Hoo Peninsula - Green Infrastructure Business Plan by Medway Council

The Hoo Peninsula â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a GIFT-T! case study

Green Infrastructure Business Plan

www.gift-t.org 1

Green Infrastructure Business Plan A supporting document introducing GIFT-T!, its Community Conversations, its green infrastructure mapping and its 50 environment, social and economic projects.

ABSTRACT For four years GIFT-T! has worked with local communities and business to explore a positive environmental and economic future for the Hoo Peninsula. This report captures 6 community goals, maps 17 types of green infrastructure, values the benefits provided by the current landscape services, and finally makes the case for 50 deliverable projects across the peninsula. mchallconsulting

Section 1:

An Introduction to GIFT-T!, the GIBP and the case study area 1.1 Green Infrastructure for Tomorrow – Together! (GIFT-T!) was a four-year project co-funded

of Hoo Peninsula, in terms of improved green and blue spaces. Five targeted youth conversations took place – the results of which are embedded in this plan. Two common messages from the GIFT-T! Community Conversations, youth meetings and face to face interviews are:

by the ERDF European Cross-border Cooperation Programme INTERREG IV B involving seven partners from three countries - Great Britain, The Netherlands and Belgium.

“ There is a need to make the Peninsula better known, and make it more attractive to visitors.”

The project aims to explore how the concepts of Green Infrastructure (GI) and Ecosystem Services can be used to encourage more sustainable development; creating jobs, protecting valuable habitats and boosting the rural economy.

and

The project involves 5 case study areas; the Hoo peninsula in north Kent, the Mersey Forest area in Merseyside, Mijn Groen – Ons Groen in The Netherlands, and two areas in Belgium, one near Antwerp and the other surrounding Brussels Airport.

“ I want to be proud of Grain, not embarrassed by where I live.” Transforming the quality of the peninsula’s environment and lifestyles is never going to be achieved through just one project, in one year, by one partner or from one budget. Delivering a more sustainable and healthier Hoo Peninsula will require a concentrated, coordinated, proactive plan informed by local input and needs, and delivered by a broad partnership of local and regional interests. This what GIFT-T! has seeked to achieve.

A central concept to each case study area was the appliance of both stakeholder input and ecosystem services knowledge in the creation of a ‘business plan’ for the future development of Green Infrastructure to support people, jobs, and the environment. The preparation of the plan has 3 key stages:

1. Vision and goal setting 2. Diagnosis and Design 3. Business Planning

1.2 The study area: The Peninsula falls within the Medway Council unitary authority area. It is sparsely populated but lies adjacent to the Medway towns of Rochester, Strood Chatham and Gillingham, which together form one of the largest urban areas in the south east of England outside London. Additionally, the town of Gravesham lies to the west of the peninsula, which marks the edge of a continuously urban area that stretches from the Peninsula to the City of London. The Hoo Peninsula area is therefore a significant potential resource in terms of green infrastructure and ecosystem services, for many people beyond the peninsula itself.

The first stage of the project in the Hoo peninsula case study area involved two public group discussions, a series of interviews with stakeholders and focus groups with local school children and young people, to identify a broad vision for Green Infrastructure in the area and top level goals for the GI Business Plan. The project developed over 70 maps showing Landscape Service delivery across the peninsula, providing a valuable resource when thinking about future landscape changes. But statistics can only tell us so much. GIFT-T! has spoken to lots of different people – residents, farmers, businesses, politicians, environmental groups and people from a wide range of organisations – to help define a positive vision for the future

The study area covers 21,000 ha and included the settlements of Cliffe and Cliffe Woods, Cooling, Stoke, Allhallows, Grain, Upnor and Hoo St Werburgh. The study 5

specific or landscape scale initiatives, which together realise the vision.

was bounded in the south by the Wainscot bypass, to the west and north by the River Thames, and to the east by the Medway Estuary.

1.4 Identification of GI

The study area was chosen due to the fact it presents a discrete area / set of landscapes for study, benefits from a dedicated community of interest and is subject to pressures due to climate change, farming techniques and development pressures. Another key factor for choosing the Hoo Peninsula was the fact that it has three EU designations (Habitat Directives - Special Protection Areas) that GIFT-T! was interested to show how local landscapes could be managed to support these special and important areas.

The first stage of the mapping used a rule based system (algorithm) for identifying and categorising 17 types of GI from the topographic features on the Ordnance Survey MasterMap series. A very wide definition of GI is central to the methodology; namely included any areas of green or blue (water) space that provides services to people and businesses. This includes semi-wild open spaces, lakes, rivers and shorelines as well as more managed agricultural land, parks, road verges, gardens and street trees.

1.3 The GIFT-T! project consisted of three main elements:

1.5 The categories of Green Infrastructure identified in the mapping exercise were:

1) Involving and engaging the Hoo community and stakeholders in thinking about the environment and how it supports their lives and businesses. Six goals were selected and developed through a series of Community Conversations and face-to-face meetings.

1. Agricultural land 2. Allotments, community gardens or urban farms 3. Cemeteries, churchyards or burial grounds 4. Coastal habitat 5. Derelict land 6. General amenity space 7. Grassland, heathland, moorland or scrubland 8. Institutional grounds 9. Orchards 10. Outdoor sports facilities 11. Parks or public gardens 12. Private domestic gardens 13. Street trees 14. Water bodies 15. Water courses 16. Wetlands 17. Woodlands

2) Mapping the green and blue infrastructure on the Peninsula to determine its ecosystem services, and then using this knowledge to evidence positive interventions in future social, economic and environment activities. As part of this thinking, three designed spatial scenarios were developed as a means of capturing emerging green infrastructure themes which were tested during 100 visitor and household interviews. 3) T he construction of a plan (the Green Infrastructure Business Plan) which promotes a sustainable vision for the Hoo Peninsula, through the development of site 6

Figure 1.2 Types of Green Infrastructure Agricultural land Coastal habitat Wetland Water course Woodland Private domestic garden Grassland, heathland, moorland or scrubland Water body Derelict land Orchard General amenity space Institutional grounds Outdoor sports facility Park or public garden Allotment, community garden or urban farm Cemetery, churchyard or burial ground Street trees Not GI Total

Figure 1.2 highlights the Green Infrastructure identified on the Hoo peninsula. Green Infrastructure represents 93% of the land area. Only the areas in white are not considered to be GI. These are principally the power stations at Kingsnorth and Grain and the container terminal. Even there only those

Hectares

% of Case Study Area

5,342 4,480 3,881 3,079 605 567 519 437 333 237 167 167 161 22 10 7 <1 1,393 21,409

25 21 18 14 3 3 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 <1 <1 <1 <1 7 100

areas that are covered in buildings or tarmac are identified in white. The land owned by the power companies and port includes significant wildlife habitat surrounding the built environment.

1.6 Community Conservation objectives To help organise thinking about the communities objectives for the Hoo Peninsula, it was agreed to develop six goals to capture priorities.

Goal 1: Improve access and options for safe, sustainable travel

Goal 4: Boost local business and employment There is a significant need for more local employment opportunities, both in terms of jobs and developing peoples employability. This includes hospitality and leisure, but there is also the potential to attract new inward investment. Improving green infrastructure can also indirectly support local employment, by making the Peninsula a more attractive place to both live and work.

This goal is all about enabling people – local residents, Medway residents and visitors to the area – to get out more into the Peninsula’s green spaces and coastal areas. Safe, sustainable travel refers to the need for people to be able to move between settlements and through the Peninsula’s distinctive landscape on foot, by bike or on horseback.

Goal 5: Build a shared identity for the Peninsula, developing closer links between local communities

Goal 2: Raise the profile of the Peninsula’s environment to strengthen the visitor economy and inward investment

Improvement to GI can improve peoples lives at local level and create more opportunities and places for people to come together. GIFT-T will work to strengthen links between the Peninsula’s different communities, developing a shared identity while respecting local distinctiveness. This will help to build people’s connection to place, while also making that place more attractive to visitors.

The Hoo Peninsula is one of the best kept secrets in the South East of England. It is not well known to outsiders, despite the area’s convenient location, strong industrial base and wealth of sites with particular natural, heritage and recreational interest.

Goal 3: Increase peoples connection to the environment

Goal 6: Preserve and enhance the Peninsula’s natural environment and biodiversity

This goal is about energising and mobilising people to know more about the Peninsula; how land is managed, its ways, its traditions and the benefits that these bring. It encourages people to learn and connect with their surroundings, helping them to live healthier, more active lives. “People” refers to current and future residents of all ages, but also the wider population of Medway and visitors from further afield, who, if they know the area better, might visit more for business and leisure purposes.

