding bodies, such as European funding, will be managed by public sector partners who have both experience in making such applications and where cash flow and managing larger sums are important considerations for those making awards. CAVLP will also seek to partner and support community organisations to identify the most appropriate funding stream for their project; this means 102

that some projects may be developed and delivered with minimal HLF funding support, yet the outputs will help to achieve the outcomes and LCAP aspirations.

7.53

Both North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire Councils have undertaken to provide the support and assistance of their External funding officers to the Partnership. Officers will assist the project team and partner organisations identify the best-fit funding stream for the project they wish to undertake. Projects will be developed first and funding sought to suit, rather than identifying funding sources and fitting a project around the relevant criteria.

7.54

In addition, RDT have considerable experience of assisting community groups to source and make applications to awardmaking bodies. RDT also brings considerable experience of funding and advising small businesses. Where projects are brought forward by communities and organisations within the partnership area, assistance and advice can be offered to help source match funding for HLF funds that may be awarded. In this way, CAVLP will be helping to build capacity and skills within the community which will help sustain the work of the LP in the longer term beyond the period of the Partnership.

7.55

Throughout the development year, CAVLP operated a Partner Grant Scheme, a procedure for drawing down funds from the Scheme for projects identified for the development year. This has proven to be successful and has allowed CAVLP staff to ensure that project outputs and costs are recorded and agreed. It is proposed to continue this system into the delivery years, with the addition of further conditions related to the need to secure outputs across a range of LCAP Programmes. The documentation currently used in this process, together with the added conditions can be found in the supporting documentation.

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8 Implementation

1

8 Implementation Delivery Management 8.1

Throughout the development year, the governance of CAVLP has been consistent with the proposals contained within the Stage 1 application. This format has worked well for the Partnership however a few changes are proposed for the delivery years to reflect experience to date and the proposed increase in the number of projects to be delivered annually.

8.2

The Decision-making process and structure will be as operated throughout the development year, with the Project Board taking key strategic decisions on advice from both the Steering Group and the Project Manager. Decision-making shall be delegated by the Board to the delivery partner, the Project Manager and the Steering Group in line with current delegation guidelines, and that reflect the responsibility level of project staff.

8.3

The Scheme will be run, managed and organised in line with PRINCE techniques; all project Board/Steering group/Project employees will have roles and responsibilities as defined by PRINCE project management principles and guidelines. This has been reflected in the roles and responsibilities related to the Partnership Agreement.

The Partnership Agreement 8.4

A new Agreement has been drawn up to reflect the responsibilities of the LCAP delivery years. This revised agreement has also taken into account the need to combine a commitment to the delivery of the Scheme as a whole, yet retain a degree of flexibility that will allow new partners to join, and current partners to review commitment as may be required to take account of changes in national policy and changing economic environment. The partnership has also been formed against a background of change within the public sector that must be accommodated and managed as a key risk to the Scheme as a whole.

8.5

The format adopted builds key principles of commitment to assisting delivery of the LCAP into the formal terms, whilst allowing partners to specify contributions they pledge to support the Scheme in a bespoke statement of contribution that will be included as a schedule to the main agreement. This format will also allow the addition of new partners as the LCAP moves through the delivery period when it may be desirable to seek new partners, particularly those engaged in the voluntary and community sectors.

Alignment with Community Planning and other Structures 8.6

It is proposed to retain links with the Community Planning Partnerships in each local authority area as in the past. The Landscape Partnership Board will continue to report progress to the South Lanarkshire Rural Partnership. There are opportunities for closer alignment with the current LEADER Programme through the Rural Development Trust; this is explained in further detail below.

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Landscape Partnership Board 8.7

The LP Board will oversee the development and delivery of the LP vision and direct development and delivery accordingly to ensure the desired outcomes are achieved. The LP board provides the strategic direction and also makes the decisions on the direction of the programme.

8.8

Representation on the Board will continue as at present in the first instance, with six members from Central Scotland Forest Trust, The Rural Development Trust, North Lanarkshire Council, Scottish Natural Heritage, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and two members from and South Lanarkshire Council, with an elected representative of SLC currently taking the Chair. The position of Chair will be reviewed for the delivery years, with a view to an annual rotation of Chairperson.

8.9

The Board will meet every 2 months and make decisions on relevant business to consider papers and other strategic matters presented by the Programme Manager and to direct the work of the steering group. We consider that there is scope for additional representation either from the community or voluntary sector and this will be reviewed should we be successful in obtaining approval to commence LCAP delivery.

