THAMES ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP ANNUAL FORUM 2011

SPEAKERS’ ABSTRACTS

Why London needs the Thames Tunnel – a simple and robust solution to future-proof the River Thames

Martin Baggs, Chief Executive, Thames Water

The River Thames has become an environmental and public health hazard with regular overflows from London’s sewers discharging into the River. In a typical year, the city’s sewers discharge 39 million cubic metres of untreated sewage into the River Thames. The Thames Tunnel will tackle the discharges from the 34 most polluting overflows, future-proofing London’s sewage system by providing flexibility and much needed capacity for at least a century.

Thames Water is entering its second phase of public consultation on the Thames Tunnel as part of its continuing commitment to engage with organisations and individuals who could be impacted by the project. Martin will be providing an insight into the development of the plans and the benefits this solution will bring to the health of the River, London and further afield.

Using the Thames for Freight and Employment

James Trimmer, Head of Planning and Partnerships, Port of London Authority

The river in London is thriving in many ways. Jim will talk about new initiatives and projects that will further utilise the sustainable potential of the Thames for freight transport.

Challenges and Opportunities for Marine Spatial Planning

Sue Wells, Balanced Seas

The Balanced Seas project was one of four regional projects that worked with sea users and interest groups to identify and recommend Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) in English waters.  As a partnership project with the University of Kent, Kent County Council, Natural England and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Balanced Seas covered inshore and offshore waters from just north of the Suffolk/Essex border to the Hampshire/Dorset border in the south-west, including the Thames Estuary and the Solent. The Balanced Seas Regional Stakeholder Group, supported by the three advisory Local Groups, submitted their recommendations in early September, which consist of 30 recommended MCZs and 25 Reference Areas. The recommended MCZs include the tidal Thames, from Richmond to Southend, and the estuaries of the Medway, Swale, and in Essex, the complex including the Blackwater, Crouch, Roach, and Colne. The talk will describe the recommendations and the rationale for their submission.

David Cowell, Marine Management Organisation

Marine planning commenced for the East Inshore and Offshore areas in April 2011. In this presentation, David will advise on the policy context for marine planning, progress made to date on plan production, and advise how stakeholders in the south east can get involved in marine planning.

Peter Jones, Department of Geography, University College London

This presentation will consider some of the key challenges for implementing marine spatial planning through the Marine and Coastal Access Act, focusing in particular on the following questions:-

Will marine spatial planning be plan-led or consents-led?

Will marine spatial plans actually be implemented or will they merely be considered?

Does MSP presently consist of a race for space?

The Future of Parklands: a Green Infrastructure success story
John Meehan, Parklands Programme Manager, Essex County Council

In 2008 Margaret Beckett announced the Parklands Programme for Thames Gateway for 15 sites in Thames Gateway receiving £32 million which partners more than matched totalling £70 million of Green Infrastructure investment. The investments were based on three Business Plans drawn up by the London North Kent and South Essex Green Grid Partnership. During the three years a remarkable transformation took place in these sites, delivering the outputs below:

• 637 ha of new greenspace
• 2,013 ha of enhanced greenspace
• 95 km of new and upgraded foot and cycle paths
• 4 new sustainable visitor centres
• 275 ha of brownfield land remediated
• More than 400,000 extra visitors expected
• 25 jobs created, 10 jobs safeguarded

As a result Parklands outcomes include: more visitors and local communities using greenspaces, more pride in living in the Thames Estuary, healthier lifestyles, and an improved image leading to increased economic investment.

In March 2011 the Parklands programme came to an end and the local Green Grid Partnerships continue Green Infrastructure initiatives through other funding pots, such as EU Interreg funds, which is funding £1.8 million of environmental programmes in North Kent and South Essex.

There has been a realisation over recent years that environmental improvements can achieve a great deal at the Landscape scale. The Wildlife Trusts have published their “Living Landscapes”, Natural England are promoting IBDAs (Integrated Biodiversity Areas), RSPB have “Futurescapes,” etc.

Parklands partners, RSPB and the Thames Estuary Partnership have made a bid for the Greater Thames Marshes to become a Natural Improvement Area (NIA) and have been fortunate enough to be in the final 20 applicants, from a group of 76 applicants. Our hope is that we get NIA status in 2012, and become a Local Nature Partnership to enable us to manage the wider landscape of the Greater Thames Marshes to build upon the foundations of Parklands into the future.

Planning under the New Localism

Yvonne Rydin, University College London

Local government and the planning system in England and Wales are set to be significantly overhauled with the passage of the Localism Bill 2010 currently making its way through Parliament. The localism agenda sees a new enhanced role for community participation but this raises a number of key questions: Who will get involved? Will the Bill foster NIMBYism? How far can the localism agenda engender action toward implementation? Yvonne Rydin will address these questions and outline what the key dilemmas may be for localist planning.

The Thames Estuary Partnership’s work in 2011 and – where next in 2012? 

Jill Goddard, Executive Director, Thames Estuary Partnership

The work that TEP is doing is summarised in our May 2011 Talk of Thames, copies of which are available on this boat. This will be updated in our November 2011 edition. Both will  be available on the TEP website in early December. Jill will explain what TEP has changed in the way it works, and how it has been incorporated into our Business Planning for 2011-2012. The current political climate of David Cameron’s Big Society needs to be a good fit with TEP’s work for the estuary.

The big topics on the estuary, the Thames Tunnel, the Water Framework Directive, TE2100 and local authority planning for the Thames, Education - the Click on Thames Map, Waterborne Invasive Species, and involving the public in the Thames Discovery Programme all need local contacts and project staff to be effectively implemented.

The Marine Management Organisation and Marine Planning is coming our way – it is important to explain how TEP will work within this context.

Finally, this year she will be demonstrating knitting.