Tag: environment

Super Starbank!

STARBANK PARK VOTED ONE OF SCOTLAND’s LOCAL FAVOURITES

Earlier this summer you nominated 364 local parks and green spaces for UK’s Favourite Parks. You then voted in your tens of thousands, demonstrating the immense love that we all have for our local parks, and Fields in Trust is delighted to announce that the UK’s Favourite Park 2022 is Penrhos Coastal Park in Holyhead, Wales.

Over 30,000 votes were cast for parks across the UK which represented the wide diversity of green spaces we all use and enjoy, from large country parks to major city parks to small neighbourhood pockets of green. Penrhos Coastal Park emerged as the overall UK winner having attracted the most votes from the public.

Across the Home Nations, Blackpool’s art deco Stanley Park has been named England’s Favourite Park 2022, attaining prestigious ‘National Treasure’ status having now been named as the public’s favourite park in England three times.

In Scotland the national title went to Seaton Park in Aberdeen, whilst Craigavon City Park in County Armagh took the title in Northern Ireland, the second time it has scooped its national accolade.

Fields in Trust are also delighted to announce the parks to have achieved ‘Local Favourite’ status, having placed in the top 20% of the public vote, demonstrating the love that their local communities have for them.

The full list of local favourite recipients can be found here and each will receive a special certificate to denote its success.

LOCAL FAVOURITES

Edinburgh’s STARBANK PARK features proudly on the list of Scotland’s Local Favourite parks. Also commended are Aden Country Park in Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire; Pittencrieff Park, Dunfermline; Wilton Lodge Park in Hawick and Grangemouth’s Zetland Park.

This is the first time that the overall winner of UK’s Favourite Parks has emerged from Wales, with Cyfarthfa Park in Merthyr Tydfil, Roath Park in Cardiff and Pontypool Park in Torfaen having taken the national title in recent years but not the overall honours.

Attracting close to 100,000 visitors each year, Penrhos Coastal Park is near Holyhead on the Isle of Anglesey in north Wales.

The 200-acre park has everything from beaches to woodland walks and is extremely popular with both locals and tourists alike. With a rich history dating back to 1553, the green space is also home to several features of historical interest, including original Tudor-era buildings.

Commenting on the announcement of Penrhos Coastal Park as the UK’s Favourite Park 2022, Fields in Trust Chief Executive, Helen Griffiths, shared: “We’re incredibly excited to announce that Penrhos Coastal Park in Holyhead has been voted as the UK’s Favourite Park 2022 by those who use and love it.

“It is clear that this park is a very special place to a lot of people, and we are thrilled to officially crown it the UK’s favourite. We’ve had a fantastic response to the competition from all across the UK and I’d like to thank everyone who nominated and voted for parks over the past few weeks.

“The UK is home to such a diverse range of green spaces, and we hope that this award has encouraged people to truly appreciate their local parks. Our work to legally protect green spaces for good means we’re well aware of the threats they face and how important it is value and celebrate them.”

The campaign has illustrated how appreciation of our local parks has grown since the pandemic. As concerns mount over the climate crisis, green spaces have been proven to improve air quality and significantly limit the impact of heatwaves, by lowering urban temperatures.

With the annual Green Space Index revealing that 2.8 million people are not living within a ten-minute walk of a local park and that only 6% of green space provision in Britain is legally protected, the campaign has also highlighted the financial and developmental threats to green spaces.

By demonstrating our love for local parks, we can champion what they mean to communities and in turn help make the case for their long-term protection. Without legal protection our local parks can so easily be lost. And once lost, a green space is lost forever.

You can play your part in this protection of treasured local parks by making a donation to support Fields in Trust’s work.

Port of Leith’s Heron Place shortlisted for housing award

Sustainable Granton waterfront development in the running for award  

A key element in Edinburgh’s on-going waterfront regeneration programme has been nominated as Scotland’s Best Affordable Housing Development at the prestigious Herald Property Awards ceremony to be held next month in Glasgow. 

The Heron Place development at Granton Harbour, completed by Port of Leith Housing Association (PoLHA) and its subsidiary Persevere Developments in 2021, consists of 46 homes for social rent, including two wheelchair accessible flats, and 58 homes for mid market rent.  

The development is being recognised for the finish of the homes, the stunning views it affords of the water and Edinburgh Marina, and its sustainability. It has achieved the lowest possible Environmental Impact Rating, contains high quality insulation and is fitted with air quality monitors throughout.  