LP Steering Group 8.10

We intend to continue the current membership and meeting arrangements for the steering group forward to the delivery years.

The current LP Steering Group will continue to operate between August and December 2011 as work on delivering projects delayed or postponed from the development year are completed, and it is intended to make use of this period to prepare further for implementation from 2012 onwards.

8.11

The Steering Group will continue to meet four-weekly for the foreseeable future and be chaired on an annual rotating basis. The steering group will be directed by the LP Board and will report progress and seek approval from the LP Board on developments.

The steering group will be responsible for managing and influencing the development of annual action plans and approving partner-led project proposals. Steering group members will continue to be expected to make a positive contribution to the delivery of the LP Scheme as a whole through providing advice, support and assistance on topics where they have particular expertise, and are likely to be the project managers for partner projects that will be implemented through the LCAP programme.

8.12

The CAVLP team will be responsible for providing administrative support services, facilities for meetings of the Steering Group and, at its discretion, for meetings of working groups.

8.13

A balance between private, voluntary and public sector organisations will be maintained on the steering group to reflect the Partnership membership. It had been intended to augment the steering group complement with additional voluntary sector representatives however this has been a challenge. Having found such a large 105

number groups operating independently, it would be difficult to select one or two who could realistically represent groups as a whole.

8.14

Although there has been no change to organisations represented on the steering group over the year, personnel have changed from time to time. Membership currently comprises 11 officer representatives, one from each of the 10 partners highlighted above, and two from SLC. A representative from South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture Trust also attends meetings, however the Trust as yet have not officially joined the partnership and this will be considered should stage 2 funding be confirmed.

8.15

Further, it is desirable to consider obtaining similar commitment from supporting partners such as NHS Trust and employment bodies, who have expressed strong interest in the project as a means of providing volunteer opportunities for their client groups.

Working Groups 8.16

The use of sub-groups throughout the development year proved an effective way of improving communication between partner organisations and helped to develop more rounded project specifications and outputs for development year projects. It is proposed that working groups will continue to be a feature of the delivery years not only because it can be a very efficient way of working, but also because it provides learning opportunities for members and assists in securing quality outputs and end-products.

As before, sub-groups will be convened on an as-needed and taskrelated basis, meeting as frequently as required, and report to the steering group.

8.17

The LP Board may also appoint working groups for the purpose of advising the Steering Group on either topic-based or area-based matters. Working groups shall comprise of any individual within any of the partners or external to the partners as agreed upon.

Workings groups will have clear terms of reference and duration and report to the Steering Group.

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Management Structure Diagram North / South Lanarkshire Council Community Planning Partnership Boards

South Lanarkshire Rural Partnership (SLRP) –Community Planning Theme (meets Quarterly) • LEADER Local Action Group • Rural Strategy • Feeds into CPP board

Landscape Partnership – Board (meets bi-monthly) Chair: rotates every year- drawn from membership Admin: Administrative officer Members: 6- 2 private, 1 voluntary, 3 public Roles and responsibilities • Delivery of LP vision and outcomes • Strategic approval • Directing development and delivery phase • Overall Programme monitoring

Landscape Partnership - Project Team RDT Programme Management & Administration • Employing Staff • Procurement • Managing third party grants • Match funding applications Project Manager- 1FTE • Programme delivery • Project development • Partner Liaison and co-ordination • Project team management • Board and Steering group servicing • Website development and maintenance Community Development officer- 1 FTE • Community engagement • Project development and delivery • PR and Marketing • Project monitoring • Voluntary sector support Projects and Contracts Officer - 1 FTE • Full end to end delivery of professional service and physical work projects • Project planning and monitoring overall progress • Tendering contracts • Monitoring and audit framework Landowner Liaison Officer- 1 FTE • Landowner engagement • Project development and delivery • Project monitoring • Partner and landowner liaison Ranger and Volunteer Co-ordinator- 1 FTE • Promote the use of the CAVLP area • Raise awareness of the CAVLP area • Lead community projects • Co-ordinate volunteer activity • Planning and implementation of projects, interpretation materials and events • Gather information on the CAVLP area Administrative Officer- 1 FTE • Enquiry handling • Development and maintenance of administrative systems • Administration of meetings • Financial monitoring • Secretariat services to Board and steering group • Web site updates • PR and marketing support

Landscape Partnership – Steering Group (meets monthly) Chair: rotates every year- drawn from membership Admin: Administrative officer Members: 10- 4 private, 2 voluntary, 4 public •

Operational development and delivery of LP vision and outcomes

•

Delegated authority for making decisions

•

Processing applications, seeking match funding

•

Project and financial monitoring

•

Directing project officer

Working Groups • • •

As required Topic specific Clear terms of reference

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General principles and administration of all meetings 8.18

All partners will have equal say in management of the fund, project selection, budgets and implementation plan through representation on the Project Board.