The Hoo Peninsula’s unique strengths in terms of its biodiversity and the habitat it provides for wildlife, is valued by its residents and neighbours. A key challenge is to maintain and build upon these “natural assets” in a time of significant change. The project should ensure that the needs of development do not cause a net loss of biodiversity and wildlife habitats. If possible, appropriate management and improvement of GI should lead to improved outcomes for nature.

1.7 An introduction to the environmental designations of the Hoo Peninsula (Medway Estuary and Marshes) 1) Global designation: The Ramsar Convention (The

achieving sustainable development throughout the world”. Article 3 of the Convention deals with the issue of “wise use”. The treaty is named after the town of Ramsar in Iran.

Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as waterfowl habitat) is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilisation of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognising the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural, scientific and recreational value.

Area: Medway Estuary and Marshes Ramsar site covers 4,697ha and the Medway Estuary Ramsar site covers 5,033ha.

2) European designation: The Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora (Habitats Directive), supports the identification of Special Protection Areas SPAs.

The Ramsar Convention is not a regulatory regime and has no punitive sanctions for violations of or defaulting upon treaty commitments. The Convention came into force in 1975 and the UK has the highest number of sites (168). The Convention’s mission is “the conservation and wise use of all wetlands through local and national actions and international cooperation, as a contribution towards

The aim of the Habitats Directive is to promote the maintenance of biodiversity by requiring Member States to take measures to maintain or restore natural habitats and 8

In exceptional circumstances, a plan or project may still be allowed to go ahead, in spite of a negative assessment, provided there are no alternative solutions and the plan or project is considered to be of overriding public interest. In such cases the Member State must take appropriate compensatory measures to ensure that the overall coherence of the N2000 Network is protected (Article 6.4). The UK has 252 classified SPAs.

wild species as listed. This is to be achieved by introducing robust protection for those habitats and species of european importance. In applying these measures, Member States are required to take account of economic, social and cultural requirements, as well as regional and local characteristics. Article 6 (Managing and protecting Natura 2000 sites) is one of the most important articles in the Habitats Directive as it defines how Natura 2000 sites are managed and protected. Paragraphs 6(1) and 6(2) require that within Natura 2000, Member States: • Take appropriate conservation measures to maintain and restore the habitats and species for which the site has been designated • Avoid damaging activities that could significantly disturb these species or deteriorate the habitats of the protected species or habitat types

Area: Medway Estuary and Marshes SPA covers 4684ha.

3) National designation: Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI): Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (amended 1985) the government has a duty to notify as an SSSI, any land which in its opinion is of special interest by reason of any of its flora, fauna, geological or physiographical features. In England there are 4100 designated SSSI sites covering 8% of land. SSSIs give legal protection to the best sites for wildlife and geology in England. Local authorities and other public institutions now also have a statutory duty to further the conservation and enhancement of SSSIs, both in carrying out their operations and in exercising their decision-making functions, which includes planning decisions. Section 28G of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) states that public bodies must “take reasonable steps, consistent with the proper exercise of their functions, to further the conservation and enhancement of SSSIs”.

Paragraphs 6(3) and 6(4) lay down the procedure to be followed when planning new developments that might affect a Natura 2000 site. Thus: • Any plan or project likely to have a significant effect on a Natura 2000, either individually or in combination with other plans or projects, shall undergo an Appropriate Assessment to determine its implications for the site. • The competent authorities can only agree to the plan or project after having ascertained that it will not adversely affect the integrity of the site concerned (Article 6.3).

Area: Medway Estuary and Marshes SSSI covers 4,733ha. 9

Section 2:

Introducing the Green Infrastructure Business Plan (GIBP) stakeholders. These were grouped into six themes to aid communication. 5. To sell the need, outcomes and wider benefits of each investment. a. A business case has been made for each of the themed projects, which draws on information gathered during Community Conversation and the GI and Landscape services mapping. 6. To provide an interactive map-based interface for stakeholders to view projects and consider their benefits a. An interactive pdf has been developed allowing stakeholders to view the mapped data placing one mapped feature on top of another. This enables readers to test for themselves projects links to current GI and Landscape Services.

The GIBP is a key element of the GIFT-T! bid and project. It works to both capture the evidence of need for investment in GI, as well as demonstrating (where possible) where it should be delivered for maximum benefit. The GIBP is an attempt to demonstrate that it might be possible to move beyond a reactive “wish list” type approach, to one which is supported by proactive story whereby investment in an area’s GI is supported by knowledge of ecosystem services need, local stakeholder support and alignment to sustainable development. This section provides an explanation of the methodology followed in developing the GIBP and introduces the extensive mapping work undertaken to determine need and spatial prioritisation.

2.1 Tasks

2.2 Audience

1. To map and measure the current GI and ecosystem services of the Peninsula. a. For the first time this project has created a detail map of the Peninsula’s GI. This enabled the development of a suite of landscape services maps for 27 different functions. 2. To define and agree a set of Community Conservation objectives. a. The wider community came together to develop and agree a set of six objectives that they felt captured their long term economic, social and environmental interests in the Peninsula. 3. To design and test three visions for the Peninsula. a. The Community Conversations supported the development of three distinct visions for the Peninsula (food security, fuel security and recreation). The designs illustrated how the Peninsula’s future would be different depending upon which landscape services were felt to be the most important for future investment. 4. To spatially present GI / Landscape services projects across the peninsula, that meet the Community Conversations objectives. a. Over 50 GI investment projects were identified by

Through its (World Café) Community Conversations and also its more formal face to face meetings, GIFT-T! engaged with a much broader range of stakeholders than would be normal for an environmental project. An important component of this engagement was stakeholder participation in decision making and actions to increase everyone’s awareness of the role of GI and the importance of Landscape Services. 1. Landowners (farmers, developers, environmental groups, business) 2. Government agencies (Environment Agency, Natural England, English Heritage) 3. Funding and delivery partners (Woodland Trust, Kent Wildlife Trust, RSPB and Buglife) 4. Business and utilities 5. Medway Council officers (Tourism, Health, Youth, Highways, Heritage and Greenspace, Planning policy and Development Control) 6. Elected local authority Ward members 7. Elected Parish Councillors 8. Residents 9. Church Groups 10. Youth and school groups

2.3 The Mapping

The three maps (and their supporting text) demonstrate in detail the development of the Function, Needs, and Needs filled / unfulfilled maps.

A key component of GIFT-T! was the work undertaken to develop a series of robust maps showing Landscape Service ‘Needs’ maps. This was a more experimental part of the project which used GIFT-T! partner knowledge to map the demand, or need for a GI function on the Peninsula. GIFT-T! built 27 Landscape Services ‘needs’ maps showing where services such as noise, air pollution or flooding where needed. These maps were then laid on top of the Landscape services functions maps, to help identify areas where the demand for ecosystem services is likely to be met by current GI functions and areas where they are not. When identifying areas where a key service is needed but not met, provides an opportunity to consider investing in new or changed GI to help meet that need. The GIBP’s strength is that it draws upon such evidence of need, to build business cases for GI enhancements.

Example of the flow reduction through surface roughness function: Figures 1.3 and 1.4 show an example of these three sets of maps; functions, needs and needs fulfilled/unfulfilled for the flow reduction through surface roughness function. This is a GI function that reduces flash flooding as water takes time to flow over rough surfaces like forest floors before it reaches a water course. Flash flooding is not a particularly significant issue on the Hoo Peninsula, but this example illustrates the methodology quite clearly.

Function Map This map shows that areas of vegetation with leaf litter and detritus on the ground (such as woodland and marshlands can slow the movement of water into water courses. Areas that are not identified as fulfilling this function include agricultural areas, where the soil is bare around the plants and completely bare for some parts of the year.

Needs Map This map shows an indicator of need for this function. It is a map based on the contours of areas that are upstream of settlements or industrial sites that have experienced fluvial flooding in the past.

Needs filled/unfulfilled By overlaying the two maps we can see that only a proportion of the need identified is fulfilled (dark red) by the current GI, whereas there are significant areas of unfulfilled need (light red). This suggests that a change in the GI in these areas could reduce flood risk.

2.4 The Design Principles The development and implementation of the GIBP was informed by the following six design principles: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Support the delivery of the Medway Core Strategy / Local Plan No net loss of biodiversity, as a minimum Optimise Green Infrastructure by â&#x20AC;&#x153;stackingâ&#x20AC;? as many ecosystem functions as possible into each project Respect the importance of food production and biodiversity on the peninsula Develop ownership and commitment locally Raise the profile of biodiversity

The above principles were tested in the form of three landscape scenarios, with over 100 residents on the Hoo Peninsula and users of Bromhey Farm and Grain Foreshore Park. The scenarios focused on three key themes are raised as important during the Community Conversations. The slide to the left illustrates the results of testing priorities for the three scenarios. Recreation being the highest and Fuel provision the lowest.