Heron Place’s contractor was CCG and the architect was Hackland + Dore. Bayne Stevenson Associates were the structural engineer, and The Keenan Consultancy was the M&E engineer. 

Heather Kiteley, Group Chief Executive, Port of Leith Housing Association, said: “We’re all very proud of the extent to which Heron Place has already become a thriving element of the rapidly evolving Granton waterfront community, providing first-class, sustainable affordable homes and brilliant communities.

“Being shortlisted for Best Affordable Housing Development at the Herald Property Awards is the icing on the cake for us.” 

Manuela Molendini, Associate Director, Hackland + Dore Architects, said: “We are delighted with the shortlisting of Heron Place, a successful outcome of productive team working and community engagement, resulting in a comprehensive regeneration and improvement of the site and of wider Western Granton.

“The mixed-tenure development provides a well-integrated placemaking solution that meets housing targets, delivers a strategic environment and a sustainable neighbourhood where communities feel connected and can thrive.” 

The development is a key element of PoLHA’s ambitious plans to deliver more than 600 high-quality, affordable homes by 2025. You can read more about this in its strategic plan polha.co.uk/2025. 

New Bird Gardens Scotland centre opens in the Scottish Borders

This month has witnessed a new zoo opening its doors and welcoming visitors to the grounds in Oxton, just north of Lauder. Bird Gardens Scotland is a not-for-profit organisation and works with some of the rarest birds as part of a global effort to help these threatened species. 

The grounds are developing rapidly and with each bit of progress, more bird species arrive to be part of ever-expanding breeding programmes. It has been a great year for breeding successes thus far and the last few chicks of the season can be seen through the Baby Barn windows.

Visitors are currently enjoying a clutch of tiny ducklings taking their first wobbly steps and learning to swim in their little pond. These are ringed teal ducklings, a species becoming rarer due to rainforest loss in South America, at Bird Gardens Scotland however, they are thriving. 

Visitors are able to get nose-to-beak with some of the wonderful characters in the grounds. A very curious and nosey kookaburra family enjoy people-watching as visitors walk-by.

The highlight for many visitors is the friendly flamboyance of flamingos on the main pond. Only being four years old, staff at Bird Gardens Scotland were a bit surprised when the flamingos started nest-building.

These pink delights spend hours picking up small stones and bits of mud as they create their nests just beside the main boardwalk giving visitors a thrilling close-encounter of the pinkest kind.

Mark, one of the founders of Bird Gardens Scotland said: “Being so young, we were delighted and a bit surprised that the flamingos started nest-building.

“They can live up to 70 years old and don’t usually breed until they are a bit older than four. That said, we’re not going to stop them breeding and actually we hope they’ll go all the way and make little flamingling fluff-balls.’

In the grounds is a new visitor centre with a coffee shop where freshly baked cakes and quiches can be enjoyed, washed-down with great coffee and other refreshments. The visitor centre is completely off-grid so this is your rare chance to enjoy a coffee made with Bird Gardens Scotland’s onsite spring water from a coffee-machine powered by the sun. 

The natural history themed classroom in the visitor centre is getting ready to welcome school groups where children can meet tortoises, snakes and tiny frogs and learn about the conservation of the natural world. The classroom is also a quirky out-of-office meeting space and it could be the only rentable room that has the delightful song of poison dart frogs creating a charming atmosphere.

Owen, also one of the founders, and Mark’s husband, said: ‘We literally built the visitor centre during lockdown. We had materials on site and we learned a great deal as we built the building and installed the play areas.

“We are incredibly proud of ourselves for getting this far and we are very excited about the years to come.

“There are many plans to add gardens and breeding facilities. Sadly, there are many species in need of a helping hand as climate change, habitat loss, wildfires, deforestation and many other influential factors cause loss of wildlife.”

To make the bird gardens as accessible as possible, Mark and Owen decided to have a reasonable admission charge which allows entry for a whole year, this means that for the local community the site is effectively free to use and for passing visitors it is cheap to visit.

Owen said: “As a not-for-profit organisation, we wanted to get people in the doors to learn about the birds we work with and to celebrate conservation efforts with us. When people are exposed to the actual birds, a strong sense of care is naturally generated.

“This is a powerful driving force for collective change which is the only way we are going to push forward addressing environmental issues and make changes that will benefit wildlife, habitats, the planet and of course our future too.