8.19

The following guiding principles will be adopted as standard procedures for meetings of the Board, Steering Group and working groups: •

decisions will be made through consensus, however, if this cannot be achieved then decisions will be made by a vote with the Chairperson having a casting vote

•

members of the LP Board and/or Steering Group may request inclusion of items for discussion in meeting agendas

•

agenda items will be agreed by the Chairperson in consultation with partners and Programme Manager

•

the agenda, papers and previous minutes will be distributed 7 days before a meeting

•

agendas, papers and approved minutes of meetings will be made available to the public;

•

minutes shall be kept of all meetings

Roles and responsibilities 8.20

South Lanarkshire Council will be the formal applicant for the Stage 2 Heritage Lottery Fund. As applicant, South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) will be responsible for the overall strategic management of the CAVLP Programme in terms of compliance and financial responsibility and all other roles and responsibilities of Lead Partner as required by HLF will be undertaken by SLC.

8.21

The Rural Development Trust (RDT) will act as the Project Delivery Partner fulfilling the role of host employer for Project Team staff as well as ensuring provision of appropriate office accommodation and day-to-day management support to the Programme Manager and team. The delivery mechanism proposed for the programme builds on experience RDT has accrued in delivering the LEADER Programme, which it has been successfully managing over a number of years using a similar approach both in the current programme and in the former LEADER+ form.

8.22

The key roles for the SLC as Lead Partner will include: •

Overseeing the management of project finances

•

ensuring financial propriety, collation of funds from external sources including other partners in line with approved audit processes and HLF requirements, acting as banker for the Partnership

•

Ensuring appropriate and effective budgeting and accounting systems are in place for the management of the funds within the project through allocation of unique cost centres, codes etc.

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8.23

•

Internal audit and audit support for project funds including provision of annual audit certificate if required

•

Access to procurement, tender preparation advice and contract management support where appropriate

•

The submission of claims to HLF for funds awarded to the project

The key roles for RDT as Delivery Partner will include: •

Employing the project staff

•

Managing the project team

•

Procuring external contracts and contractors

•

Ensuring all necessary financial information is available to enable the Council to meet its audit and compliance requirements in relation to all project funds

•

Ensuring that the relevant information and processes are in place to satisfy the Council and HLF audit requirements

•

Providing accommodation for the project

•

Provision of IT support

•

Purchasing consumables

•

Programme liaison and integration into the South Lanarkshire Rural Partnership

•

Management of third party grants schemes

•

Applications for community based match funding

Operational Requirements 8.24

The Project Board and Steering Group will be supported by the CAVLP Project Team. The team will support the Partners to deliver projects, provide advice and assistance to community groups and partners wishing to develop and implement projects that will deliver Scheme outcomes, and will be responsible for the administration of the Scheme, third party grant application process, and volunteer co-ordination. A key role will be to develop the CAVLP as a hub for provision of information, co-ordination of activity and support volunteers by identifying opportunities and notifying volunteer demand to those delivering projects within the Scheme.

Staffing 8.25

For the Development Year, both the Programme Manager and Community Development Officer were assigned to the CAVLP from SNH and CSFT respectively after an unsuccessful external recruitment exercise. HLF have confirmed that as the terms of the original recruitment were open for extension beyond the Development Year into the Delivery period then a new open recruitment process will not be required for these posts. On this basis, it has been confirmed and agreed that these staff can continue in their current roles up to end March 2012 under the current arrangements.

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8.26

Current administrative and project support staff are also on fixed-term contracts and could continue in current roles without prejudice to HLF recruitment guidelines, however there are similar discussions to be concluded on terms of secondment/release from employers (the post is occupied by two staff at 0.5 FTE each) to enable this.

8.27

It is considered that there will be a risk to project delivery if there is a change in key project staff between the development and delivery phases of the project; discussions regarding continuation of assignments beyond that date are currently taking place, however for the purposes of this application it is assumed that full salary costs will be built into the CAVLP budget from March 2012.

8.28

CSFT are again happy for the Community Development Officer to continue with the current arrangement of 3 days/week on CAVLP work until March 2012. Again, as discussions to extend this arrangement beyond this period are still underway, full salary costs for this post need to be built into Stage 2 project support costs.

8.29

Should satisfactory arrangements not be agreed, an open recruitment process will be required for these posts, together with the additional staff required from March 2012.

