Tag Archives: Climate Action

Planning for Solar Farms Across the UK

With the current global agenda focussing on reducing carbon dioxide, solar farms are quickly becoming one of the preferred investment options for governments, businesses and independent investors.

Solar farms are large scale installations of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels that absorb energy from the sun and convert it into electricity which is then is fed into the electricity grid. They provide a green and locally produced source of renewable energy for 25+ years1 after their initial construction and generate virtually no noise. Once construction is completed, physical disturbance of the land is minimal, and the surrounding areas remain hospitable for plants, wildlife and grazing animals.

With these facts in mind, TEP is delighted to be working on a number of Solar Farms across the UK. The sites range in size from 10 to 59 hectares and with a maximum capacity of 49 megawatts. 49MW could have the potential to generate enough electricity to power over 15,000 homes per year. A recent study by the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)2 on the attitudes towards renewable energy showed that solar power was most popular with the public.

TEP’s in-house specialists are particularly well-placed to assess the impacts these developments might have on landscape and views, which is where concerns are generally focussed. We produce robust planning applications ensuring energy policies are addressed effectively. An integral part of the planning application is consideration of landscape and visual impacts. The supporting assessments consider the value of the landscape which will be affected, and ensure that proposals work within the setting, respecting positive attributes already present and identifying opportunities to enhance the landscape.

If you would like planning advice on the suitability of a site for large scale solar farms, please get in touch with our Environmental Planning team at planning@tep.uk.com.


References

  1. https://www.greenmatch.co.uk/blog/2015/01/the-lifespan-of-solar-panels
  2. BEIS PAT Spring 2022 Energy Infrastucture and Energy Sources (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Port Sunlight Plans For A Green Future

TEP has helped Port Sunlight Village Trust (PSVT) launch its first environmental sustainability strategy, which is now starting to be implemented.  The 10-year strategy covers several topics including energy, water, waste, transport, business and ‘greening the village’.  Its focus is to reduce the organisation’s impact on the environment and encourage the community to do the same.

PSVT is an independent charitable trust responsible for preserving and promoting the historic village.  Set up by Unilever in 1999, the Trust works with Port Sunlight’s residents to create a self-sustaining village for all who live, visit and work there.  As much of Port Sunlight is designated as a Conservation Area, with over 900 listed buildings, it is important to ensure that any proposed sustainable solutions respect the historic fabric of the village and protect it for future generations.

PSVT commissioned TEP to create the Environmental Sustainability Strategy for all areas of the business, including the operation of the charity and village with its Conservation Area and many listed buildings.  Its existing environmental policy states that:

  • The charity is committed to reducing its environmental impact year on year by improving the environmental performance of its activities;
  • Reducing the impacts to the environment from all areas of operation; and
  • Championing biodiversity and sustainability as part of its public programmes and management of the natural and designed heritage in its care.

The first step in the production of the Sustainability Strategy was a baseline report.  TEP’s planning team established a baseline impact for all areas of PSVT’s operations including building maintenance and refurbishment, waste disposal, commuting, supply chain and staff development.  TEP partnered with Element Sustainability, who undertook baseline thermal performance surveys from fourteen PSVT properties.  In addition, three community surveys were undertaken and issued to the Trust’s workforce, contractors, and residents to gather their thoughts on sustainability.

Guided by the existing policies, baseline reports and public response, TEP produced a strategy that sets out a series of goals together with a strategic approach towards delivering the Trust’s ten-year Conservation Management Plan. 

The six goals include:

  • To reduce the overall consumption of energy used in PSVT premises, improve energy performance in all PSVT owned residential properties and encourage village businesses, visitors and the community to use energy efficiently to reduce carbon emissions without adversely affecting the heritage character of the village.
  • To reduce the overall amount of waste produced by PSVT and increase the amount reused and recycled. PSVT will embed the principles of the waste hierarchy and encourage village businesses, visitors and the community to do the same.
  • To reduce the overall consumption of water used in PSVT premises and tenanted properties and encourage village businesses, visitors and the community to use water efficiently to reduce demand.
  • To encourage the PSVT workforce and the community to use sustainable and efficient modes of transport that decrease the reliance on the private car in order to reduce emissions and air pollution.
  • To reduce the impact of PSVT landscape maintenance on the environment, diversify the type of open space and planting to improve biodiversity and enhance the sense of community within the village.
  • To become a sustainable and inclusive business in all areas of operation and improve the knowledge and well-being of members of staff. Ensure sustainability is integrated into PSVT’s normal way of thinking.

For more news from TEP’s Planners click here.

Green Light for Eden Project Morecambe

Eden Project Morecambe, the £125m installation in Lancashire, was recently granted planning permission by Lancaster City Council. The scheme, on the waterfront adjacent to the iconic Midland Hotel, has a beautiful and sustainable design, led by Grimshaw Architects.

TEP has provided ecological and landscape design support to the project during its evolution over the past 3 years. Starting with ornithological surveys and consultations, TEP’s ecologists advised on the Habitats Regulations and provided advice on maximising environmental net gain.

Morecambe’s motto during its tourism heyday was ‘Beauty Surrounds and Health Abounds’. The Eden Project team took inspiration from this to focus on reimagining health and wellbeing, wonder and entertainment for the 21st century. It brings together:

  • Above the Bay & Bay Glade: an environment filled with plants, art and exhibits, showcasing the rhythms of life linked to the sun and seasons.
  • Below the Bay: with immersive experiences that bring to life lunar rhythms and tides.
  • The Natural Observatory: highlighting the nature of Morecambe Bay and the home of Eden Project Morecambe’s research and education programmes.