2.4.1 Spatial Scenario 1: Fuel Security The illustration below demonstrates how the Hoo Peninsula might look, if all stakeholders agreed that landscape services promoting fuel were prioritised.

The table to the left shows users and residents response to scenario 1.

2.4.2 Spatial scenario 2: Food security The illustration below demonstrates how the Hoo Peninsula might look, if all stakeholders agreed that landscape services promoting food production were prioritised.

This table shows users and residents response to scenario 2.

2.4.3 Scenario 3: Recreational provision (A National Park) The illustration below demonstrates how the Hoo Peninsula might look, if all stakeholders agreed that landscape services promoting recreation were prioritised.

The table below shows users and residents response to scenario 3.

The feedback from the three designed spatial alternatives, together with stakeholder input during the Community Conversations and 1:1 interviews, enabled the identification of green infrastructure most likely to meet stakeholder (and therefore political) support. The core components of the emerging vision for the Hoo Peninsula are access, heritage, farming, road enhancements, tourism, new woodland planting, enhancement to business parks and creation of new coastal habitat projects.

2.4.5 The Hoo GI Vision / Project Map To provide a spatial dimension to this emerging vision, the following map has been created built to show the combination of these investments in green infrastructure, which are likely to provide the best environmental, social and economic return from an investment. Icons and broads areas are used to illustrate the locations, as no landowner conversations have happened or agreements reached. The mapping is purely illustrative and will be refined as conversations develop.

Section 3

The Business cases

This section of the GIBP sets out the business case for a suite of green infrastructure projects across the Hoo Peninsula. Where possible the GI business cases are built upon:

To aid interpretation and increase chances of project delivery the fifty individual GI projects have been categorised into six themes. The themes are:

• stakeholder input and steer (undertaken during the Community Conversations) • the seven green infrastructure objectives, • the ecosystem services mapping of the 27 different landscape services • Government agencies priorities (Natural England and the Environment Agency) • Known funding opportunities • Suggested short and medium term action

3.1 New Access Routes and Highways Improvements Projects 3.2 New Scrubland and Nightingale Habitat 3.3 Enhanced Coastal Habitat 3.4 Heritage and Tourism Projects 3.5 Landscape and Farming Projects 3.6 Creation of Thames Terrace Invertebrates – corridors for wildlife

3.1 New Access Routes and Highways Enhancements

3.1.1 What we learnt from the Community Conversations: Stakeholder interest in new and enhanced access routes, was a strongly and consistently expressed component of the Hoo Peninsula vision.

Travel across the peninsula was felt to be a major issue by many young people with specific reference to the difficulties of crossing and navigating of local roads, which were described as having speeding traffic and non-existent footpaths.

It was felt that as the majority of residents, employees and visitors establish their impressions of the Hoo Peninsula from using the A228, B2000, Cooling Road or the Ratcliffe Highway, then it is important that these routes offer good views within a pleasant, clean and green environment.

To encourage more visitors to the peninsula, it was suggested that consideration be given to a bespoke rail passenger service linked to special events (such as the Walking Festival) which could run along the Mineral Line.

A series of Youth meetings held in 2012 heard of stakeholder interest enhancements to footpaths, cycle routes and green travel plans to realise improved and functional connections between peninsula villages.

Concern was expressed about the limited options for alternative routes if a road was blocked by an accident.

3.1.2 New access and highway enhancement projects on the Peninsula were considered as important for:

The promotion of the ‘Path behind the Hedge’ type of project, where landowners are encouraged to consider providing new cycling / walking routes parallel to the road but on their land, was regarded as a way of creating safer routes adjacent to the four major roads on the Peninsula. Some of these routes could potentially provide emergency vehicle access, to address local concerns about inaccessibility to main settlements when a key route is blocked by an accident.

• promoting healthier communities (a place for exercise) • enhanced village community life (a meeting place, less traffic and more active people) • creating and sustaining positive perceptions of the area • supporting initiatives such as new heritage projects and new tourism projects. • contributing to creation of attractive buffers between villages and the farmed landscape • creating nectar rich planting areas for pollinating insects • location of information points (to increase awareness of local heritage) • providing safe routes / areas for schools

The peninsula has a restricted bridleway offer with there being 1 in Cliffe, 1 in Cooling, 2 in Cliffe Woods, 3 in Hoo St Werburgh and 9 in the Isle of Grain. Stakeholders welcomed the promoted Heron cycling trail, but recognised its limitations due to the fact that the route shares the highway with vehicular traffic. The Community Conversations encouraged consideration of improved connectivity between settlements and improved links to heritage and tourism assets. This consideration was then expanded to address the perceived poor cycling environment – a point raised by several businesses on the Peninsula which felt that the poor cycling environment impacted negatively on their employees’ willingness to cycle to and from work.

3.1.3 Green infrastructure links to goals: • Goal 1 - Access - create new access opportunities for Peninsula settlements that provide safe circular walks around the villages, connect to the River Thames and Medway Estuary, and connect employees to businesses. • Goal 2 – Visitor economy - new paths, and related initiatives will supplement and underpin the development of a more rounded place specific tourism offer. • Goal 3 - Connections – delivery of these projects will increase physical and intellectual connections to the specialness of the peninsula. • Goal 4 - Economy – investment in these projects could increase tourism activity, accommodation and spend, and will ensure that the peninsula if an even more attractive place to live and work. • Goal 5 - Education – New routes around villages could become outdoor classrooms for student work on local history, wildlife and English. • Goal 6 - Biodiversity – the new paths will increase access to landscapes and wildlife, and the creation of wildlife strips around the parishes will provide opportunities for increase wildlife habitat for key species such as Thames Terrace Invertebrates.

3.1.4 Landscape Services Landscape Services

Creation of access routes round settlements, the linking of settlements to the River Thames and enhancements to the highways.

1. Accessible water storage

No relevance.

2. Aesthetics

This project will not directly impact on the area’s aesthetic, but services associated projects such as creation of wildflower verges or the planting of Elm trees along the routes could increase the public value of the network.

3. Biofuels

No relevance.

4. Carbon storage

No relevance.

5. Coastal storm protection

No relevance.

6. Corridor for wildlife

No direct impact but relaxed road verge management could create a type of beetle bank and value for Thames Terrace Invertebrates.

7. Cultural asset

The public rights of way network could form the basis of walking festivals and be host to land-art and drama events.

8. Evaporative cooling

No relevance.

9. Surface water flow reduction

No relevance.

10. Food production

No relevance.

11. Encouraging sustainable travel

The new / enhanced paths could provide alternative routes for some local journeys, but due to the remoteness of the settlements is unlikely to provide viable alternatives for most journeys. Safer routes to schools are likely to make the most significant contribution to encouraging sustainable transport.

12. Habitat for wildlife

No direct impact, but relaxed road verge management could create a type of beetle bank and value for Thames Terrace Invertebrates.

13. Heritage

New or enhanced routes could increase accessibility the peninsula’s heritage assets and the provision of interpretation boards could help bring heritage to the fore of people’s recreational planning. E.g. a promoted route at Cliffe could help to develop their local industrial heritage project.

14. Inaccessible water storage

No relevance.

15. Learning

Paths close to schools could be used for a range of geography, English and mathematics studies.

16. Noise absorption

No relevance.

17. Recreation - public

The path network could create a valuable recreation facility and help increase activity and provide health benefits.

18. Recreation - private

The path network could create a valuable recreation facility and help increase activity and health.

19. Shading from the sun

No relevance.

20. Soil stabilization

No relevance.

21. Timber production

No relevance.

22. Trapping of air pollutants

No relevance.

23. Water conveyance

No relevance.

24. Water infiltration

No relevance.

25. Water interception

No relevance.

26. Wind shelter

No relevance.

3.1.5 Landscape Services Summary

3.1.8 Access and Highway Enhancement Project Plan

The strongest contribution to the listed landscape services are to the cultural assets, encouraging sustainable transport and to heritage. Lesser but still important contributions, could be realised for the aesthetic, corridors for wildlife and the learning landscape services.