8.30

In line with our Stage 1 bid, in addition to the posts above, CAVLP delivery team will include a Landowner Liaison Officer, a Ranger/ Volunteer Co-ordinator and administrative/project support in the staff complement. In light of experience gained in managing a challenging number of contracts and projects together with a need to forward plan for future years, an additional post of Projects and Contracts officer has been considered essential to ensure the successful delivery of the LCAP.

8.31

The CAVLP team have discussed the implications of and impacts on the Scheme budget, and are aware that HLF would prefer Stage 2 bids to be submitted in line with the Stage 1 application. We consider, however, that there is significant risk to the effective delivery of our Programme should we have insufficient capacity to develop and manage our projects, and that this would justify the additional resource within the project team. The additional staff member will be specifically focused on ensuring projects and contracts are delivered efficiently and effectively, to programmes timescales, and within agreed budgets. The post-holder will also provide support for partner organisation in preparing CAVLP contracts and quality assuring tendering processes where HLF funds have been secured to deliver the work.

8.32

Job descriptions for all posts have been included within the supporting material for this application (Programme E.pdf).

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Project Team Structure

RDT Programme Management & Administration

Project Manager

Community Development Officer

Project and Contracts Officer

Landowner Liaison Officer

Ranger/Volunteer Co-ordinator

Administrative Officer

Recruitment 8.33

All posts will be openly recruited in accordance with HLF requirements. Employment will be on a fixed-term contract basis however there will be a need to build in severance costs. It has been confirmed by HLF that this is acceptable and eligible for recovery from HLF.

Consultancy 8.34

Through experience gained over the Development year, it is clear that some workstreams or schemes within the overall Programme may benefit from delivery by external consultants on a daily/ hourly rate. Such an arrangement allows a more flexible approach, ensures specific expertise can be available, and augments the skills of dedicated project team members. Where there may be a requirement for this, RDT would procure the expert advice using Partnership tender processes and be responsible for administration and management of the contracted work. RDT shall ensure that before tendering for provision of any advisory services, that this would not duplicate or replace support and advice already available from CAVLP partner organisations or other existing provisions available to the project team.

Third Party Grant administration 8.35

The proposed implementation programme includes a specific third party grant scheme for Orchards. It is envisaged this will be managed by RDT, in a similar manner to the LEADER schemes, and costs have been built in for this. Further, a grant scheme to address 111

planting and maintaining woodlands and hedgerows for private owners is also under consideration. This would also be managed and administered by RDT and would be based on management grant and agreements currently in place between owners of similar habitats and SNH. However the feasibility of this will depend on likely take-up and success and this requires further exploration with owners given the results of the feedback through the landowner survey that has been recently completed for CAVLP. Office accommodation and overheads 8.36

In terms of an operational office, a satisfactory arrangement can be put in place at 30 Hope Street using the space currently occupied by the LEADER and CAVLP teams, which is currently provided by SNH as a contribution to both projects. SNH have committed to providing the team accommodation through the Partnership Agreement as a contribution to the project. Broadband provision is also currently provided for CAVLP by SNH under the same terms and there is an option to continue this or for the CAVLP team to become part of the RDT network and paid for through the Scheme fund. All project delivery costs for projects, staff and overheads are shown on the following Scheme Costs profile in Chapter 7, and on the supporting excel spreadsheets.

Delivery Programme 8.37

As originally planned, delivery of the Scheme is scheduled over 5 years commencing in 2012. Our delivery programme is concentrated in years, 1, 2 and 3 and as a result costs are front loaded. The peak activity is expected to be in years 2 and 3. This is to ensure the significant projects are completed early to make more of an impact through the programme period and to tie in with match funding source availability in the earlier years. All projects will be completed and invoiced within the five year period, with Scheme evaluation by independent consultants undertaken in that final year.

8.38

The expenditure will be co-ordinated according to LP outcomes and these will be reported against and monitored at each of the steering group and LP board meetings. The success of match funding will be monitored closely at both steering group and Board meetings to ensure that all outcomes are afforded equal weighting over the period of the programme and that the vision is delivered.