“If Bird Gardens Scotland can contribute to that, then all our work will have been a success.”

Bird Gardens Scotland is a registered Community Interest Company.

Bird Gardens Scotland is open daily.

Admission: adult £10 & all concessions £6.50 (under 4 go-free)

Everything to date has been built, created and installed with volunteer help.

Bird Gardens is just north of the Carfraemill roundabout outside the village of Oxton.

Home to over 400 birds and wallabies.

The site is 7 acres. Half has been developed, the second half is underway.

Bird Gardens is part of the global zoo community working on effective conservation breeding.

The visitor centre is an eco-build using recycled, reclaimed and upcycled materials where possible.

SEPA: Significant water scarcity warnings despite the rain

Water scarcity situation now Significant in River Tyne, with more catchments expected to follow

  • The Tyne catchment in East Lothian has reached Significant Scarcity and water abstractors are being contacted about possible licence suspensions
  • Suspensions remain in force in parts of the Tweed catchment, with the rest of the catchment expected to reach Significant Scarcity in the coming days.
  • The Ythan catchment in Aberdeenshire is also expected to join the Tyne and Tweed in Significant Scarcity in the next few days.

River and groundwater levels are critically low in the Tyne catchment in East Lothian, with the area reaching Significant water scarcity in the latest report published by The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).

Businesses reliant on water abstractions are being contacted about next steps and possible licence suspensions to prevent further harm and potentially irreversible damage to the local water environment.

SEPA officers will be engaging with abstractors where suspensions are required to ensure compliance and advise restrictions will be lifted as soon as conditions improve sufficiently.

Parts of the Tweed catchment in the Scottish Borders remain in Significant water scarcity with suspensions on abstractions still in place. The rest of the area is also expected to reach this level in the coming days, along with the River Ythan catchment in Aberdeenshire.

Nathan Critchlow-Watton, Head of Water and Planning at SEPA, said: “Although we have seen some rainfall in these areas over the last week, it has not been enough to make up for the long-term deficits that have built up throughout the year.

“With more prolonged dry weather forecast, we will continue to monitor conditions and take appropriate action until the risk of water scarcity has reduced.

“Suspensions are part of Scotland’s National Water Scarcity Plan, which is designed to ensure the correct balance is struck between protecting the environment and providing resource for human and economic activity during prolonged dry periods. They are a last resort and SEPA only takes such action when the evidence tells us it can no longer be avoided.

“It is vital that business reliant on local water environments are prepared for these conditions as climate change means water scarcity is becoming a more regular occurrence. We are already seeing that this summer and we are committed to working with those affected now and in the future to help them build resilience.”

Further advice and guidance

Businesses may be able to switch to groundwater as their source and can apply to do so on our website. Applications from Significant Scarcity areas will be prioritised and fast-tracked.

Anyone concerned about meeting licence conditions or wishing to discuss contingency measures are encouraged to contact SEPA by emailing waterscarcity@sepa.org.uk

While SEPA focuses on managing abstractions from Scotland’s natural water resources for agriculture and other industrial uses, Scottish Water maintains public water supply.

For more information on water scarcity and to view the latest report, visit www.sepa.org.uk/waterscarcity.

Council lied to justify destructive development, claim Silverlea campaigners

Community campaigners fighting to save the Silverlea woodland, wildlife and heritage site from a housing development have condemned as “Council lies” the claim that the site is a “barren” flytipping site  of “low landscape value and low recreational value with few quality trees”.

A meeting of the City of Edinburgh Council development sub-committee on 10 August flouted the Council’s own policy by approving the building of 142 houses on the green belt in the Muirhouse and the Salvesens area in north-west Edinburgh.

The Save Our Silverlea Campaign describe a photo of the site produced by the Council to justify the development as “totally misleading”.  

A SoS spokesperson said: “The photo showed a big pile of flytipped waste – but when a team from Save Our Silverlea visited the site days after the Council meeting, all we found was one white plastic bag and a dumped shopping trolley. The Council photo was either very old or taken elsewhere.  Councillors visited the site shortly before the meeting so they should have known the photo was ‘fake news’.”

Save Our Silverlea have produced photos of the site showing massive trees and a verdant and vibrant woodland. 

30-40 mature trees are to be felled to make way for the proposed scheme.