• Create and promote nine (2 – 3 mile long) circular routes around villages: 1. Cliffe 2. Cliffe Woods 3. Cooling 4. Higham 5. Allhallows 6. Grain 7. Stoke 8. Hoo 9. Upnors (Upper and Lower)

3.1.6 Key partners in progressing the idea • • • • • • • • •

Landowners/ farmers Parish Councils Medway Council’s Public Rights of Way officer Medway Council Emergency Planning Officers (new routes for emergency vehicles) Owner of mineral line and South East Network Rail Sustrans The Ramblers Business / developers Medway Local Access Forum

• Seek new/ enhanced access to the estuary (from Cliffe, Cooling, High Halstow and Stoke): - Cliffe – two walks possible – RSPB 4.4 miles or 5 mile, if heading northwards towards Egypt Bay - Cooling – no existing public rights of way but using track the route heads north towards Hope Fleet and then Egypt Bay - High Halstow to Egypt Bay is a 3 miles walk along existing PROW. This can be linked to St Mary’s Marsh and St Mary at Hoo, creating a longer circular walk of 8.5 miles - Stoke to River Thames is a 2.3 mile walk following roads and PROW

3.1.7 Funding • • • • • • •

LEADER Development (s106s) Heritage Lottery Fund Local Authority Parish Council precept Ward member grant Sponsorship

• Creation of a Hoo Peninsula Walk pdf / web page. This could merge the previous ‘Walks on the Hoo Peninsula’ and ‘Walking the Saxon Shore Way’ publication, into one document capturing all routes. • Develop a suite of Hoo Peninsula Watchpoints to act as starting pints for walking routes: - Villagers to identify need and location for information points (Watchpoints) - Seek landowner agreement on location of information points - Villagers to draft text on local interests - Text to appear in Peninsula times - Seek capital and revenue funding - Erect nine Watchpoint boards • Creation of new routes behind the hedge (linked to field margins). - Villagers and Cycle Forum to identify routes in greatest need of being moved from the road to behind the hedge. - Liaise with landowner and Highway’s officers. - Engage Sustrans to assist with engineering options and costs. - Seek capital and revenue funding - Implement

• Seek new access opportunities within the industrial sites to the south of Grain - Focus on access opportunities within industrial sites on the Isle of Grain linked to developments and change of use.

• Quiet Lanes approach - Work with Peninsula Times to seek opinion on the creation of a network of quiet Lanes (reduced traffic speeds and treatment of verges, signage…) - Liaise with Highway’s authority. - Seek capital and revenue funding - Implement

• Tree (Elm) planting along the routes: - Parishes to talk to landowners and define areas suitable for Elm planting. - Maps combined and presented to Highways authority via Rural Board. - Project costed (planting and maintenance). - Funding sought from Environment Trust, developers, business and ward member.

• Establishment of a network of Roadside Nature Reserves: - Revisit KWT 4 Parishes Plan work on roadside nature reserves - Undertake survey of peninsula road verges to assess opportunities and select sites - Liaise with Highways authority regarding road verge management - KWT to build volunteer teams to assist with management

• Planting of flower-rich strips around each settlement. - Parishioners to work with landowners to identify possible wildlife flower strips. - Identify suitable plant mixes -contact Landlife. - Sow in the Spring or Autumn at around 1g per m2. Good ground preparation is essential.

• Connections to business park, parish facilities and destinations (heritage and tourism): - Community Conversation required to agree and map locations to be connected - Identify measures to be undertaken

• Mineral Line opening up recreation projects - Explore the possibility of having an Event or Weekend passenger rail service along the mineral line (to Grain terminus) - Trail for 2016 Walking Festival.

3.2 New scrubland and Nightingale habitat

3.2.1 What we learnt from the Community Conversations:

3.2.2 New scrubland and Nightingale habitat enhancement projects on the Peninsula were considered as important for:

Partly in response to local discussions about the future of Lodge Hill, and in part because of their national conservation value, stakeholders expressed interest and support for landscape projects that contributed to the establishment of new habitat for nightingales.

• Supporting breeding nightingale populations in sustainable locations • Contributing to green tourism initiatives

The nightingale is a nationally important breeding species occurring on the Hoo Peninsula with a population of about 60 pairs breeding in or close to Lodge Hill. Another significant population occurs within the RSPB’s Northward Hill reserve. In both locations nightingales are exploiting the development of dense mature scrub habitat within a rough grass matrix.

3.2.3 Green infrastructure links to goals: • Goal 1 - Access – contribute to the promotion of new access area as well as supporting festivals / themed walks and guides.

Stakeholders also promoted the idea of replanting Elm trees along field boundaries and roads. Like the Isle of Sheppey, the Hoo Peninsula once supported many Elms with the tree defining boundaries and roads. Any replanting would have to be with an approved Elm beetle resistant variety.

• Goal 2- Visitor economy –complement existing tourism opportunities through the creation and promotion of nightingale tourism packages. This could be linked to a seasonal green tourism product (Spring - nightingales and orchard blossom, Summer - harvests, Autumn – the main Walking Festival, and Winter – estuary birds).

Cuttings taken from mature trees from across the UK that appear to have resisted Dutch elm disease for over 60 years have now been skilfully micro propagated. The resulting native saplings are being distributed to hundreds of schools, community groups, local authorities and private landowners who have signed up to take part in The Great British Elm Experiment. This project is developed in 3.5.

• Goal 3- Connections – support the building of intellectual connections based on increased knowledge and pride, and the promotion of nightingale’s arrival. Physical connections would be developed if new nightingale friendly landscaping is aligned with access and highways enhancements such as circular walks around the villages. • Goal 4 - Economy – would have a local cooling impact, support the creation of new jobs in the tourism sector, be seen to contribute to carbon capture, and to provide screening for solar farms. • Goal 5 - Education - create opportunities for the establishment of education activities to study the colonisation of new habitat by nightingales (and other species). • Goal 6 - Biodiversity - have significant benefits for other biodiversity, supporting measures to increase ecological connectivity across the Peninsula, and would have a positive impact on the peninsula’s landscape – this impact could be strengthened if the new planting is located adjacent to existing woodland.

Section 3.2.4 Contribution to Landscape Services Landscape Services

Description to the projects contribution to the service Nightingale habitat creation / maintenance

Accessible water storage

No relevance.

Aesthetics

Contribution to landscape character / restoration â&#x20AC;&#x201C; screening.

Biofuels

Limited contribution if the mature scrub is coppice after 20 year and wood used as fuel.

Carbon storage

Likely to make some contribution. http://www.eicc.co.uk/organising/plan-it-green/ carbon-emissions-mitigation-programme/

Coastal storm protection

No relevance.

Corridor for wildlife

New planting will contribute to the creation of new wildlife corridors. They may be more effective as stepping stones rather than corridors.

Cultural asset

No relevance.

Evaporative cooling

This service is more important in urban areas where cooling is likely to be required. However it is unlikely that planting would be prioritised in urban areas.

Surface water flow reduction

The foliage and the plantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; root systems will contribute to improving surface water flow reductions.

Food production

No relevance.

Encouraging sustainable travel

No relevance.

Habitat for wildlife

This project would make a direct contribution to this service.

Heritage

No relevance.

Inaccessible water storage

No relevance.

Learning

Local universities could monitor and evaluate the success of the planting for wildlife and specifically for nightingales.

Noise absorption

No relevance.

Recreation - public

Due to the robust nature of nightingale habitat it should be possible to provide some access to these sites, thus enhancing access across the peninsula.

Recreation - private

Due to the robust nature of nightingale habitat it should be possible to provide some access to these sites and thus enhancing access across the Peninsula.

Shading from the sun

This service is more important in urban areas where shading is likely to be required.

Soil stabilization

There are localised soil stability issues to the north west of Halstow and planting here might contribute to increased soil stability. Note that some of this area is a SSSI for geomorphological interests.

Timber production

The planting of hawthorn is unlikely to make a direct contribution towards timber production, but the planting of specimen timber trees such as cherry and oak could be considered and this would increase timber production.

Trapping of air pollutants

This service is more important in urban areas where trapping of air pollutants is likely to be required.

Water conveyance

No relevance.

Water infiltration

No relevance.

Water interception

No relevance.

Wind shelter

No relevance.

3.2.5 GI Summary

3.2.8 Project Plan

The strongest contribution to the listed landscape services through the creation of new areas of scrubland and nightingale habitat on the peninsula are to the services for aesthetics, recreation, corridor for wildlife, and habitat for wildlife.

3.2.8.1 New nightingale-friendly scrub and woodland planting • Establish working group with GIFT-T! Community Conversation representatives and the RSPB, Woodland Trust, Medway Council and landowners. • Establish project lead. • Project lead and working group to map and identify the best Nightingale friendly scrub planting areas with the following three zones: - From High Halstow to Cooling, Cliffe Woods, Cliffe and Higham. - In north and east of Northwards Hill. - From Upnors up to and including Lodge Hill SSSI. • Meet and liaise with landowners to discuss options and links to Defra’s new Environment Land Management Scheme. • Establish area to be planted and calculate costs. • Develop funding package (match and grant in aid). • Work with Community Conversation group to develop volunteer planting days – community and business. • Work with communities and educational institutions to monitor breeding nightingale activity at the new sites over the following 15 years.

