East Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy 2005/06

East Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy Annual Monitoring Report 2005/06
Tourism remains an important source of employment for the East Midlands, particularly in Nottinghamshire,
Lincolnshire and Derbyshire (in terms of the numbers employed) and in Rutland (in terms of the proportion of
total jobs), but with significant numbers of jobs throughout the Region.
As of the fourth quarter of 2005 nearly all of East Midlands households (99.9%) including those in rural and
sparsely populated areas had access to broadband (up from 94% in quarter three of 2004). The actual take-up of
the broadband services is more difficult to measure but qualitative evidence suggests that, as in the rest of the
UK, this is increasing.
Environment
As of September 2006, 68% of the Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in the East Midlands were classed as
favourable or unfavourable recovering. 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.
The 2004/05 monitoring report showed a decrease of 95 in the population of farmlard species in the East
Midlands between 1994 and 2003. The latest data comparing the period 1994 to 2004 shows a reversal of this
decrease so that the population of farmland birds is nearly the same as that in 1994.
Over the last decade the rate of woodland creation supported through grant has been between 500 and 850
hectares per annum.The figure for this year is significant but falls well short of the rate required to meet the
target set out in the current RSS of 65,000 ha by 2021.
Information on Landscape Character Assessments has been provided by Natural England who undertook a
survey in February/March 2006 showing that 17 local authorities had a Landscape Character Assessment (LCA) in
place and that other local authorities were at different stages of development, with a number of studies
underway.
English Heritage’s Register of Buildings at Risk in 2006 recorded 133 entries of Grade I and II* listed buildings at
risk in the East Midlands compared to 134 in 2005. Seven had been removed and six added to the register from
last year.
The data on planning permissions granted contrary to Environment Agency advice on water quality grounds
shows a substantial decline compared to previously available data and well on the way to meeting the target of
zero permissions granted.
The total number of planning permissions granted contrary to Environment Agency advice on flood risk
grounds was 20 in 2004/05. In 2003/04 it was 133.This represents a significant fall.
Water Quality in the East Midlands has shown a significant improvement in terms of both chemical and
biological standards since 1990.
The capacity of Combined Heat and Power (CHP) facilities in the East Midlands in 2005 was 234MWe compared
to 233MWe in 2004. This represents a decline in capacity from 244MWe in 2003. The region is only 50% towards
the 2010 target of 511MWe.
The Region is making steady progress in generating electricity from renewable resources. In 2002 approximately
400 GWh were generated from renewable resources compared to over 600 GWh in 2005. The main sources of
this renewable energy are other bio-fuels and landfill.
Minerals, Aggregates & Waste
The national and regional guidelines for aggregate provision indicate that the average annual production in the
East Midlands for sand and gravel should be 11.0 million tonnes (MT) a year and for land won crushed rock, 34.9
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