Within every space, there will be ground-breaking immersive experiences that encourage visitors to be curious about the natural world. Art, science, adventure, play and performance will all play a role. Eden Project seeks to celebrate its location in a place of internationally-recognised scientific importance.

These spaces, and others, will be connected within a beautiful and sustainable architectural design.

TEP’s landscape designers and ecologists collaborated in the design of the Bayscape, the external spaces that connect the architectural spaces with each other and link the venue sensitively to the landscapes of Morecambe Bay and to the town.

The Bayscape comprises a series of defined and characterful spaces, whose design references natural coastal forms and shapes, created through the processes of erosion and deposition, as well as representing the plant communities found in these environments. 

Using this approach and working with TEP’s Ecology Team to develop the planting strategy, a positive Biodiversity Net Gain score (+40%) has been achieved. 

The Bayscape features the following spaces:

  • The Tide Garden, which has a cove-like shape to create a sheltered garden for basking and relaxation.  The space is centred on a tidal pool and water features that explore the movement of the tides and the form of intertidal habitats. 
  • The Rhythm Garden, which also takes on a cove-like form, will support health and well-being, as well as being designed to cater for outdoor events. 
  • The Northern Coastal Edge, which provides an opportunity for visitors to experience panoramic views of the bay from an elevated boardwalk. 
  • The Energy Field defines the southern approach to the main entrance and will incorporate children’s play within dunescape mounds.  The space will also tell the energy story behind the visitor attraction, featuring renewable technologies showcased within a sea foam canopy shelter. 
  • The Coastal Lawn and Shingle Plaza offer flexible social spaces that complement the setting of the Midland Hotel and the requirements of the neighbouring RNLI lifeboat station. 

Now that the scheme has received planning permission, the Eden Project is moving towards realising the development, with an intensive programme of detailed design and fundraising.

National Trust: Places For Everyone, For Ever

We have a duty to look after places for everyone, for ever, and climate change is the biggest threat to them.”
Keith Jones
Climate Change Adviser, National Trust

Climate change is the biggest threat to all the spectacular landscapes and historic properties National Trust cares for and the special places we love to visit. To fight back against devastating, flooding and destructive weather conditions the National Trust is taking huge steps to adapt.  Just one example of this is the work being carried out on their Wallington Estate in Northumberland.

Example of a riparian corridor on the estate prior to protective fencing installation
Fencing work in progress
Contractors undertaking ford crossing improvement works on the estate

Through its role as Countryside Clerk of Works, TEP’s Landscape Management team is helping oversee the final stages of a major nature recovery project across the Estate.  The project has included some 21km of fencing installed across four farms in preparation for extensive tree and hedgerow planting, as well as ford and culvert crossings across small burns to protect the Hart Burn corridor from livestock poaching.  On completion, these works will provide a basis for riparian habitat regeneration, which will, in turn, contribute to the natural flood management within the Wansbeck catchment and further build on climate change resilience and mitigation across the National Trust’s Wallington Estate.

Fencing works completed ahead of upcoming hedge planting works

TEP’s Landscape Managers have worked closely with the appointed contractors, farm tenants and the client to achieve this ambitious project on time and in preparation for the current planting phase. Over the winter months, TEP will be overseeing the delivery and planting of 75,000 new trees to enhance the existing woodland across the estate and to create 11km of new hedgerow corridor.  This intervention and its long-term management will maximise opportunities for plants and animals, increase wildlife connectivity across the estate and beyond for a range of native species, whilst contributing to climate change adaption and resilience for the region.

In addition to our role as Countryside Clerk of Works, TEP’s ecologists have also been appointed to complete baseline habitat assessments of the existing riparian habitat corridors, prior to the tree and hedge planting.  This information will enable National Trust to demonstrate the long-term benefits of the project and to monitor the success of the habitats as the new planting develops, maximising the habitats’ potential for wildlife, and the natural functioning of these spaces across the estate.

The Climate Crisis: What Happened at COP26

Last Friday saw the conclusion of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly known as COP26 (Conference of the Parties), after almost two weeks of discussion in Glasgow. The highly anticipated event, which was postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, started on 31 October 2021, making it close to two years since COP25 back in December 2019.

Since COP25, the world is virtually unrecognisable, with the pandemic having a drastic impact on how we live, work and socialise. Due to the event’s delay and the continued battle against climate change, COP26 attracted significant media coverage and public attention, ranging from who would be attending to what was being said. 

Going into the event, there was a consensus that the planet is now at an environmental crossroads and without stronger national commitments, there is a risk of crossing irreversible tipping points in the Earth’s climate system.

“In my lifetime, I’ve witnessed a terrible decline. In yours, you could witness a wonderful recovery,”

David Attenborough speaking at COP26

In the build-up, COP26 was dealt numerous blows to its significance, as Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping confirmed they would not be attending the event, citing concerns regarding the spread of COVID-19. On top of this, the event was met with scepticism by climate change activist Greta Thunberg and even Queen Elizabeth, who was overheard sharing doubts regarding COP26 when a microphone picked up a conversation she was having with the Duchess of Cornwall.

However, the conference was attended by over 100 world leaders, including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron, and most notably United States President Joe Biden, who reversed the decision of former President Donald Trump to withdraw from the 2015 Paris Agreement and re-joined the treaty after his election win in November 2020.