3.2.6 Key partners in progressing the idea • Landowners • Parish Councils • Medway Council’s Landscape Officer and Greenspace Development Manager • RSPB (Futurescapes) and Kent Wildlife Trust (Living Landscapes) • Tourism associations • Schools

3.2.7 Funding • S.106 Medway Council – possible linked to housing for Cliffe and Cliffe Woods, and to Hoo St. Werburgh. • Link planting idea to the screening of new developments such as Solar Farms. • Woodland Trust – apply for ‘Woodland in a Bag’ type funding Conservation Foundation – see engagement of CF in the planning, delivery and legacy aspects of the project. • Parish precept – encourage each peninsula parishes to contribute match funding (to unlock HLF and other funding sources) • Ward member grants – encourage Peninsula Ward members to provide a small grant to aid development of the Nightingale project – HLF submission etc). • LEADER (EU funding) • RSPB (land purchase on on-going monitoring and management)

3.3 New / enhanced coastal habitat

3.3.1 What we learnt form the Community Conversations: One important benefit area not immediately or specifically highlighted in the community conversations was the potential for coastal GI to provide storm and flooding protection, as well as land for nature conservation. A key policy document assess the coastal flood defence management over the next 100 years is the Thames Estuary 2100 (TE2100) strategy and action plan setting out flood protection policy for the Thames.

Page 196 the TE2100 strategy suggests that the western and northern part of the unit would be suitable for the creation of replacement intertidal habitat. This would require compensation of the designated grazing marsh habitat that would be lost. The vision for this area is therefore a combination of intertidal habitat with surrounding community parklands areas and facilities. This area will also provide safe transport links to the eastern part of the policy area.

For the GIFT-T! case study area the TE2100 strategy separates the peninsula into two policy action areas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; area 6 in the west and area 7 in the east. For action area 6 (page 173) the strategy states that the main changes to North Kent Marshes are likely to be caused by the need to create replacement intertidal habitat for that being eroded by rising sea level rises, the enhancement of existing freshwater and grazing marsh habitats as potential compensation for loss of designated habitat for the creation of intertidal mudflats.

In the foreseeable future the eastern part of the policy area will continue to be developed for industry and commerce. This is an important industrial and port area with large installations, and flood risk management must continue to be provided, keeping pace with climate change.

3.3.2 New and enhanced coastal habitat projects were considered as important for:

3.3.3 Green infrastructure links to goals: The creation of new coastal habitat at three locations around the Hoo Peninsula would:

• Creating new and sustainable habitat – offsetting losses due to coastal squeeze. • Conforming to policy for flood risk management for safer communities and businesses

• Goal 1- Access – provide opportunity to redesign site specific access for all, plus interpretation. Such schemes could also be linked to the need to minimise disturbance to wintering waders and wetlands birds. • Goal 2 - Visitor economy – be promoted as part of the enhanced visitor offer, with the new enhanced access opportunities being specifically targeted as part of ‘accessibility tourism’ to some otherwise remote coastal sites. • Goal 3 - Connections – create opportunities for local communities and business to better understand the current climate change pressures impact on the existing habitats (the pace of change, the impact of change and the need to respond). The Community Conversations would be an appropriate forum for on-going communication between government, local agencies and the community. • Goal 4 - Economy – contribution to the protection of major infrastructure, residential and industrial sites and underpin sustainable contribution to the longer term development opportunities on the Hoo Peninsula. • Goal 5 - Education – create an opportunity to monitor and evaluate the colonisation by flora and fauna of the newly created habitat. • Goal 6 - Biodiversity – support the biodiversity goal (as long as the appropriate freshwater grazing marsh was created to offset the loss to saltmarsh).

3.3.4 Landscape Services Landscape Services

Description to the projects contribution to the service: New enhanced coastal habitat (linked to flood protection)

Accessible water storage

No relevance.

Aesthetics

New coastal habitat would contribute to landscape character / restoration. The creation of new intertidal (saltmarsh) habitat would compensate for the historic losses of saltmarsh thus maintaining a dynamic coastal landscape.

Biofuels

No relevance.

Carbon storage

Studies 15 years after realignment at Tollesbury, Essex, UK, have demonstrated the ability of newly created intertidal habitat to capture carbon. However, it is estimated that it will take 100 years for restored sites to accumulate the amount of C currently stored in the natural site, at a rate of 0.92 t C ha−1 yr−1. http://nora. nerc.ac.uk/500314/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=carbonsequestration-and-biogeochemical-cycling-in-a-saltmarsh-subject-to-coastalmanaged-realignment.

Coastal storm protection

New coastal habitat would increase the case study’s resilience to increased coastal storms. Soft engineering, such as presence of saltmarsh vegetation, would slow water flows and erosional power, and create new space for storm water storage.

Corridor for wildlife

New coastal habitat will contribute to the strengthening of wildlife corridors.

Cultural asset

No relevance.

Evaporative cooling

No relevance.

Surface water flow reduction

The foliage and the plants root system of new coastal habitats will contribute to improving surface water flow reductions.

Food production

Some farmers / grazers may wish to exploit niche meat products such as salted lamb. New intertidal habitat will provide valuable habitat for spawning fish and as such increase sustainability of the region’s fisheries.

Encouraging sustainable travel

No relevance.

Habitat for wildlife

This project would make a direct contribution to this service.

Heritage

No relevance.

Inaccessible water storage

No relevance.

Learning

Local schools and universities could monitor and evaluate the success of the newly created coastal habitat.

Noise absorption

No relevance.

Recreation - public

In accordance with TE2100 plan, new public access opportunities could be created alongside the creation of new coastal habitat. However, the majority of coastal areas already provide PROW, so the benefits may be in usability rather than extent.

Recreation - private

No relevance.

Shading from the sun

No relevance.

Soil stabilization

No relevance.

Timber production

No relevance.

Trapping of air pollutants

This service is more important in urban areas where trapping of air pollutants is likely to be required.

Water conveyance

No relevance.

Water infiltration

No relevance.

Water interception

No relevance.

Wind shelter

No relevance. 30

3.3.5 Landscape Services Summary

3.3.7 Funding

The strongest contribution to the listed landscape services are to coastal storm protection, carbon storage, recreation and corridors for wildlife. As stated previously, the Community Conversations did not raise the need for coastal storm protection, until reviewing the landscape services maps when this interest and function was valued. Lesser, but still important contributions could be realised for the aesthetic and food production.

• Government’s implementation of the TE2100 strategy. • Additional local initiatives alongside the major schemes could be funded through: • Development (s.106s) and linked to Bird Disturbance study’s understanding of increased visitor impact of new housing schemes within 6km of European Protected sites. • Environment Agency – National Biodiversity Strategy • Defra / Environmental Land Management scheme

3.3.6 Key partners in progressing the idea

3.3.8 Project Plan

• • • • •

Landowners Farmers Parish Councils Medway Council Government agencies – Natural England and Environment Agency • Businesses • Medway Swale Estuary Partnership / Thames Estuary Partnership • Kent Wildfowling and Conservation Association

1. Establish a GIFT-T! Community Conservation working group to communicate issues and opportunities linked to the three initial coast habitat management areas. As a minimum these would include all those listed under stakeholders in section 3.3.6. 2. St Mary’s Marshes – explore delivery opportunities liked to TE2100 and planned compensation for the Shellhaven development (site x) 3. Yantlett Creek / Allhallows – explore delivery opportunities linked to Environment Agency’s England Biodiversity Strategy, redevelopment of caravan park, long term training use of Yantlett Ranges, Clubb land, new Environmental Land Management Scheme (linked to Greater Thames Marshes Nature Improvement Area scheme), Biodiversity Offsetting … 4. Stoke Oozes – explore delivery opportunities associated with Bird Disturbance Study (mitigation measures for new housing developments within 6km of the estuary).

3.4 Heritage and Tourism projects Heritage Projects

Tourism Projects

3.4.1 What we learnt from the Community Conversations:

that the average travel cost incurred made by visitors to Bromhey Farm was £23.43 and to Grain Coastal Park was £34.42. These two figures capture the indirect (time) and direct spend (fuel and car use) made by users.

Heritage: The Community Conversations identified the positive contribution that heritage makes to the Peninsula’s sense of place. Heritage was regarded as a core asset in developing a community connection and sense of pride. Residents and organisations have developed numerous ideas and projects, including Cliffe and Cliffe Woods Parish Councils Industrial Heritage Trails. This had resulted in an exhibition and a walks programme. Medway Council and the Grain St. James parish council have worked together to develop the heritage assets of Grain Coastal Park. Further development of this site is reliant upon addressing a number of common issues such as capital costs, health and safety, heritage protections and the requiring of a partnership approach.

Medway Council has a Visitor Destination Plan, developed in conjunction with Visit Kent. Priorities for investment see focus on existing under developed tourism assets, which prioritises the development of existing facilities over the establishment of need for new assets.