“We defy anyone – even a Councillor – to look at these magnificent trees and say this is a “barren”  flytipping site.  Clearly there has been some flytipping over the years – but if the site was sympathetically opened up to the community as a mini nature reserve with low impact paths and perhaps a children’s play area, then this increased footfall would act as a deterrent to flytipping. 

“The Council is effectively “saving” the site by destroying it.”

Freedom of Information request

The camapigners say the city council tried to justify the destruction of dozens of mature trees by claiming they were planting 131 saplings on the narrow strip of grass known as Silverknows Park. 

At the Council meeting Save Our Silverlea spokesperson Edward Murray described the real situation: “My flat overlooks Silverknowes Park and I watched them planting these saplings out in mid-February on a bitter cold day with the ground waterlogged,” he explained.

“The end result is the vast majority of these saplings never took root. They’re dead. Are we then to exchange 30-40 mature trees for row upon row of dead twigs in plastic tubes? That doesn’t strike us as a fair exchange.” 

On 16 August Save Our Silverlea submitted a Freedom of Information request asking how much the Silverknowes Park Tree Plantation cost.

At the Council meeting Edward Murray described Muirhouse, where he has lived for over 30 years, as “just a dormitory for workers to sleep in before going back to work again”. 

Mr Murray added: “Muirhouse is the size of a small town; it has no primary school, no park, not even a pub. It doesn’t even have a supermarket. In short, it is a deprived area. We have nothing down there. It’s one of the most deprived areas in Edinburgh.  

“And now, having taken practically everything, you want to take our last green space, the Silverlea site, for development, destroying a wildlife habitat and creating congestion and pollution along the Silverknowes/Muirhouse Parkway, described by Police Scotland as ‘the second most dangerous road in Edinburgh’.”

Save our Silverlea are continuing their campaign:  “As climate change threatens the future of humanity, we need to act to defend our green spaces.   This land should be used for the local community – not to make £millions for greedy property developers.

“We need much more council/ social housing – build council houses on the brownfield sites where they are now building 1000s of private houses.   The struggle to save our Silverlea continues.”

ELGT839_PL1_rev01-Silverknowes-Park-PlantingDownload

Rowanbank Gardens Sets New Standards in Outdoor Living  

  • Apartments’ Communal Areas Provide Fruit Trees, Vegetable Growing Beds and Even its Own Potting Shed
  • Plans for Bee Hives on Rooftops – Plus On-Site Chicken Coop 

Almost 150 new trees, plus herb and vegetable growing beds and more than half a kilometre of evergreen hedgerows, are to be provided at Artisan Real Estate’s Rowanbank Gardens in Corstorphine, as the low carbon development continues to set new standards in environmentally sensitive living. 

Already making headlines for its fossil fuel-free design credentials – with monthly energy bills estimated at less than £65 per month* – Rowanbank Gardens is now set to deliver a unique mix of garden spaces aimed at maximising the benefits of outdoor living.  Described as a ‘spectacular blueprint for low carbon living’, the development will deliver 93 high quality apartments for private sale, together with 33 affordable homes, set around a large communal garden.

The garden area will contain a mix of 30 fruit trees, including cherry and Cox’s Orange Pippin and Red Windsor apple trees. There will also be several large growing beds with space for strawberries, herbs and vegetables surrounded by woodland grass meadows – and even a dedicated potting shed complete with a planted ‘turfed’ roof.  

Rowanbank Gardens has been designed to set new industry standards for sustainable, low-carbon development, challenging many of the norms associated with the building of traditional apartment buildings in city centre areas. 

Its construction follows Artisan’s design framework geared to achieving low to zero carbon city living, which starts with ‘use less, first.’  From the start, external landscaping has been an important factor in the layout and design of the development. 

“We wanted to create an external environment which was both in tune with nature and instrumental in bringing residents together,” explains David Westwater, Artisan’s Development Director for Scotland.

“One of the lessons we learned from the pandemic was that apartment dwellers, even in the city centre, need to have a strong connection both with the outdoors and with their neighbours. So, as well as providing private balcony and patio areas for the majority of apartments, we also decided to be more proactive with our communal green spaces, rather than simply providing the usual manicured square of grassed lawn and flower beds. 

“Rowanbank Gardens’ residents will be able to grow their own herbs and vegetables together in raised growing beds as well as being able to harvest cherries and apples from almost 30 fruit trees. And the planting of 520 metres of evergreen Yew and Burkwood hedgerows surrounding the development will provide an attractive all-year-round border for those inside and out, whilst providing a natural habitat for birds and other wildlife.” 

