Infrastructure Delivery Plan (Feb 2013) - Runnymede Borough Council

There are reported to be in excess of 2100 different species in the Borough; 32 of them
are Biodiversity Action Plan species. These are supported in 19 different habitats 4 .
2.26 Around 2,254.4ha or 28.9% of the Borough is covered by trees and woodland, which
contributes to its character (see:
2.27 Figure 3 below). The natural landscape of Runnymede is characterised by its Thames
Basin Lowland and urban fringe location which is of gently undulating vale: small-scale
fields interspersed with woods, ponds, meadows, and heath, with a rural appearance.
Social Deprivation
2.28 The Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) is a measure of multiple deprivation at Super
Output Area (SOA) level. SOAs comprise a population of between 1000 and 3000
people. There are 32,482 SOAs in England & Wales, 709 of them in Surrey; and 51 in
Runnymede, with each ward containing three or four SOAs within it. The IMD combines
a number of indicators, chosen to cover a range of economic, social, and housing
issues, into a single deprivation score for each small area in England.
2.29 There are also six district summary scores for each Local Authority district (there are
354 districts in England) and for each County Council and higher tier (there are 149 of
these). A relative ranking of areas, according to their level of deprivation is then
provided. Although some areas of the Borough perform worse than others, no area
within Runnymede registers within the 20% most deprived areas of the country.
Figure 3 – Tree and Woodland Cover in Runnymede 2004
4
Para. 13.1 State of Runnymede Report, 2004
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Runnymede IDP DRAFT – February 2013