The summit had four key objectives, these being:

  • Securing global net-zero carbon emissions by the middle of the century and keeping within a 1.5 degrees temperature rise.
  • Adapting to protect communities and natural habitats.
  • Mobilising finance.
  • Working together to deliver climate goals.

Over the 12 days of discussions, here are some of the main takeaways from each day of the event:


Day 1


The biggest talking point of Day 1 centred around an announcement from Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, who pledged that his country will meet a target of net zero emissions by 2070. He also committed to India getting half of its energy from renewable resources by 2030.

Day 2

Day 2 saw an announcement from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that around 100 nations and parties have signed on to a global pledge to cut methane emissions by 30% of 2020 levels by 2030. Along with this, more than 40 countries, including the UK, US, India and China, as well as the EU, backed the first international commitment to achieve “near-zero” emission steel production by 2030.

And the commitments for Day 2 didn’t end there either, as the US, UK, France, Germany and European Union declared they will help fund South Africa’s transition away from coal, along with talks regarding a big pledge to end deforestation by 2030 continuing from Day 1.

Day 3

More than 20 countries and financial institutions vow to halt all financing of fossil fuel development overseas and divert the estimated $8bn a year to green energy. Along with this, hundreds of the world’s biggest banks and pension funds committed to a key climate goal, known as the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), which means that by 2050 all assets managed by the institutions will be aligned with net zero emissions.

Day 4

Described as a “Historic Breakthrough” by climate finance expert Iskander Erzini Vernoit of E3G, twenty countries agreed to end financing for fossil fuel projects abroad. As aforementioned, several countries had already agreed to end international financing for coal, but this agreement is the first of its kind to include oil and gas projects as well.

Day 5

Day 5 of the summit was subjected to protests through the streets of Central Glasgow, with activist Greta Thunberg attending and describing COP26 as a failure and a PR event.

Day 6

Known as Nature and Land Use Day. A total of 45 nations signed on to a new Policy Action Agenda, designed to help policymakers make the necessary changes to deliver a food system that is not only low-carbon and deforestation-free, but that supports farmers and others across the food chain. Along with this, a Global Action Agenda on Innovation in Agriculture was signed by the same 45 nations. Plus, more than 100 other organisations including businesses, research institutions, farmers groups and regions and states also signed. The agenda’s focus is to leverage more than $4bn of public investment in innovations such as climate-resilient crops, digital technologies and solutions that improve soil quality.

Day 8

Former US President Barack Obama made an appearance at COP26 and urged world leaders to “step up now”, as well as criticising China and Russia for a “dangerous absence of urgency” after their leaders’ declined to attend the summit. Other conversations were had regarding the impacts of extreme weather conditions and the responsibility of richer countries to help those under more financial pressure.

Day 9

Day 9 of the Conference saw the world’s most respected climate analysis coalition, the Climate Action Tracker (CAT), announce that temperature rises will top a disastrous 2.4C by the end of this century. This is despite the short-term goals countries have set out at COP26 and well above the 1.5-degree limit that scientists say the planet should stay under. Day 9 saw further hurdles as COP26 delegates expressed unease about the lack of progress made in discussions, with only four days to go before the official end of the conference. However, some good news came as all four UK health secretaries pledged to build climate-resilient health services, alongside 46 other countries making similar commitments.

Day 10

A surprise press conference between China and the US took centre stage on Day 10 of COP26. In a joint statement, the two superpowers promised to cooperate more and hoped for the success of COP26. Day 10 was also known as transport day and saw protesters advocate for better public transport and a greater focus on sustainable transport modes such as cycling and walking, which were largely overlooked by officials. Along with this, further frustration was found as Germany, China, Japan, South Korea and the United States did not sign a declaration proposed by the UK COP26 presidency. The declaration was to get governments, manufacturers and investors to promise to “work towards all sales of new cars and vans being zero emission globally by 2040, and by no later than 2035 in leading markets”. Toyota, Volkswagen, BMW and Nissan also refrained from signing.

Day 11

As the summit drew to a close, optimism was waning, as UN secretary general António Guterres criticised the lack of ambition at COP26, just the day after the US and China announced their agreement to help cut emissions. A poll was also published on Day 11 which found that fewer than one in five Britons think politicians will get the job done. Former Australia COP negotiator Richie Merzian was critical of his country’s contribution to COP26, stating all they had brought to the summit was “good coffee”. However, scientists spoke on Day 11 warning that although the speed of action was worrying, they believed world leaders were listening to the need to act.

Day 12

On this final day of negotiations, an updated draft of the COP26 deal urged developed economies to “urgently and significantly scale up their provision of climate finance, technology transfer and capacity-building” to help developed nations adapt to climate change. The seven-page text, which must be agreed by all delegations attending the talks, also called on an accelerated phase out of coal and fossil fuel subsidies. However, after two weeks of deliberation, there was a last minute setback. China and India wanted to reopen a vital clause in the agreement that enjoined countries to “phase out” coal-fired power generation. The two countries were adamant: a phaseout was unacceptable; but a phase-down, implying a longer-term future for some coal at least, was the most they would sign up to. Eventually, long past the official deadline of 6 pm Friday, the deal was agreed, as COP President Alok Sharma accepted China and India’s demands, despite being “deeply frustrated” according to an aide, but said it was the only way to protect the overall deal.


Despite the intentions of the summit being positive, some key commentators are saying that the summit has not locked in enough firm commitments to tackling climate change, with the delay of approval for the draft COP26 deal adding to this opinion. The next time COP attendees will be gathered again after today will be in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, for COP27 in November 2022.

