The PBRS factor The Public Benefit Recording System (PBRS) takes the sites that have been identified and electronically mapped and then overlays them with a number of other geographically-specific ‘layers’ to give each site a public benefit ‘score’ across a range of social, economic and environmental factors.
Factors include levels of deprivation, the site’s proximity to schools or whether the land falls within a Health Action Zone. Economic criteria include nearby employment zones or proximity to transport corridors, while environmental factors included proximity to Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), air quality management zones, etc.
Making Newlands happen Newlands is not just about environmentally ‘good’ woodlands – it’s about ‘exemplar’ community woodlands that also offer real economic and social payback. Critically Newlands’ next step will be to conduct an Additional Impact Assessment (AIA), which will look at each priority site and analyse the social, environmental and economic issues that a design, reclamation and after use plan will need to reflect. Newlands sites will be cleaned up and reclaimed through an integrated and innovative approach to derelict land regeneration to ensure they optimise their contribution to the full range of issues that the PBRS highlights. Target sites will include a detailed community consultation programme to make sure that woodland development fully fits the social needs of the area. Put simply, every site presents unique challenges and unique opportunities.
The Newlands Partnership The Newlands scheme is a bold, new partnership between the Northwest Development Agency and the Forestry Commission. Newlands also takes in a range of delivery partners, including through the Red Rose and Mersey Forests, Forest Enterprise, the Pennine Edge Forest and Groundwork.
The 21st century new face of land regeneration A new kind of regeneration is about to transform some of our most stubborn areas of dereliction. A powerful new partnership is poised, set to deliver a major advance in land reclamation and woodland development.
Summer 2003. Newlands is ready to launch Newlands is a £23 million scheme that will create hundreds of hectares of new, durable, community woodland. It will ensure that the new woodland areas do more than simply improve the image and environment of England’s Northwest. Crucially these areas will also contribute to economic prosperity and a better quality of life.
On target for a transformation The first phase of Newlands is aiming to reclaim 435 hectares of derelict, brownfield land for community woodland use, in support of regeneration and economic growth. Phase one of the scheme will cover the Mersey Belt targeting sites in Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, Knowsley, Liverpool, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, Ellesmere Port and Neston, Halton, Vale Royal, and Warrington. Phase two is under development and, once approved, will extend across the region to include Cumbria, Lancashire and the rest of Cheshire.
Mapping out the future Newlands is based around reliable data and solid intelligence. A ground-breaking survey has been conducted of the region’s extensive areas of derelict, underused or neglected (DUN) land – areas that are a blight on their communities, a drain on local resources and a major problem for the region’s image. In total, 3,800 ‘DUN’ sites of more than one hectare in size have been identified across England’s Northwest. At least 3,000 of these sites are unsuitable or not ready for hard development. Of these sites, 1,600 are ‘brownfield’ - previously developed land – the target areas for Newlands.
Benefits at a glance From the regeneration of brownfield sites, to healthy living, business growth, biodiversity and community benefit, Newlands will help hit a whole range of different government targets and policies. Newlands will improve the image of the region, trigger new investment opportunities and make England’s Northwest a better place to live, work and play.
Priorities for action With 1,600 potential sites to select from, the partnership behind Newlands had to prioritise areas for development. First the sites were assessed for their economic, social and environmental potential. Next, the sites were filtered using local priorities set by sub-regional partnerships.
Putting public benefit first To maximise the benefit of Newlands, the sites have been analysed using a new and ground-breaking ‘Public Benefit Recording System’ (PBRS). This system identifies the issues of public concern in the locality of each site based on social, environmental or economic criteria. From this flowed the project areas that form the priority for regeneration under the Newlands scheme and the issues project design and after management should address. This is another first for the Northwest.
For more information on the Newlands initiative, contact:
For general information on Northwest Development Agency activities contact:
Forestry Commission
Northwest Development Agency
Delamere Area Office (NW England Conservancy) Delamere Northwich Cheshire CW8 2JD
Headquarters: PO Box 37 Renaissance House Centre Park Warrington WA1 1XB
Tel: +44 (0)1606 889 912 Fax: +44 (0)1606 301 081 Email: fc.nweng.delamere@forestry.gsi.gov.uk www.forestry.gov.uk/newlands
Tel: +44 (0)1925 400 100 Fax: +44 (0)1925 400 400 Email: Information@nwda.co.uk www.nwda.co.uk www.englandsnorthwest.com
July 2003 CL/07/03 Printed on revive silk 75% recycled content comprises 35% de-inked consumer waste and 40% pre-consumer waste, the remaining 25% content being mill broke and virgin fibres. Totally Chlorine Free (TCF).