East Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy 2005/06

Table 5.1 - County SSSI condition Sept 2006
% Area
Meeting
PSA
Target 05
% Area
Meeting
PSA
Target 06
% Area
Favourable
% Area
Unfavourable
Recovering
% Area
Unfavourable
No Change
% Area
Unfavourable
Declining
% Area
Destroyed
/ Part
Destroyed
Derbyshire
35.67%
51.89%
18.26%
33.63%
29.63%
18.48%
0.00%
Leicestershire
66.86%
67.25%
22.32%
44.93%
24.34%
8.18%
0.23%
Lincolnshire
60.65%
74.30%
59.64%
14.66%
0.48%
25.23%
0.00%
Northamptonshire
70.42%
84.79%
60.33%
24.46%
12.93%
2.13%
0.14%
Nottinghamshire
67.23%
69.93%
11.58%
58.35%
24.78%
5.29%
0.00%
Source: Natural England
East Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy Annual Monitoring Report 2005/06
5.7 The condition of the SSSI land in England is
assessed by Natural England. There are six reportable
condition categories: favourable; unfavourable
recovering; unfavourable no change; unfavourable
declining; part destroyed and destroyed. If a SSSI is
currently assessed as being in unfavourable no change,
unfavourable declining, part destroyed or destroyed
condition it is described as being in adverse condition
and is ‘not meeting the PSA target’. If a SSSI is currently
assessed as being in favourable or unfavourable
recovering condition it is described as ‘meeting the PSA
target’. Favourable condition means that the SSSI is
being adequately conserved and is meeting its
conservation objectives. However, there is scope for the
enhancement of these sites.
Data Analysis
5.8 As of September 2006, 68% of the SSSI areas in the
East Midlands were classed as favourable or
unfavourable recovering, i.e. meeting the PSA
requirement. In England, as of September 2006, 73% of
the SSSI areas were classed as favourable or
unfavourable recovering. The East Midlands still lags
behind the nation as a whole. However during the
monitoring period 2005/06 the East Midlands has made
significant progress with the proportion of land classed
as favourable or unfavourable recovering, rising from
52%, as of September 2005, to 68% at September 2006.
The increase for England over the same period was 68%
to 73%.The condition of blanket bog in the Dark Peak is
the greatest contributor to unfavourable condition.
Moorland restoration work undertaken by Moors for the
Future and its partners - the National Trust and private
landowners - have moved this figure upwards
considerably but the programme is in jeopardy due to
the uncertainty over future ESA grants support.
5.9 Information at county level reflects the significant
progress made in the region towards achieving the PSA
target. All counties have shown an increase in the SSSI
areas classed as favourable or unfavourable recovering
(Table 5.1) with three counties - Derbyshire, Lincolnshire
and Northamptonshire - registering substantial
increases.
Policy Commentary
Cultural Assets
5.10 The loss of landscape or townscape character have
proved difficult aspects to monitor using objective
methodologies, although there is evidence that local
authorities are preparing Conservation Area Appraisals,
which will define the special character of these areas, in
response to the Best Value Performance Indicator (BVPI
219).
5.11 At present, monitoring is focusing on assets ‘at risk’
rather than a systematic collection of loss or damage to
historic assets.This approach allows English Heritage,
local authorities and their partners to target resources
on saving these assets from loss or further damage.The
2004/5 Annual Monitoring Report did report on the loss
of parkland between 1918 and 1995.This data is now
available by local authority area from the Heritage
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