Whilst COP26 has identified and will look to resolve climate issues on a global scale, it is at a national, regional and local scale where these commitments will need to be addressed. As climate change indicators show, there can no longer be a “passing of the buck” and each proposed project has to take account of the wellbeing of our planet.

TEP’s vision has always been to create a sustainable future; not only through the design and planning of developments for clients but also through the actions of the company. TEP became the first UK environmental consultancy to become carbon neutral eleven years ago and we are now working towards a net-zero status.

TEP’s ethos has been embedded in a number of projects that have won awards for their sustainable design and outside the box thinking.  The following examples have won awards in the last two years:

If you are interested in building towards a more sustainable future or just want some friendly advice, please get in contact by emailing tep@tep.uk.com or read some of our previous articles:

BNG – What’s It All About?

Development and Biodiversity in Greater Manchester

Climate Change and The Role of The Landscape Professional

Safeguarding Our Landscapes

Aboriculture – The Root of Climate Action?

River Assessments for Sustainable Development

14 Ways I Can Help Combat Climate Change


Author
Calum Woods
Consultant Planner

14 Ways I Can Help Combat Climate Change

Before joining The Environment Partnership (TEP) two years ago, I had only a basic understanding of the meaning of sustainability and why it is important in combating climate change. I am an Executive Assistant and fortunate enough to work for TEP, an environmental consultancy based in the heart of Warrington’s business district with offices throughout the country.  TEP is committed to supporting and creating sustainable environments, not only in the way it runs its business but in the services it offers its clients.  

Through working at TEP, I now understand the essential part an environmental consultancy plays in protecting the environment.  And I am amazed at the amount of thought and consideration that goes into each and every one of our projects.  Whether it’s introducing innovative sustainable drainage solutions into the designs of a new residential development or creating habitats to protect important migrating bird populations, I don’t think I’ll ever tire of learning what we do.  If you would like to read about how the services TEP offers are helping to combat the climate change emergency, please read these fantastic articles written by my colleagues: Safeguarding Our Landscapes and Climate Change and Role of the Landscape Professional.

Since joining TEP, I have also become more aware of how the government is trying to combat climate change, such as implementing legislation and policies to protect wildlife, reduce our carbon footprint and increase Biodiversity Net Gain (an approach to development that leaves biodiversity in a better state than before).  It’s great to know it’s not all talk, and things are actually being done.  And as of this week, Glasgow will be hosting COP26 the UK’s biggest ever summit, which will be all about climate change and how countries throughout the world are planning to tackle it.

TEP was the first UK environmental consultancy to become carbon neutral and is now working towards net-zero status.  TEP, like so many other companies, has already identified areas of the business to target and help reduce its carbon footprint.  But as an individual, I found myself asking, what can I do to combat the effects of climate change?  I do not have a specialist skill (such as an ecologist, planner or landscape architect), I am not a politician or an activist, but I do care.

Every time I read about the climate emergency, I am filled with a yearning to do my bit because I want myself and future generations to live in a sustainable environment.  Despite my good intentions, I found that I didn’t really understand how my way of life was causing climate change, and how changing my ways would even make a difference.  Burning fossil fuels, deforestation and releasing carbon into the atmosphere, this is bad, but why?  What is ocean acidification?  Why is farming contributing to climate change?  Why will increasing biodiversity and planting more trees help?  Why will changing our fishing and farming habits help?   That is until I read David Attenborough’s ‘A Life on Our Planet’.  After reading it, I finally understood the answers to all these questions, and how, if we implement change now, we can stop and even reverse the effects of climate change.  A bleak read, but one full of hope.

“We have one final chance to create the perfect home for ourselves and restore the wonderful world we inherited. All we need is the will to do so.”David Attenborough


So to answer my question of how an individual can do their part to combat climate change, here are just a few suggestions I would like to share:

  1. Eat less meat
    food production and processing are large contributors to greenhouse gases
  2. Reduce food waste
    buy only what you need and freeze any leftovers, plan your meals for the week or try batch cooking
  3. Replace single-use plastic bags with reusable bags
    a plastic bag can take up to 1,000 years to decompose
  4. When buying new appliances check their energy efficiency rating
    this will indicate how much energy they use compared to similar items
  5. Purchase goods from companies known to have sustainable practices
    this will show your support and help encourage other companies to follow suit
  6. Sign up to get your electricity from a clean energy source through your energy supplier
    This will help support the clean energy sector by redirecting funds
  7. If you have a smart meter, monitor your usage
    this will help you visualise your energy usage and help change your habits
  8. Switch lights off when not in a room
    this will save electricity and lower your utility bills
  9. Swap to LEDs
    they use less energy and last longer
  10. Lower your thermostat during winter
    you can save both energy and money, whether it’s just a degree or two for a few hours, or ten degrees for half a day
  11. See if you are eligible for a free grant for home insulation or solar panels
    a well-insulated house is more energy efficient and will require less additional heating
  12. Drive less
    by walking, cycling or using public transport you will be helping to improve air quality
  13. Keep your car tyres properly inflated
    this increases your fuel efficiency
  14. Reduce your use of air-conditioning
    air-conditioning consumes a lot of power and increases your energy bill

With just a few clicks, you can work out your carbon footprint.  See if there are things you can change, because if everyone made simple swaps, just imagine the impact it would have!


