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National Association for AONBs – July 08. RDAs in partnership with AONBs Mark Pearce Corporate Director Advantage West Midlands. Adding Value in valuable landscapes. Malvern Hills, Worcestershire. Introduction. Structure of presentation.
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National Association for AONBs – July 08 RDAs in partnership with AONBs Mark Pearce Corporate Director Advantage West Midlands 1
Adding Value in valuable landscapes Malvern Hills, Worcestershire Introduction 2
Structure of presentation • Natural Assets in the West Midlands Economic Strategy • How the commitment is being developed • Case studies of existing good practice • Examples of planned projects • RDPE integration • Implementing the Sub National Review and developing the Integrated Regional Strategy 3
‘Connecting to Success’ • Regional Economic Strategy launched in December • Challenge of closing the £10bn output gap • First low carbon Regional Economic Strategy 4
Long Mynd, Shropshire Connecting to Success • Strategic Environmental Assessment • Evidence base • Importance of natural & agricultural assets recognised • Valuing the natural environment • Natural environment indicator 6
Case Study 1 – Heartwoods – assets and activity Environmental Asset • 7% of region’ is woodland • Particularly in AONBs Heartwoods - Economic Activity • £1 million invested in the sector • Market timber and woodfuel • Collaboration in Promotion • Networks. • Training and advice. • Certification Result - • Supply chain development 8
Heartwoods - outputs Economic outputs 2002-05: • 73 jobs created & safeguarded • 100 trained • Value into the timber economy Environmental Outputs • Sustainable woodland management. • Woodland biodiversity increased • Woodland retained in landscape. • Sustainable carbon lean fuel source. 9
Cannock Chase Trail, Staffordshire Case study 2 – Birches Valley Forest Centre – assets & activity • Environmental Asset • Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. • Important heathland and habitats. • Includes historic assets e.g. Castle Ring Iron age Hill Fort. • Economic Activity • Visitor attraction; cycling & walking trails • Visitor facilities; cycle hire, café, car park • Healthy indirect spend in locality 10
Birches Valley Forest Centre - outputs Economic Outputs: • Generating 8 full time jobs • 13 part time jobs • Cycle Hire turnover £45k p.a. • Café turnover £200k p.a. • Additional income for local businesses Environmental Outputs: • Controlled access • Kept cyclists away from environmentally sensitive areas • Led to improved heath land Cannock Chase “Follow The Dog” Trail, Staffordshire 11
Rural Regeneration Zone – commitment to environmental excellence • Herefordshire, Shropshire & Worcs • Shrewsbury Pump House - Environmental Technology Centre • Low Carbon Communities • Energy4all • Re:think • Ludlow EcoPark and Ludlow Waste Digester 12
Integration • Joining up and integration – RES supports alignment • Haskins Review and simplification of delivery • RPDE delivery split • How West Midlands RDPE has addressed the challenge: • Regional Implementation Plan • Engagement of regional environmental stakeholders • Environment and economy model • Secondees • Integration and alignment remains a wider challenge 13
Sub National Review • Single Integrated Regional Strategy • Sustainable economic growth objective • Brings together regional economic development, planning, transport, waste & housing policies • AWM becomes the Regional Planning Body responsible for RSS. • Alignment and delegation of funding 14
Sub National Review • Single Integrated Regional Strategy: • Main focus of SIRS on closing the £10bn regional output gap. • Evidence based • Reflect regional level priorities • Able to deliver positive long term economic, environmental and social change. • “traction” over regional budgets of Govt. Departments and Agencies to achieve regional alignment 15
Conclusion • WMES priorities focusing activity on natural and agricultural assets • The environmental economy model demonstrates links and how activity can be integrated • SNR will lead to changes – integration of strategy and delivery • All just as relevant to AONBs as to RDAs 16