3.4.2 New heritage and tourism projects on the Peninsula were considered as important for: • Supporting community pride in the Hoo Peninsula • Opening up and sustaining tourism related economic activities such as Bed and Breakfast, cycle tours, walking festivals and history safaris.

English Heritage’s Hoo Peninsula Historic Landscape Project (no.21-2013) report said: “The Hoo Peninsula can be perceived by non-residents as ordinary, lacking in value or scarred by industry. This offered an opportunity to challenge perception and contribute new perspectives based on the contribution heritage makes to this landscape”, (page 3, section 4b). It goes on to say that , “Public access to much of the peninsula is poor , particularly to some of its most significant heritage monuments, but the desire for an improved tourism offer might have an important role to play in seeking management solutions for major heritage assets at risk”, (page 182).

3.4.3 Green infrastructure links to goals: The creation of new heritage and tourism assets at key locations around the Hoo Peninsula would: • Goal 1: Access – provide an opportunity to create new / enhanced designed site specific access which would be suitable for all users, plus the provision of additional interpretation and measures to minimise disturbance to land managers, residents and wildlife.

Tourism: Stakeholders’ interest in new tourism offers was centred on the desire to deliver projects that promote the strengths of the Hoo Peninsula and encourage people to visit the area to enjoy its landscape and environment. This interest is captured in the development of the goals for visitor economy, access and economy.

• Goal 2: Visitor economy – create five new tourism/ heritage related economic generators and attractions to both broaden and strengthen the sales offer to be promoted as part of an holistic area based visitor offer. This would seek to attract more people to the area throughout the year.

The five Youth interviews heard suggestions that people would like to have more things to do, including shops, youth centres, and new centres such as Shorne Woods, Cyclopark in Gravesham and ‘Go Ape’ centres such as at Leeds Castle.

• Goal 3: Connections – help to build connections and activities between the communities across the peninsula and increase links to the working, heritage and natural environment.

During the Community Conversations several groups noted that the Jubilee celebrations had been really good at bringing people together and suggested that they would like to see more of this kind of investment (fetes, carnivals etc.). A ‘Dickens Rural’ style festival was suggested to complement the Rochester Dickens Festival, and support was also offered for more local (and contemporary) ‘Total Wipeout’ style events at Cliffe and Cliffe Woods.

• Goal 4: Economy – be developed and promoted in a manner which works to increase visitor’s local spend alongside demand for overnight stays. • Goal 5: Education – increase awareness of the peninsula’s cultural heritage and would be packaged in an accessible form to promote English Heritage’s report to schools.

To better understand the current economic return from existing heritage / tourism sites, GIFT-T! undertook a series of valuation surveys with users of two key peninsula sites – Bromhey Farm and the Grain Coastal Park. This discovered

• Goal 6: Biodiversity – realised improved and informed site landscaping and increased opportunities for wildlife. 33

3.4.4 Landscape Services Landscape Services

Description to the projects contribution to the service: Heritage and Tourism projects

Accessible water storage

No relevance.

Aesthetics

Restoration of specific heritage features and landscapes would add to the aesthetics function of the area.

Biofuels

No relevance.

Carbon storage

No relevance.

Coastal storm protection

No relevance.

Corridor for wildlife

New or enhanced heritage and tourism assets could include the creation of wildlife rich landscaping that will contribute to the strengthening of wildlife corridors.

Cultural asset

Newly created / enhanced heritage and tourism assets could provide a location or setting for cultural activities (such as the Hoo Peninsula Fete).

Evaporative cooling

No relevance.

Surface water flow reduction

No relevance.

Food production

Limited reference but if a project was developed that focused on heritage landscapes and food then stronger links could be developed. (salt lamb / beef, cherries...)

Encouraging sustainable travel

New cycle and walk ways could be created to increase accessibility to heritage assets and to enable tourism to move between destinations.

Habitat for wildlife

No relevance.

Heritage

Increased awareness and accessibility of heritage assets will reduce the damage caused by poor management and will help to realise investment.

Inaccessible water storage

No relevance.

Learning

Local schools and universities could use the heritage features within the national curriculum and as outdoor classrooms.

Noise absorption

No relevance.

Recreation - public

The heritage and tourism assets could form a key part of the peninsulaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recreational network providing associated facilities such as toilets, interpretation and parking.

Recreation - private

No relevance.

Shading from the sun

No relevance.

Soil stabilization

No relevance.

Timber production

No relevance.

Trapping of air pollutants

No relevance.

Water conveyance

No relevance.

Water infiltration

No relevance.

Water interception

No relevance.

Wind shelter

No relevance.

3.4.5 Landscape Services Summary

associated with the Cooling Church graves and landscape. At present, the on-site facilities, promotion and interpretation are limited. • Liaise with RSPB at Bromhey Farm to discuss joint opportunities, whereby Bromhey Farm (or Marsh Gate Farm, Main Road) could become the base from which to explore the Dickens countryside. • Consider inclusion in area-wide Dickens Landscape heritage focused bid to HLF.

The strongest contribution to the listed landscape services are to cultural assets, encouraging sustainable transport and to learning and heritage. Lesser, but still important contributions could be realised for the aesthetic, the corridors for wildlife, and the food production.

3.4.6 Key partners in progressing the idea • • • • • • • • • • •

Site owners Landowners Farmers Parish Councils Government agencies – English Heritage, Natural England and Environment Agency Medway Swale Estuary Partnership / Thames Estuary Partnership / RSPB Medway Council – Tourism Manager Visit Kent Allhallows Caravan Park – Haven Sustrans Friends of the North Kent Marshes

High Halstow – Cooling Radio Station / reserve/ views • Revisit the RSPB’s idea to secure sympathetic development of the Cooling Radio Station. Previous ideas included creation of an interpretation hub, a ‘Dark Skies’ centre supporting astronomy, and a restaurant. • Consider the site as a centre for Hoo Peninsula cultural activities and community festivals. • Consider inclusion in area-wide heritage focused bid to HLF. Grain St. James – Coastal Park and fortifications • Support the existing parish plans to promote Grain coastal park as a local amenity and a visitor destination. The plans draw upon the site’s ecological and heritage, and its location at the confluence of the Rivers Medway and Thames.

3.4.7 Funding • • • • • • • • •

LEADER Development (s106s) Your Heritage – HLF Landscape Partnership Schemes - HLF Historic England grants / match Private sponsorship Interreg 5A Parish precepts Ward member grants

Upnor Castle and Path • Work with Medway Council and Heritage England to determine opportunities for the Upnor Castle site to provide a GI Info Hub for the Hoo Peninsula. • Explore links with housing developments with respect to enhancements to the Saxon Shore Way (linked to minimisation of disturbance to wintering waterfowl). A specific area for investment would be the footpath along the estuary at Lower Upnor. The scheme has been costed by the parish council and plans have been developed.

3.4.8 Project Plans

Hoo Peninsula Community and Walking Festival • GIFT-T! Community Conversation group to organise a Hoo Peninsula wide Community and Walking Festival event, bringing communities and business together to celebrate the peninsula, and to build stronger connections between communities and the future of the area. These festivals should be based at key heritage sites on the peninsula.

Cliffe Industrial Heritage Trail: • Work with Cliffe Parish Council and Friends of North Kent Marshes to further develop their existing industrial heritage project. Development may take the form of promoting and printing new booklet, new signposts and interpretation on industrial features, a walks programme and a new industrial trails within the parish. • Explore expanding the industrial heritage idea across the peninsula. • Develop funding opportunities targeted at existing and new business. • Explore links to the English Heritage study – using this as the basis of a ‘Heritage Story’.

Exploring the peninsula from Cliffe Reserve / from the River walk at the Upnors / from High Halstow / from the Peninsula from Allhallows / from Grain Coastal Park • Develop a suite of Exploration Guides to help people walk through the peninsula’s history and heritage.

Cooling - St James Church / Dickens / Great Expectations • Work with parish councils and landowners to discuss feasibility of establish greater awareness / resources 35

3.5 Landscape and Farming projects

3.5.1 What we learnt from the Community Conversations: Community Conversations confirmed local stakeholders desire to see the Hoo Peninsula retain its working agricultural landscapes. The grazed marshes, the arable fields and the fruit belts were considered key elements of its past, present and future. Agricultural land use as a type of green infrastructure accounts for 47% of GI provision. Of particular note is the significant amount of that farmland that is grade 1 (the best and most versatile of its type). It was recognised that food security could become an increasingly important issue for the nation and therefore food production was recognised as a core landscape service.