8.39

The general approach to phasing delivery was reviewed over the development year, which indicates the following general pattern of activity: •

Significant woodland management works: years 1&2

•

Significant woodland footpath works: years 2&3

•

Working with private landowners: year 1

•

Woodland and hedgerow creation and management: years 2-4

•

Orchard support and development: years 1-4

•

Building and structure restoration: years 2-4 112

•

Community activities and learning: years 1-4

•

Link paths and historic routes: years 2-4

•

Review of training needs vs training demand, including tender for training providers: year 1

•

Employability training schemes: years 2-4

Year 1 Programme 8.40

A programme that indicates CAVLP staff tasks, intended community engagement events and an implementation programme for partnermanaged activities as described in the project sheets is provided in Year 1 Activity Plan.xls, and are listed in Table 8.1 below. An indication of constraints to activity has also been provided to indicate the limitations due to seasonality, holiday periods and other factors that need to be taken into account in order to minimise risks to delivery and ensure that outputs and activities are not overly-optimistic.

8.41

Year 1 Project Information contain details of risks, phasing, main and ancillary outputs that will be managed by the project sheet author.

Year 1 Project information can be found on CD2.

Year 1 activity 8.42

Programme A activity focuses major capital expenditure on woodland and designated sites owned by partner organisations.

This provides the opportunity to begin without delay; work on private land shall be phased in from year 2 onwards as this can only successfully be progressed once HLF funding has been secured.

Work will be funded from SRDP and WIAT funding streams and applications to Forestry Commission are currently in preparation with anticipated grant rates of between 55% and 75%. This is under discussion with FC. HLF funds will be used as match, however it is intended that some work identified within the applications is undertaken by training teams and/or volunteers, which should reduce the capital required. HLF funds may, however, be needed to support both volunteers and training, but this is likely to be through revenue or indirectly through delivery of projects within Programmes B and D of the LCAP.

8.43

Programme B activity will be led by the CAVLP Community Engagement Officer as activity within this programme involves engaging communities and volunteers in the delivery of the scheme.

This will require substantial community outreach and publicity work to inspire and encourage people to get involved. A significant amount of outreach work has been undertaken throughout the development year to explore community needs and aspirations for

113

the area and to identify individuals and groups who are able and willing, with additional support, to work with the partnership and help deliver projects within their communities. The projects in this programme have been developed through close discussion with active and interested community and client-based support groups.

8.44

First year activity will focus on continuing to work with this audience to increase confidence and capacity but also raising awareness of the CAVLP through publicity, community focused outreach events, workshops, presentations and volunteering taster sessions to engage the wider community and encourage volunteers to engage in a wide range of projects. Effort will also be invested in strengthening links with under-represented audiences including young people and individuals with enduring health problems. A volunteer support scheme will be developed that will include engagement with the health service to mainstream ‘social prescribing’ and activity for physical and mental health and wellbeing and will also involve young people engaged in the Prince’s Trust Programme

8.45

Programme C activities are heavily dependent on CAVLP staff undertaking more detailed consultations with local communities and these are anticipated to occupy most of year 1, in conjunction with activities in Programme B. A number of training ‘taster sessions’ will be delivered in the first year, including basic training for volunteers and community groups who are currently able and equipped to assist delivery. Training sessions will be undertaken to build the capacity and confidence of volunteers and community groups and to ensure health and safety requirements are met and high quality outputs are delivered.

8.46

Programme D training is related to employability training and it is anticipated that training providers will need to be procured through tender process. Initial discussion with employment services suggest that the main client group for training and volunteer learning is the age group 18-24 therefore training schemes that aim to engage that particular group will be given particular attention.

8.47

The CAVLP Project Team will continue to build on the partnerships and good working relationships that have been forged with both community and professional stakeholders during the development year. Community engagement work and discussions with external organisations to date has highlighted a high level of support and enthusiasm for our scheme which provides a secure platform for initiating and implementing the delivery phase of the project.

Year 1 Projects 8.48

It is intended to implement proposals from all Programmes within Year 1 in order that activity and outputs can be aligned and coordinated. The range of activities within the first year has been determined by: •

available match funding

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•

priority identified through engagement with local community groups, and

•

‘readiness’ for implementation.

8.49

In addition, implementation is closely linked with securing match funding for planned activities and is subject to the relevant cycles of application and decision-making.

8.50

It is important to note that although many projects are due to start in Year 2 or later, there will be considerable planning required in the previous year, to allow projects to start promptly.

Key Issues: •

Timing of applications and work programmes related to seasonal work (such as woodland operations). Other funding streams also have application deadlines and decision dates and some also have requirements to spend within specific timeframes. This has made match funding for the first delivery year a particularly difficult challenge as our stage 2 funding is not yet secured, whilst the decision date of December 2011 leaves only three months of the fiscal year 2010/11, which is the framework within which many public sector funding streams operate. This situation will continue throughout the life of the project and should be easier to manage once approval for our delivery programme has been secured.