Emma McDaid
Executive Assistant (and amateur environmentalist)

Safeguarding Our Landscapes

Following my colleague Charlotte’s article earlier this year regarding climate change and the role of the landscape profession, I have taken this opportunity to expand on this, specifically in relation to landscape management, and to discuss in more detail some adaptation and mitigation techniques that we must all now consider in this age of climate and biodiversity emergency.

Today, we’re increasingly more aware of the impacts of climate change as they affect our day to day lives with the narrative ringing through politics, advertising and the media.  This however presents a generation-defining opportunity for landscape and built-environment professionals to implement climate change adaptation, mitigation and resilience within our working practice, which is urgently needed now more than ever.  Landscape Management will be paramount to the long-term success of any adaptation and taking steps to proactively address Landscape Management at the inception stage of projects will provide a framework for resilience.  It will also ensure the longevity of our schemes through adaptive management that establishes more sustainable ways to manage landscapes.

As Landscape Managers, we often require a strong understanding of the past, present and future of our project sites and assets; and thus, a thorough understanding of the climatic change across the UK and its impacts is crucial in our service delivery. Climate predictions conducted by The Met Office categorise the risks of heatwaves and extended periods of drought in addition to a substantial change in the character of our rainfall and its impacts as the biggest changes we will face here in the UK.  In light of this, the Government has identified the following risks as those which are set to impact our natural and built environments within the Climate Change Risk Assessment 2017 (CCRA), these are;

  • Risks from flooding and water scarcity;
  • Risk to our ecosystems, soils and biodiversity;
  • Risks to our health and well-being; and
  • Threats from new and emerging pests, diseases and invasive non-native species.

Arguably a number of these are present today and are expected only to be exacerbated in the short to long term unless serious interventions are made.  And these predictions, and the associated risks, present significant challenges to those managing land.  The following points identify key considerations and scenarios that landscape managers are likely to encounter, and which can be mitigated through careful design and management:

  • Plant failure, habitat and species loss due to periods of drought and water stress;
  • Increased need for irrigation;
  • Ground instability from loss of soil moisture impacting vegetation, building and structural stability;
  • Pressure on existing grey infrastructure through increased periods of rainfall;
  • Increased storm damage;
  • Establishment of new pests and diseases; and
  • Extended growing seasons will require adaptations to landscape maintenance specifications that will result in longer, more costly periods of maintenance.

Defra, through the National Adaptation Programme (NAP), set out several objectives or guiding principles which they envisage will provide a robust response to building resilience to climate change in the UK, and which are directly aligned to policies set out within the Government’s 25-year Environment Plan.  These principles include:

  • Creating better connections for wildlife and expanding high-quality habitats;
  • Increased woodland and tree planting;
  • Natural flood management;
  • Increased biosecurity; and
  • Contingency planning.

Landscape management is critical to the success of all of these principles.  Whilst good planning and design are key, proactive and adaptive management and maintenance of these measures is vital in ensuring they deliver their contribution to climate change resilience in the long term. Our expertise in habitat and woodland management, the management and maintenance of SUDS, astute knowledge of bio-security and treatment of invasive non-natives species, in addition to the production of detailed landscape costings all contribute to the successful delivery of these objectives.

The NAP also promotes Natural Capital thinking as the desired approach in combatting the risks of climate change on our natural environment.  Adopting this approach will enable landowners and managers to further understand the contribution that our natural resources provide and how these assets can be utilised to mitigate the impact of climate change and inform the development of adaptive strategies, which can be implemented through proactive and sustainable landscape management.

Similarly, long-term objectives have been pushed to the forefront of the agenda by the forthcoming Environment Bill, which will mandate Biodiversity Net-Gain to ensure no net loss of native habitats as a consequence of development and ensure that development leaves biodiversity in a better state than before.  The Environment Bill will also make it obligatory to have effective management of all associated habitats and landscapes for a minimum 30-year period secured through a planning condition.  This will contribute to efforts in combatting our biodiversity emergency, whilst providing a framework for adaptive management to preserve and enhance our ecosystems for the future.  Ensuring Landscape Management is considered as early as possible is crucial in ensuring long term success through the delivery of the BNG good practice principles.  Involvement from the outset will assist clients through the preparation, design and implementation stages, advising on stakeholder consultation and procurement of works. Providing informed mechanisms for managing, monitoring and reporting, means that biodiversity gains can be achieved early in the project life cycle, maximising the benefits for wildlife, the client and the local community.

Woodland Management

Whilst most resources currently available provide general principles for adaptation, there is a need for further information providing specific applications and practical solutions to assist those decision-makers in applying relevant measures.  Whilst this is a fast-moving field, Natural England and the RSPB through their Climate Change Adaptation Manual, provide one such valuable resource.  This details both specific applications and practical options associated with adaptation management across a variety of landscape and habitat types.  Importantly, this latest revision includes Green Infrastructure (GI) and provides an in-depth assessment of the risks, impacts on biodiversity and communities.  It sets out what can be achieved from successful design, implementation and management of GI, as a way of tackling the effects of climate change within our urban environments.  The manual also provides guidance on assessment as a means of embedding climate change adaptation, these six to eight-step approaches are flexible and easily adapted for use on a wide range of projects and planning exercises.  The manual adds that through the application of climate change adaptation into our working practice, the following four points can be achieved.  I’d add that these points are not only relevant to landscape managers but all landscape and built environment professionals and are crucial in ensuring the success of all schemes;

  • Building ecological resilience to the impacts of climate change;
  • Preparing for and accommodating inevitable change;
  • Valuing the wider adaptation benefits the natural environment can deliver; and
  • Improving the evidence base.