Peninsula offer different GI opportunities, the area has been split into three sub areas. Area 1 relates to the coastal marshes along the remote and rural Thames Estuary. Area 2 pulls together the estuarine marshes along the less remote and more industrial River Medway. Area 3 captures the broad arable and horticultural belt on the peninsulaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s higher land. Stakeholders also promoted the idea of replanting Elm trees along field boundaries and roads. Like the Isle of Sheppey, the Hoo Peninsula once supported many Elms with the tree defining boundaries and roads. Any replanting would have to be with an approved Elm beetle resistant variety.

Due to the farmlands close proximity to internationally important ecological areas (see designations maps), the agricultural landscape has benefited from various agri â&#x20AC;&#x201C; environmental schemes such as the Nature Improvement Area (NIA), and Countryside Stewardship, Higher Level Stewardship which replaced the North Kent Marshes Environmentally Sensitive Area scheme, which itself ran for 15 years.

Key species with strong relationships to farming activities include water voles and breeding waders (redshank and lapwing) associated with the North Kent Marshes, the breeding Nightingales (see section 3.2) associated with scrubland and woodland coppice habitats, breeding arable birds associated with the North Kent Plan agricultural belt, and the Thames Terrace invertebrates associated with the grazed coastal grassland. As different areas of the Hoo 36

3.5.2 New landscape and farming projects on the peninsula were considered as important for: Area

Interest

Area 1: Thames Estuary Coastal Marshes

Breeding water voles Breeding waders (redshank and lapwing) Thames Terrace Invertebrates

Area 2: Medway Estuary Marshes

Thames Terrace Invertebrates Breeding water voles Breeding waders

Area 3: Arable and horticultural belt

Breeding nightingales (see section 3.2) Re-establishment of Elm trees Breeding arable birds

3.5.3 Green infrastructure links to goals: The creation of landscape and farming projects would: • Goal 1: Access – create opportunities and arrangements for the indirect outputs such new greenways between village settlements and to Thames and Medway. An Elm planting scheme would specifically raise awareness of the footpaths where elms are to be planted and could also contribute to the greening / environmental enhancement of the road network. • Goal 2: Visitor economy – sustain a sustainable farming industry that is investing in the areas environment, economy and communities. Also, the planting of Elms in the landscape could contribute to the promotion of positive landscape perceptions and encourage more people to visit. • Goal 3: Connections – create a suite of events and activities which together reinforce connections between the farming and neighbouring community.

• Goal 4: Economy – identify strategic opportunities for inclusion in and investment from Biodiversity Offsetting and s.106s schemes. It would also increase likelihood of there being successful applications to the new Environment Land Management Scheme, and provide opportunities for exploring niche marketing of products and for visitor accommodation. There may also be limited contributions to be made to long term screening for development, such as solar farm or logistic hubs • Goal 5: Education – Monitoring and evaluation. The Environment Foundation’s Elm scheme targets school engagement in the monitoring and reporting on the health and heritage associated with the elm planting. • Goal 6: Biodiversity – make a significant contribution to addressing the need for wildlife corridors crossing the farmland land and connecting important habitats. Mature English Elm would make a significant contribution to roosting bats populations and whole nesting birds. Elm can supporting up to 130 species and is particularly valuable for moth larvae.

3.5.4 Landscape Services Landscape Services

Description to the projects contribution to the service: Landscape and Farming projects.

Accessible water storage

Creation of large water bodies along the boundary between the farmland and marshes, could be positively exploited to provide water to top-up (re-wetting) the marshes in late spring and then be used by the horticultural industry during the summer.

Aesthetics

A strengthen high quality farmland landscape would increase aesthetic contribution of the landscape in addressing perceived urbanisation of the peninsula. The reestablishment of English elm will make a significant contribution to landscape character / restoration â&#x20AC;&#x201C; screening of the Hoo Peninsula.

Biofuels

Biofuels (timber) could be part of the farm diversification offer and elm planting could make a limited contribution for future generations.

Carbon storage

All landscape projects can enhance carbon sequestration. http://www.eicc.co.uk/ organising/plan-it-green/carbon-emissions-mitigation-programme/

Coastal storm protection

No relevance.

Corridor for wildlife

Well-designed landscape / farming projects should de designed in a manner to maximise contribution to wildlife corridors. New planting along boundaries, roads and PROW will contribute to the creation of new wildlife corridors.

Cultural asset

No relevance.

Evaporative cooling

This service is more important in urban areas where cooling is likely to be required.

Surface water flow reduction

Local farming changes in areas shown on map could help address flash flooding.

Food production

There is a need to be aware of the impact of greening investments on food production.

Encouraging sustainable travel

The planting elms along PROW and roads may be a useful tool in raising the awareness of paths and the joys of using them.

Habitat for wildlife

Well-designed landscape / farming projects should de designed in a manner to maximise creation of habitat for wildlife. This project would make a direct contribution to this service as English elm is a valuable host for over a hundred and twenty species

Heritage

Landscaping projects could provide an enhanced setting for heritage assets. Elm planting will contribute to greater awareness of heritage changes over the last 20 years and will raise awareness of landscape history.

Inaccessible water storage

No relevance.

Learning

Local schools and universities could monitor and evaluate the success of the planting for wildlife and their resistance to disease.

Noise absorption

Landscape projects that plant trees close to settlements and main roads could contribute towards the addressing of noise pollution.

Recreation - public

Landscaping could provide an enhanced setting for recreational service / needs.

Recreation - private

No relevance.

Shading from the sun

Due to the need for shading within settlements it is unlikely that landscaping or farming schemes will deliver this service.

Soil stabilization

There are localised soil stability issues to the north west of Halstow and planting here might contribute to greater soil stability. Important to note that some of this area is a SSSI for geomorphological interests.

Timber production

Landscaping incorporating additional tree planting would increase local timber production. However tree planting should not be undertaken to the detriment of other services such as habitat for wildlife (wetlands). The planting of English elm is unlikely to make a short term contribution to timber production but over generations the Elm resource could be a valued tree for boards and construction.

Trapping of air pollutants

This service is more important in urban areas where trapping of air pollutants is likely to be required.

Water conveyance

No relevance.

Water infiltration

Landscape project in some areas could increase water infiltration.

Water interception

Landscape project in some areas could increase water interception.

Wind shelter

Landscape projects that plant trees close to soft fruit farm would increase wind shelter services.

3.5.5 Landscape Services Summary

3.5.8 Project Plan Generic (areas 1, 2 and 3)

The strongest contribution to the listed landscape services are to accessible water storage, corridors for wildlife, food productions and habitat for wildlife services. Lesser, but still important contributions could be realised for the aesthetic, wind shelter and timber production.

1. Identify and support the establishment of GIFT-T! Hoo Peninsula Farming Ambassadors. 2. Consider on-going involvement of Greater Thames Marshes Nature Improvement Area Farming and Conservation Advisor. 3. Develop local support mechanisms for those landowners / farmers interested in developing Environment and Land Management bids.

3.5.6 Key partners in progressing the idea • Landowners / farmers • National Farmers’ Union (officers and members) • RSBP, Kent Wildlife Trust, Kent Wildfowling and Conservation Association, Buglife • Natural England • Environment Agency / Thames Estuary 2100 team • Medway Council’s Greenspaces Department • Biodiversity Offsetting consultants • The Conservation Partnership

Thames Terrace Invertebrate (areas 1 and 2) - habitat management and creation across the Hoo Peninsula (sea walls, beetle banks, field margins, footpaths, road verges…) 1. Work with Natural England, Environment Agency, the RSPB and Buglife to identify the top ten TTI best return projects. 2. Natural England to identify and communicate new Environment Land Management Scheme. 3. Liaise with farmers and landowners to discuss ideas and to identify / refine TTI opportunities. 4. Explore opportunity to list sites on Biodiversity Offsetting sites. Communicate with Church Commissioners / Savills with a view to detailing specific farm / conservation plans for their land holdings. 5. Work with Natural England, Environment Agency, the RSPB, and Buglife to secure funding and work to realise schemes.

3.5.7 Funding • • • • • • •

Defra (Environmental and Land Management Scheme) LEADER Development (s106s) Parish precept Ward member grant Biodiversity Offsetting Heritage Lottery Fund - parishes to develop a £20,000 bid focusing on researching lost Elm landscape, heritage interests and community engagement in re-establishment of elms across the Hoo Peninsula. • The Conservation Partnership

Breeding waders (redshank and lapwing in areas 2 and 3)

3.6 Thames Terrace Invertebrates – corridors for wildlife

1. Work with the Environment Agency to understand the strategic management of water levels (to keep water levels high in the spring to aid feeding of young birds and decrease predation by mammals. 2. Creation of a diverse micro topography to create a range of ground conditions. 3. Control of predator movement by the erection of fences in ditches. 4. Management of people to reduce disturbance to birds. 5. Continue Nature Improvement Area’s Farm Advisor post via RSPB

3.6.1 What we learnt from the Community Conversations: Actions to conserve and restore biodiversity were central to the majority of stakeholder’s interests in GIFT-T!. This high level of commitment and priority was similar to that expressed in previous Hoo Peninsula studies such as the Four Parishes Plan work, as delivered for Medway Council by the Kent Wildlife Trust, and during the GGKM Green Cluster study on the Hoo Peninsula. A key desire of GIFT-T! stakeholders, was to increase awareness of the special values and international importance of the Hoo Peninsula, and the impact of climate change and key developments (such as Lodge Hill and the Estuary airport) on a healthy environment.