•

Time involved in making major applications. CAVLP partners and project staff have been concentrating on developing the detail of the scheme and delivering the programme of activities identified within the Development Year Programme, which has included researching the applicability and relevance of available funding sources. This has left limited time to make major applications within the Development Year, however activity on this topic will continue after August to secure funding for the fiscal year 2012/13.

•

Timing of funding rounds and grant awards. Our major funder for woodland operations is Scottish Rural Development Programme via woodland grants from Forestry Commission Scotland. Lately, deadlines for applications have been postponed, which in turn affects the timing of decisions on each funding round. Nor at present is there any certainty that further funding rounds will be open for applications; this puts significant pressure on available funds as awards are competitive and lack of certainty about future funding rounds attracts a higher than usual number of applications.

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Table 8.1: List of Year 1 Projects Programme

Project Code

Title

A

A1

Falls of Clyde Wildlife Reserve Enhancement

A2

Garrion Gill Wildlife Reserve Enhancement

A3

Lower Nethan Gorge Wildlife Reserve Enhancement

A5.1

Managing the Heritage Resource: Chatelherault

A5.2

Chatelherault: Woodland Management

A7.1

Managing the Heritage Resource: Mauldslie Wood

A8

RSPB Barons Haugh Reserve: Wildlife Enhancement

A9

Setting the Scene: New Lanark Woodland Enhancement

A10.1

Designs in the Landscape

A11.1

Reviving the Clyde Valley Orchards: Research to Develop the Knowledge Base

A11.2

Reviving the Clyde Valley Orchards: Enterprise Development

A12.1

Kirkyard Conservation

A14.1

Corra Linn Viewpoint

A14.2

Falls of Clyde: Features Restoration

A15.1

Conservation Area Character Appraisals

A16.1

Invasive Species: Monitoring and Control

B1.1

Community Training

B1.2

Training: Biological Recording Skills

B2.1

Reviving the Clyde Valley Orchards: Publication

C3

Lower Nethan Gorge: Paths and Signs

C4.2

Nethan Gorge National Nature Reserve: Signage Project in Collaboration with Historic Scotland

C6.1

Cleghorn Glen and Cartland Craigs: Access Infrastructure

C6.2

Cleghorn Glen and Cartland Craigs: Access Links

C6.3

Cleghorn Glen (NNR): Creation of Circular Walk

C6.4

Cleghorn Glen (NNR): Upgrade / Replacement of Leitchford Bridge

C6.5

Cartland Bridge:Viewpoint/ Interpretation

C7.1

Access: Nethan Walkway

C8.2

Community Centred Transport

C9.2

Access: Jacob’s Ladder Restoration

C9.3

Trail: Travelling through Time - Routes around Roots

C10

Access Monitoring

C11.1

Formal Education

C12.1

Events, Activities and Promotions

C12.3

Reviving the Clyde Valley Orchards: Access and Learning

D1

Employability Training

D2

Community Orchard Training

B

C

D

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Programme

Project Code

Title

E

E1

Project Manager

E2

Projects and Contracts Officer

E3

Ranger and Volunteer Co-Ordinator

E4

Landowner Liaison Officer

E5

Community Development Officer

E6

Administrative Officer

Year 1 Costs and Cashflow 8.51

A breakdown of costs and cashflow for Year 1 Projects can be found in Chapter 07_CAVLP Project Costs.xls on CD1. Tables within this spreadsheet include ‘Year 1 budget profile’, ‘Year 1 Cashflow’ and ‘Projected Income’.

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9 Monitoring and Evaluation

1

9 Monitoring and Evaluation 9.1

This section of the LCAP sets out the proposals for evaluating the success of the scheme. The evaluation will be carried out at a number of levels. This will include qualitative evaluation against the vision, aims and objectives and quantitative evaluation against indicators.

Monitoring framework structure 9.2

A monitoring framework has been set up based on the data requirements for the CEPAR evaluation, which is part of the HLF Landscape Partnership evaluation. This ensures that monitoring effort is streamlined with the CEPAR requirements. The individual project sheets identify the outputs which have been linked to the CEPAR headings. The CEPAR headings relate to the project outcomes set out in Chapter 5. The structure of the monitoring framework is provided for a project example below:

Table 9.1 Example of monitoring framework structure Project reference

Project name

B5.1

Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Exhibition

CEPAR sheet name

9.3

CEPAR sheet reference

Outputs (from project sheets)

Access

C6

online resource base for cultural and historical information for use by local communities, schools and visitors

Participation and learning

B14

1 exhibition held

Access

C5

booklet production

Access

C7

DVD produced

The monitoring framework has been set up in Microsoft Excel and this allows easy filtering of information to identify which projects contribute to which outcomes, using the CEPAR sheet headings.