I would like to conclude by emphasising the urgency in which we all need to respond to this crisis; the last 18 months have shown that we’re capable of change across all industries and how we continue to adapt to these changes even today.  This should be no different in the face of the climate and biodiversity emergency and in comparison, requires an unparalleled change to ensure our built and natural environments continue to provide the many benefits they do today.

As professionals, we have a duty to ask questions, advise and make changes within our work to combat these impacts and I would wholly urge you to start to consider making these changes today.  Here at TEP, we are advising our key clients on climate change adaptation, mitigation and resilience measures and the opportunities available to them, whilst supporting those currently ahead on implementing theirs (NT Wallington). I hope that this article has provided some insight into the risks, consequences and impacts of a changing climate and how proactive landscape management is imperative in maximising and safeguarding our future landscapes.

Sam Marshall
Senior Landscape Manager

To learn more from our Landscape Managers click here or to view some of our latest projects click here.

TEP Appointed As Countryside Clerk Of Works For National Trust

TEP has just been appointed as the Countryside Clerk of Works to support the National Trust in delivering a habitat restoration project on the Trust’s Wallington Estate in Northumberland. Through this Defra funded project, the National Trust is committing to securing nature-rich historic landscapes that are resilient to a changing climate, which TEP’s Landscape Managers will be helping to deliver.

Wallington is a 13,000-acre estate that was originally intended as a country retreat by owner Sir William Blackett, who bought the property in 1688.  The Blacketts were a wealthy Newcastle family of mine owners and shipping magnates but as the family line ended in 1777, the estate became home to several generations of the Trevelyan family. The estate is made up of a Grade I listed 17th-century mansion that sits within swathes of woodland. It also boasts ornamental lakes, landscaped lawns and a magnificent walled garden. In 1941 socialist Sir Charles Philips Trevelyan, who was an avid plant collector, gifted the estate to the National Trust, who have been caring for it and preserving its history ever since.

Wallington Hall, Northumberland

Over the next ten months, TEP will provide Clerk of Works services onsite to support National Trust staff in the restoration of riparian habitat along the Hart Burn catchment. The works will provide the estate with new and restored habitat, which will contribute to natural flood management and provide a richer experience for their visitors.

Hart Burn and it's tributaries on the Wallington Estate in Northumberland

TEP will be working across four tenanted farms on the estate, in which the Hart Burn and its tributaries are located. We will be working closely with tenant farmers and appointed contractors to oversee the implementation of fencing to protect 6.5km of riparian corridor, an extensive woodland planting phase of 75,000 young trees and 7,300m of native hedgerow. This will enable the estate to expand habitat connections and bring an array of nature-based solutions and ecosystem services to this area of the estate.

The project is now underway with the fencing and hard landscaping set to commence from early June.

To discover more from our landscape managers click here.

Photographs by the National Trust

Climate Change and Role of the Landscape Professional

Combatting climate change is going to come down to individuals taking responsibility for their own actions, led by government policy and incentives, as well as personal motivations.  As members of the human race we are all responsible for making choices: how we live, travel, shop and consume, but what additional choices and decisions should the landscape professional be making?  Here are some thoughts on ways that we can help tackle climate change and build resilience into landscapes, some borne out of my own experiences working at The Environment Partnership.

Green Roots and Green Connections

The planning and design of high-quality green space and the wider urban environment is of great importance in terms of sustainable place-making; supported by measures that reduce the need and desire to travel, we can combat one of the major causes of climate change.  Encouraging travel by foot or by bicycle is a key role of the landscape professional.

This is where joined-up and forward thinking comes into play through Green Infrastructure (GI) planning and strategy.   GI strategies are vital for Local Planning Authorities to identify the bigger picture and to create opportunities for multi-functional green space corridors.

These corridors provide a means for attractive and pleasant off-road movement routes, which can have a functional role through the working-week, serving recreational needs at the weekends and during holidays.

TEP Project: Example of multi-user route design as part of a commission looking at green off-road connections for the National Trust.


Plant More Trees



This may seem an obvious one, but there are multiple benefits to tree planting in the context of climate change.  Due to their size, trees are the best means of building carbon uptake and storage into new planting schemes.  With changes to our climate resulting in extremes of weather, trees also offer important shade and shelter within the landscape for people and wildlife, and intercept rainfall and slow its progression downstream, helping to reduce peak flows and flood events.  In an urban environment, where space may be constrained and land is at a premium, street trees bring all these benefits, as well as helping to counter the urban heat island effect during summer months.

TEP project: Manchester City Centre tree planting.
TEP project: Griffin Wood, adjacent to the M62 corridor and part of the expanding Mersey Forest. 2007
TEP project: Griffin Wood, adjacent to the M62 corridor and part of the expanding Mersey Forest. 2020


Green Means Go!



Beyond trees, maximising opportunities for other types of planting is also a must.  A multi-layered approach to planting that mimics natural habitats will bring optimum benefits.  A shrub understorey and ground flora layer can also contribute to carbon capture, increase interception, reduce run-off and reduce the urban heat island effect, whilst also preserving well-structured soils fed with organic matter.  The importance of good, healthy soils should not be underestimated in terms of the carbon sink that they provide and their resilience to extremes of weather.  Good soil structure will aid drainage during periods of high rainfall, and organic content is essential for humus-rich soils to retain moisture for plants to use during periods of drought.  For managed landscapes, the retention and application of shredded plant matter such as mulch, not only benefits the soil as it breaks down but also suppresses weeds, eliminating the need for hand weeding or herbicide application.