New nightingale-friendly scrub and woodland planting (in area 3) • See section 3.2.6

Section 3.2 has made the case for the creation of new scrubland for nightingales, and section 3.6 has promoted biodiversity projects for elm re-planting, waders, arable bird populations and water voles. This section (3.7) provides the GIBP for a specific biodiversity interest of Thames Terrace Invertebrates (TTI). The Hoo Peninsula is a good place to undertake TTI projects because of the areas’ local climate and the areas of gravely soils formed on the river terraces. The Hoo Peninsula, like the Thames Gateway in general, experiences a continental climate with warm and dry days, but it also has areas of nutrient poor soils formed from gravel / sands. The Peninsula also has some large areas of previously developed land with artificial substrates that mimic the conditions described above.

Re-establishment through planting of English Elm (in area 3) • • • • • • • •

Application for funding Under take mapping project of likely elm distribution Landowner engagement Elm planting at five selected sites Hedgeline planting at five selected sites Farmstead planting of two elm copses Planting within a school ground Planting alongside a major transport routes

North Kent continues to sustain regionally important population of invertebrates. Some species are associated with nutrient poor brownfield sites where the sparse vegetation creates an excellent micro climate for many species. Other important species are using the continuous herb rich swards along the river walls of the Thames and the Medway.

Water Voles (in areas 2 and 3) • Liaise with the Environment Agency, TE2100, RSPB and KWT to develop a major ditch management programme for water voles. • Seek funding to undertake predator control measures (as completed on the Isle of Sheppey).

The Greater Thames Marshes Nature Improvement Area raised awareness of measures that can be undertaken by landowners to improve their site (whether it be farmland or industrial) for invertebrates. Of particular note is Buglife’s work in Essex and on the Isle of Grain, where measures have been put in place to sustain invertebrate populations.

Arable farmland birds (in area 3) • Liaise with the RSPB and National Farmers’ Union to understand current issues, pressures and measures. • Seek engagement of the Greater Thames Marshes Nature Improvement Area’s Farm Conservation Advisor, to increase farmer awareness of opportunities to address farmland bird declines. • Seek engagement of a major landowner (such as the Church Commissioners) to uptake options on the delivery of arable farmland bird options. • Undertake bird surveys as part of a ‘citizen science’ project, engaging communities across the peninsula.

There are four main ideas for creating new TTI habitat: 1. Creating new TTI habitat within business parks. 2. The creation of nectar rich headland strips within the farmland. These could be delivered through implementation of the Environment and Land Management Scheme. 3. Creation of new flower rich habitats along public rights of way and within and around the peninsula’s villages. This would see the creation of 5 metre wide vegetation strip which are mown on a 2 – 3 year rotation. 4. Maintenance of the river banks for invertebrate populations. 40

Rubble piles

Tall ruderals

Sparsely vegetated

Moss cover

3.6.2 New Thames Terrace Invertebrate projects on the Peninsula were considered as important for: • Greening the industrial and business parks. • Building projects and GI awareness with the business community • Creating wildlife corridors to increase ecological connectivity.

3.6.3 Green infrastructure links to goals: The creation of Thames Terrace Invertebrate habitat at key locations around the Hoo Peninsula would: • Goal 4: Economy – identify strategic opportunities for inclusion in and investment from Biodiversity Offsetting / s106s scheme. TTI schemes in and around business parks and brownfield sites, could increase the certainty of environmental output associated with planning applications. Schemes delivered by farmers could increase the likelihood of successful applications to the new Environment Land Management Scheme.

• Goal 1: Access – see field strips created for TTI possibly acing a new green ways. • Goal 2: Visitor economy – create All of a Buzz projects that complement efforts to strengthen the visitor offer/appeal. • Goal 3: Connections – increase awareness of the Peninsula’s special interests.

• Goal 5: Education – Monitoring and evaluation. Schools could create TTI friendly gardens / wildlife patches – undertake local surveys / studies. • Goal 6: Biodiversity – make a significant contribution to addressing the need for wildlife corridors crossing the farmland land and connecting important habitats. Creation of new habitat for invertebrates.

3.6.4 Landscape Services Landscape Services

Description to the projects contribution to the service: Thame Terrace Invertebrates projects

Accessible water storage

No relevance.

Aesthetics

The nectar rich landscapes created to support invertebrates, would also form attractive aspects of business park and public landscaping.

Biofuels

No relevance.

Carbon storage

No relevance.

Coastal storm protection

No relevance.

Corridor for wildlife

The nectar rich landscapes created to support invertebrates, would also contribute to corridors for wildlife for mammals, invertebrates and plants.

Cultural asset

No relevance.

Evaporative cooling

The tall herbage associated with aspects of TTI habitat will contribute to evaporative cooling.

Surface water flow reduction

The tall herbage associated with aspects of TTI habitat will contribute to reduction of surface water flow reduction.

Food production

The increase in general invertebrate populations could aid polinisation of soft fruits and orchards. Honey production could also be considered.

Encouraging sustainable travel

No direct relevance.

Habitat for wildlife

Direct relationship as TTI habitat will be habitat for a wide range of non TTI species.

Heritage

No relevance.

Inaccessible water storage

No relevance.

Learning

Schools and colleges could participate in monitoring and promoting TTI interests.

Noise absorption

No relevance.

Recreation - public

The creation of strips of land for TTI habitat could (with landowners agreement) be treated as permissive paths and contribute to prow network.

Recreation - private

No relevance.

Shading from the sun

No relevance.

Soil stabilization

No relevance.

Timber production

No relevance.

Trapping of air pollutants

The herbage created to support invertebrate populations will help to trap air pollutants â&#x20AC;&#x201C; especially if the habitat is created along highways.

Water conveyance

No relevance.

Water infiltration

No relevance.

Water interception

No relevance.

Wind shelter

No relevance.

3.6.5 Landscape Services Summary

3.6.8 Project Plan

• The strongest contribution to the listed landscape services are to the corridors for wildlife, habitat for wildlife and surface water flow reduction assets. Lesser, but still important contributions could be realised for the aesthetic and learning landscape services.

• TTIs in business parks ( Kingsnorth, Grain, Medway City Estate and Cliffe) - Revisit Buglife’s All of a Buzz report. - Arrange a meeting for all business park managers / owners to discuss opportunities to create TTI habitat on their sites. - Liaise with local planning officers on opportunities to seek inclusion of TTI friendly landscaping in future applications. - Quantify spatial opportunities to enhance green infrastructure supportive of TTIs. • TTIs in farming - Link with NFU local member meetings to raise awareness of the TTI project. - Work with the Kent Field Club to identify possible farmed sites of interest / opportunity. - Liaise with Natural England to assess NELM opportunities to promote field margin and headlands along the banks of the River Medway. - Quantify spatial opportunities to enhance green infrastructure. • TTIs networks - Creation of 5m wide strips along key footpaths that link key settlements to the sea walls (Cliffe, Hoo, Stoke, Cooling, High Halstow) - Link to projects described in section 3.1 and provide information for landowners and parish councils on the optimal seed mix for TTIs and provide clear guidance on groundworks and maintenance. - Quantify the linear / area of TTI habitat that could be created. - Liaise with landowners and the Public Rights of Way team on priorities and opportunities. • TTIs along the river walls - Liaise with the Environment Agency’s asset management team to identify opportunities to modify the sea wall grass cutting regime. • TTIs on wildlife sites and country parks (RSPB’s Cliffe Reserve, Grain Coastal Country Park, the geological SSSI at Upnor and Hogmarsh Valley). - Work with site owners and managers to explore opportunities for inclusion and expansion of TTI appropriate management in future plans. - Encourage site managers to hold / host a series of TTI related public engagement events.

3.6.6 Key partners in progressing the idea • • • • • • • • • •

Buglife Kent Wildlife Trust Greater Thames Marshes Nature Improvement Area Landowners Farmers Natural England Environment Agency Grounds Maintenance contractors Parish Councils Medway Council’s Public Rights of Way officer and Highways staff • Business Park managers • Developers

3.6.7 Funding sources • • • • • •

LEADER Development (s106s) Heritage Lottery Fund Local Authority Parish precept Ward member grant

Shrill carder bee feeding on red clover (Peter Harvey). 43