DRAFT North Somerset Sustainable Community Strategy 08 - 26.pdf

emissions from human activity is changing the global climate. It is notpossible to predict with certainty how climate change will affect NorthSomerset, but we must plan for the damaging effects of more extremeweather events, increased flooding, and sea level rise. There may alsobe some benefits, such as an increased growing season and warmerwinters, so we must also plan to take advantage of any opportunitiesthat arise.A related issue is the current concern about ‘Peak Oil’ - the likelihoodthat global oil production is approaching its’ peak 52 . Any resulting fuelscarcity would impact on our quality of life, and will especially affectthose already living in vulnerable situations, such as people living in ‘fuelpoverty’ who cannot afford to heat their homes. The demand for newtechnologies to overcome these difficulties will present new businessopportunities.A key issue for the district is the need to fulfil housing demand locally.The challenge will be to ensure that the significant amount ofdevelopment required has minimal disturbance to the naturalenvironment and doesn’t increase greenhouse gas emissions. Housingconstruction and domestic energy use, currently accounts for over athird of the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions 53 . Ensuring new buildings usesustainable construction techniques and that developments aim to becarbon neutral and efficient in their use of resources such as water, willhelp to reduce emissions. Additionally we will also need to find ways ofmaking our existing housing stock more resource efficient to reduce ouroverall consumption and limit the amount of waste and pollution weproduce.Car ownership in North Somerset is currently above the national average,whilst walking and cycling rates are amongst the lowest in the SouthWest 54 . Future plans will need to help reduce the need for people totravel, and improve existing transport infrastructure so people can makemore sustainable choices.Traffic congestion is a growing problem and tackling congestion hotspots and improving traffic management around Junctions 21 and 19 ofthe M5 are significant issues. The joint Local Transport Plan describes thetransport policies and programmes for the West of England sub region;future transport proposals include plans for a package of improvementsin Weston-super- Mare, the South Bristol Link Road and the potentialexpansion of Bristol International Airport and Royal Portbury Dock.North Somerset has an enviable natural environment, its’ diverselandscape includes a wealth of international and nationally recognisedwildlife sites including 39 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI’s)and 199wildlife sites 55 . The Severn Estuary, which forms the western border of thedistrict has the second highest tidal range in the world, and has beendesignated an SSSI, Special Protection Area and Ramsar Site, inrecognition of the international importance of its wealth of differenthabitats and species, including internationally significant feedinggrounds for over 50,000 migrating birds every year 56 .18