TEP project: Pennines to Plains planting palette developed to maximise Biodiversity Net Gain in urban settings in the northwest, promoting a multi-layered approach that mimics natural habitats.


Celebrating Our Diversity



Having acknowledged the importance of planting, we should not overlook the specifics of what and where to plant.  We know that native plant species support the widest range of faunal species, and support natural habitat systems and processes that keep the natural environment in check.  Going forward, climate change presents an unknown, in terms of how our native species will adapt.  Adaptation is the natural, correct and only response in this situation.  To give our natural environment the best chance of doing this, as a general rule, we need to make new native planting as diverse as possible, providing the means for nature to find its own way through, whether certain species survive, thrive, or not.  We know that across the UK there are variants within our native species, where local conditions have resulted in adaptation over time.  Provided that climate change does not accelerate too quickly, the hope will be that the same will happen.  The Forestry Commission’s current guidance on this topic (See the research publication) suggests that we should look to source two-thirds of new planting using seed which has originated from 2 degrees latitude further south to assist with this process, with the remaining stock comprising plants grown from local seed. Further to this, recent advice suggests that small amounts of provenance material from up to 5 degrees of latitude south of a site may be mixed into woodlands.

There is also the notion that certain UK native species will be better at coping with extremes of weather. For example, river floodplain plant species are used for periodic waterlogging, and dry periods during the summer months.

In terms of non-native planting, those that help support native faunal species, such as ‘pollinator plants’ should be promoted, as these will help bolster and promote these creatures.

For non-native planting, there is also a wider palette to select from in a process known as ‘climate matching’, with the opportunity to identify plants from around the world that will be suited to our future climate. 

Weathering the Storms

Climate change means that we are seeing prolonged periods of wet weather and an increase in flood events. The continued employment of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), which aim to slow surface water drainage flows and build water storage attenuation into projects, will help to minimise flood risks.  However, there needs to be an acceptance that valley floodplains will be periodically inundated and the design and management of green spaces within these environments need to adapt to this.  Working with drainage and flood engineers on creative solutions is vital, seeking opportunities for river restoration, the creation of areas that can provide flood storage capacity, and how this relates to the other uses and functions of the space.  For example, raising main path routes up on embankments, which can also be used for the control of floodwaters, means that landscapes can still be accessed during flood events.  Elsewhere, the design needs to be sufficiently robust to ensure that surfacing, boundary treatments and other elements can withstand floodwaters so that these do not have to be regularly replaced or repaired.

TEP Project: New footpath network running along the tops of flood embankments adjacent to the River Nene at Upton Country Park, Northampton.


Material World



For the landscape professional the specification of hard landscape materials, in particular, whilst working to minimise climate change is a challenge.  Natural hard landscape materials have the benefit of robustness and longevity, but the convenience of cheaper imports from overseas is hard to ignore.  However ethically these may have been sourced, they may have travelled half-way around the world before reaching our ports.  Man-made products may also be coming from overseas and whilst many now contain recycled components, what does their embodied carbon cost?

These are difficult decisions to make when budgets for delivery are tight.  However, I would encourage an approach that makes the most of the materials and resources that may be on-site, looking to local suppliers whenever possible, and working to the simple premise of achieving a cut and fill balance within a site.  This could be seen as a constraint, but in the same way that our ancestors, constrained by their local environment, designed and built character-filled and place-specific settlements, maybe this is an opportunity to achieve a greater level of creativity and avoid ubiquitous design?

TEP Project: Millennium Trail Artwork using St Bees Red Sandstone, Egremont Promenade, Wirral.


Supporting Community Action



Finally, the power of the community at a local level cannot be underestimated.  Look at the impact of the incredible edible movement, borne out of the minds of two Todmorden residents, and now a national movement being adopted by towns and villages across the UK.  The principle of local food growing and production is supportive of the local live, work and play agenda, reducing food miles and encouraging increased consumption of plant-based foods.  There are plenty of other examples of community initiatives that are helping to tackle climate change, such as the Torrs Valley Hydro-electric project at New Mills, High Peak.  As Landscape Professionals we regularly encounter ambitious community groups with great ideas.  We have an opportunity to help them realise these plans, whether that is local food growing, renewable energy or other environmental schemes.

TEP Project: Telford Millennium Community constructing habitat hotels.



In conclusion, there is lots for us to do!  I hope that this article brings the importance of the role of the landscape professional into focus.  The climate change emergency is not going anywhere and it is the closest some of us may ever come to having a ‘key worker’ role.  If collectively we pull together in the same direction, working in partnership with our clients, agencies and communities, we will minimise further change whilst delivering a well-considered, high quality and resilient landscape framework for the future.

Author
Charlotte Hayden
Associate Landscape Architect

Earth Day 2020

World Earth Day is an opportunity to take stock of our own contribution to the global efforts on tackling climate change. This is an issue which is being felt worldwide from the Australian wildfires, Central America’s dry corridor through to the continual flooding that is being seen throughout the UK – no one can ignore or deny these damaging effects.

Climate Action is number 13 of the 17 goals the United Nations set as part of their 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, and is intrinsically linked to all the other goals. Climate action is about strengthening our response to help mitigate climate related impacts, by raising awareness of what can be done, promoting innovative solutions and implementing them.

TEP’s values reflect the passion and responsibility our staff have for creating and managing places which benefit society. Protecting, conserving and enhancing the environment is at the core of everything we do – each of our teams and even the organisation itself, approach climate action in a variety of ways because at the end of the day, we want to make a positive impact on where we live and encourage those around us to follow suit.