The flexibility of this approach will be important for compiling the data for the annual and final monitoring report. The Microsoft Excel files are provided as Chapter 9_Monitoring Framework.xls and Chapter 9_CEPAR Evaluation Framework.xls.

Managing the Monitoring and Evaluation Process 9.4

Project partners leading on individual projects will be responsible for collecting the required information and feeding this back to the Programme Officer who will collate the data. The Programme Officer, working with the other project staff and partners will be responsible for managing the monitoring and evaluation process.

This will ensure that information from all of the projects is held centrally to inform the preparation of the annual evaluation reports and final evaluation report, and guard against loss of data through personnel changes within delivery organisations.

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9.5

The monitoring framework allows the Programme Officer and project partners to identify the relevant monitoring requirements on a project by project basis. The monitoring framework has been designed as a working document which can be amended throughout the life of the Landscape Partnership. New projects can be added and outputs amended for existing projects as necessary.

9.6

The CEPAR framework provides a quantitative framework for monitoring and evaluation. However there is also a strong qualitative element relating to the outcomes of the projects. The monitoring and evaluation reports will be structured round the programmes, aims and outcomes set out in Chapter 5 of the LCAP. Using the outcomes as headings will allow qualitative information on the project benefits to be explored, alongside the qualitative information recorded within the CEPAR structure. Qualitative information will be provided by the project staff who hold an overview of the synergy of all of the projects, and further survey work.

9.7

A number of studies (listed in Chapter 1) were carried out in the development year and they provide a baseline against which future evaluation can be carried out.

Information sharing 9.8

The annual evaluation reports and final evaluation report will be made available on the website to allow sharing of the findings with other organisations and the wider public. Project staff time has been allocated within the Stage 2 HLF application for administration of the Landscape Partnership website.

Annual Evaluation 9.9

Evaluation will be carried out annually and at the end of the project.

The individual projects identify work tasks to be completed within the different delivery years. In many instances first or second year tasks provide the foundation for delivery in subsequent years.

The achievement of these tasks will provide key milestones for measuring progress. The project register will also be subject to constant updates, managed by the Programme Officer. For example additional resources may become available to allow a project to progress at a faster pace, or issues such as poor weather may restrict the completion of some projects within programmed time frames.

Final Evaluation and Reporting 9.10

The final evaluation report will include information on quantifiable outputs related to the individual projects, and relate this information qualitatively back to the vision, aims and objectives.

9.11

The preparation of the final evaluation report may be contracted out, or carried out by project staff.

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10 Bibliography 1

10 Bibliography Ref.1. Eamonn Wall and Co. (2011) Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership Woodland Action Plan, Central Scotland Forest Trust (provided on CD3) Ref.2. Hayes, CW. (2011) Reviving the Clyde Valley Orchards: the way forward, Strategy Report to Rural Development Trust Clyde Valley Orchard Group, CAVLP. (provided on CD3) Ref.3. SAC (2011) CAVLP Landowner Liaison Survey & Services (provided on CD3) CD 3: Supporting Documents

Ref.4. Dingwall, C., Peter McGowan Associates and Ironside Farrar (2011) Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Historical Development Study (provided on CD3) Ref.5. Lisewski,V. (2010) Lichen communities of the Clyde Valley Orchards. Unpublished Report, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

Prepared as part of the Clyde Valley Orchards Report (provided on CD3) Ref.6. Wingspan and Fly On the Wall Research (2011) Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership Community Engagement Plan. (provided on CD3) Ref.7. Wingspan and Fly On the Wall Research (2011) Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership Residents Survey (provided on CD3) Ref.8. Wingspan and Fly On the Wall Research (2011) Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership Destination Research (provided on CD3) Ref.9. Community Links (2011) Rural Development Opportunities Market Research (provided on CD3) Ref.10. Atkins (August 2011) RSPB Barons Haugh reserve projects (provided on CD3) Ref.11. South Lanarkshire Council (2009) South Lanarkshire Local Plan Ref.12. North Lanarkshire Council (2009) Finalised Draft North Lanarkshire Local Plan Ref.13. William Lithgow, describing Lanarkshire in 1640 Ref.14. Sharp, JCA. (editor) (1931) Recollections of a Tour Made in Scotland A.D. 1803 Ref.15. Land Use Consultants (1999) Glasgow and Clyde Valley Landscape Character Assessment, SNH Commissioned Report Ref.16. Land Use Consultants (1998) Clyde Valley Area of Great Landscape Value Landscape Character Assessment Ref.17. Ironside Farrar (2010) South Lanarkshire Landscape Character Assessment Ref.18. Ironside Farrar (20 I0) South Lanarkshire Validating Local Landscape Designations 120