To follow how each of our teams is responding to climate action; whether that is through planning, mapping, implementation or management, click the links below.  You can discover how they are each uniquely contributing to climate action:

Environmental Planning
GIS
Ecology
Arboriculture
Landscape Design
Landscape Management

Climate Action – At The Heart of Environmental Planning

Sustainability is embedded into all that TEP’s Environmental Planning team do. Importantly, much of our work is guided by the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), at the heart of which is a presumption in favour of sustainable development, to ensure long-term environmental, social and economic sustainability. Beyond this, we believe that delivering sustainable outcomes for all of our clients will make our business (and theirs) stronger in the long term. Efforts to cope with the impacts of climate change and sustainable development share common goals, so we consider climate action to be central to our everyday work.

The Environmental Planning team works with clients from all sectors, integrating sustainability considerations early into the planning process. TEP is an Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) Corporate Partner and registered Environmental Impact Assessor with a Quality Mark for commitment to excellence. The planning team has extensive experience in managing the EIA process, regularly working in multi-disciplinary teams of ecologists, engineers, designers, surveyors and planners. Our priority is to identify all of the potential environmental effects from a proposed development and provide innovative and practical measures to avoid or reduce the effects. Our team also includes experts in Sustainability Appraisal and Strategic Environmental Assessment, allowing us to carry out detailed appraisals of plans and strategies, to ensure that sustainability aspects are considered effectively from the outset of the planning process. And let’s not forget, the planning system that we work with on a daily basis has a primary purpose to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development.

The organisations that we work with are increasingly under pressure to demonstrate environmental awareness, which is now almost inextricably linked to climate change. We have recently been instructed by Port Sunlight Village Trust to complete a 10-year Environment Strategy. Working with Element Sustainability, we are evaluating the baseline impact of all their buildings and operations, consulting with stakeholders and developing a 10-year environmental improvement strategy, which will include reductions in CO2 emissions.

Many of the local authorities we work with have declared climate and ecological emergencies, which is reflected in the planning applications we prepare and submit. Sustainability also lies at the core of our work developing Green Infrastructure (GI) Strategies for local authorities in England and Wales. A key theme of our recent GI Plan for Cheshire East Council was climate change, recognising that enhancing the natural environment has significant potential to help mitigate or offset the impacts of climate change and help to achieve ‘net zero’ targets. Investing in green and blue infrastructure can address issues such as carbon capture and storage, air and water quality, flood management, alternative modes of travel and alleviation of high temperature fluctuations, whilst contributing to biodiversity net gain.

Our team continues to provide a comprehensive range of services to our public and private sector clients to ensure our built and natural environments respond to and prepare for the impacts of climate change.

To discover how our other teams are contributing to climate action follow the links the below:
GIS
Ecology
Arboriculture
Landscape Design
Landscape Management

or to get in touch about the planning of your sites, please email planning@tep.uk.com

GIS – Mapping Climate Change

Ordnance Survey has said ‘everything happens somewhere’, and this could not be truer when discussing the issue of climate change. The causes, interventions and impacts of climate change are distributed differently, and occur at local, national and international scales.

Geographic Information System (GIS) – a collection of software and processes which can collect, analyse and present spatial information – and the associated profession are key to this earth-scale issue.  TEP’s GIS team has this in mind when completing projects on Green Infrastructure, Ecosystem Services (ESS) and Natural Capital.

GIS is able to collect spatial data from several sources, including site surveys, aerial photography and LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). Through mapping the issues or phenomena associated with climate change (such as land-cover change), GIS can help to establish a baseline of information, which can then be measured and monitored to achieve targets. As part of our Green Infrastructure Assessments, TEP looks to quantitatively measure land-cover and establish a spatial baseline, with the aim to set measureable targets to reduce the coverage of sealed surface, a contributor to climate change.

Furthermore GIS can address the issue of climate change through spatial modelling and analysis. Looking at different spatial datasets, it is possible that GIS can identify causality between phenomena, and identify what factors contribute to climate change (such as deforestation). If we are able to understand causality within the climate system, we can model the impacts of climate change, and those of potential interventions across a given area. Spatial modelling helps to inform decision makers on the most effective places to allocate resources and also helps to identify the most effective interventions to maximise the response.

Within our work on ESS Opportunity Mapping for Greater Manchester, TEP included carbon sequestration as a service, and identified the optimum locations to improve it. We have been able to inform decision-makers on the locations to have the most effective impact on climate change through interventions such as afforestation.

It is important to have a comprehensive evidence base to inform decision-makers, however it is just as important to be able to communicate the results in a clear and accurate manner. As the cliché goes ‘a picture speaks a thousand words’, and GIS has the ability to present the results of data collection and analysis through a variety of media – maps, applications and visualisations. This is a key link between science and policy, as clear communication of ideas is critical to the best decisions being made.

At TEP, the GIS team has produced maps for a number of evidence bases to support climate change interventions such as tree planting.  We also have produced webmaps, which allow decision makers to interact with the spatial data generated without the need for specialist software.

Climate change is an issue which will affect everyone on Earth, and GIS has the power to map, measure and model the impacts and interventions.  The GIS profession must play our part in addressing this issue in the day-to-day work we do.

To discover how our other teams are contributing to climate action follow the links the below:
Environmental Planning
Ecology
Arboriculture
Landscape Design
Landscape Management

or to get in touch about our GIS and carbon sequestration services, please email GIS@tep.uk.com

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