Ref.19. Butterworth, J. (2001) Apples in Scotland Ref.20. Land Use Consultants (1987) An Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland, and Historic Scotland website list (2007) http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/heritage/gardens.htm Ref.21. Scottish Government Strategic Objectives http://www.scotland. gov.uk/About/scotPerforms/objectives Ref.22. Central Scotland Green Network website: www. centralscotlandgreennetwork.org Ref.23. Scottish Government (2009) National Planning Framework 2 Ref.24. Glasgow and the Clyde Valley Structure Plan Joint Committee (2000) Glasgow and Clyde Valley Joint Structure Plan Ref.25. Glasgow and Clyde Valley Strategic Development Planning Authority (2010) Glasgow and Clyde Valley Strategic Development Plan Main Issues Report Ref.26. Forestry Commission Scotland (2005) Glasgow and the Clyde Valley forestry and Woodland Framework incorporating the Indicative Forestry Strategy and Woodland Strategy Ref.27. South Lanarkshire Council (2007) South Lanarkshire Rural Strategy 2007-2013 Working towards Sustainable Rural Communities Ref.28. South Lanarkshire Council (2010) South Lanarkshire Local Biodiversity Draft Action Plan 2010-2015 Ref.29. North Lanarkshire Council (2008) North Lanarkshire Biodiversity Action Plan Ref.30. New Lanark Trust (NLT), Historic Scotland (HS) and South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) (2011) New Lanark World Heritage Site Management Plan 2010-2015, Consultative Draft Ref.31. Lanarkshire Area Tourism Partnership (2009) Lanarkshire Tourism Action Plan to 2015 Ref.32. South Lanarkshire Council (2010) South Lanarkshire Core Paths Plan, Statutory Final Consultative Draft Ref.33. North Lanarkshire Council (2010) North Lanarkshire Draft Core Paths Plan Ref.34. South Lanarkshire Council (2009) South Lanarkshire Green Network Quality Design Guide, draft.

Ref.35. North Lanarkshire Council (2006) North Lanarkshire Cultural Strategy 2006-2010 Ref.36. Lanarkshire Economic Forum (2006) Economic strategy for Lanarkshire: Changing Gear Towards 2010 Ref.37. South Lanarkshire Council (undated) South Lanarkshire Food and Drink Action Plan Ref.38. South Lanarkshire Council (2005) Community Plan Stronger Together - a vision for the future of South Lanarkshire

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Ref.39. North Lanarkshire Partnership (2008) North Lanarkshire Community Plan 2008-2012 Ref.40. New Lanark World Heritage Site Consultative Draft Management Plan (2011 www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/abouticonsultations/ newlanarkconsultation.htm Ref.41. Scottish Natural Heritage (2010) The Reserve Proposals for the Clyde Valley Woodlands (Cleghorn Glen and Cartland Craigs) National Nature Reserve 2010-2016 Ref.42. Scottish Wildlife Trust (2010) The Falls of Clyde Wildlife Reserve Management Plan 2009 -2019 Part of the Clyde Valley Woodlands National Nature Reserve Ref.43. South Lanarkshire Council (2000) Chatelherault Woodland Management Plan Ref.44. RSPB (2005) Baron’s Haugh Management Plan Ref.45. South Lanarkshire Council (2009) New Lanark and Falls of Clyde draft conservation area character appraisal Consultation Draft Ref.46. Community Links (2011) Rural Development Opportunities Market Research. Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership Ref.47. TNS Research International (2010) Scottish Recreation Survey: annual summary report 2009. Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No.395 (ROAME No. F02AA614/8) Ref.48. Farming Futures Fact Sheet 16 Climate Change Series Focus on Apple and Pear Orchards, http://www.openfields.org.uk/Library/content/ Detail.aspx?ctID=ZWVhNzBlY2QtZWJjNi00YWZiLWE1MTAtNWExO TFiMjJjOWU1&rID=MTA1Nw==&sID=MQ==&bckToL=VHJ1ZQ==& qcf=&ph=VHJ1ZQ Ref.49. Built Environment Sector Action Plan, Scotland’s Climate Change Adaptation Framework, http://www.scotland.gov.uk/ Topics/Environment/climatechange/scotlands-action/adaptation/ AdaptationFramework/SAP/BuiltEnvironment/Impacts

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