He added: “The turfed roofs of the main apartment buildings, bike and potting sheds will also attract plant, insect and bird life which are encouraged with natural inducements such as wild-flower planting. 

We will be working with future residents and the local community to explore the potential of hosting bee hives on the apartment roofs as well as the possibility of managing an on-site chicken coop for the benefit of residents.” 

Artisan’s significant investment in outdoor space, as well as its cost-effective energy efficient living is providing a popular draw especially amongst first-time buyers and downsizers. Since it launched late last year, sales at Rowanbank Gardens have been buoyant, with 13 of the first ‘Appleberry’ phase already sold.

A further four of the remaining 14 apartments in Appleberry are now available, with the remaining apartments being released shortly. 

Prices for a one-bedroom apartment start at £245,000 with a two-bedroom at £315,000, making the development a perfect destination for first-time buyers and downsizers wanting to live in well-connected, bustling community just minutes from the city centre.  

To register interest In Rowanbank Gardens and book an appointment at the new on-site sales and marketing suite, visit the development website at www.rowanbankgardens.com or call 0131 516 3302. 

Dobbies’ Little Seedlings get their five a day this September

Free sustainable workshop in Edinburgh store

Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre, is hosting a free session in Edinburgh for its Little Seedlings Club on Sunday 4 September. During this workshop, children aged 4 to 10 will learn how to grow their own fruit and how they can enjoy some of their five a day this autumn. 

Dobbies’ Little Seedlings Club provides exciting interactive learning activities that allow children in Edinburgh to understand, explore, and connect with plants, wildlife, and the environment around them.

September’s workshop is set to be fun-filled and educational with a key focus on how you can grow fresh fruit in your garden space. The workshop will cover the early history of different fruit, as well as diving into the science, illustrating how we classify those frequently misidentified as vegetables.

Children will also learn about the health benefits, along with how different fruits grow and how to plant their own at home. There will also be a crafting activity.

Dobbies’ Partnership and Events Manager, Sarah Murray, explained: “Our Little Seedling Club is very popular and we hope to encourage and nurture young people’s passion for growing their own crops.

“We’re looking forward to highlighting all the health and wellbeing benefits of fruit, as well as having lots of fun.”

Advance booking is required to secure a free spot at the September Little Seedlings Club.

For more information on how children can participate at Dobbies’ Edinburgh store, visit: events.dobbies.com. 

Relaxing planning rules for electric vehicle charging points could spell disaster for walkers

Proposals to permit more electric vehicle charging points could pave way for problems for pedestrians, according to Living Streets Scotland, part of the UK charity for everyday walking.

Proposals to permit more electric vehicle charging points could pave way for problems for pedestrians, according to Living Streets Scotland, part of the UK charity for everyday walking.

The charity is concerned about a consultation from the Scottish Government designed to accelerate the roll out of electric vehicle (EV) chargers by removing some existing planning safeguards.

Currently, electric chargers usually don’t have Permitted Development Rights[1], therefore planning permission is usually required. But new permitted development rights could be made available to councils and private charging companies as part of the biggest change to Scotland’s streets in a generation.

Living Streets believe that planning permission is an important safeguard ensuring footways space isn’t lost in housing developments, especially avoiding the creation of pinch points below a 1.5 metre clearance. This is the acknowledged minimum for comfortable passage of a wheelchair or person being assisted by a guide dog.

The charity believes more extensive work with disabled people is required to determine the true impacts of the changes. Living Streets Scotland, together with RNIB Scotland, Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans, Guide Dogs Scotland, and Disability Equality Scotland, argues that all charging equipment must be on the road and not cluttering pavements.

Stuart Hay, Director, Living Streets Scotland, said: “Footways cluttered with EV charging points and trailing cables present serious problems for people with wheelchairs, buggies or guide dogs, preventing them from getting around easily and safely. Attention to detail is critical, and in almost all cases pavements aren’t suitable for electric chargers.”

“The impact the proposed changes will have on disabled people is greatly underplayed in the consultation. Further engagement is needed, which must be accessible, including the use of non-technical language appropriate to the public.”

“Cluttered pavements also impact on everyone’s desire to walk their short journeys instead of driving them. If we want to encourage cleaner, sustainable ways to travel then we need streets that are walkable.”

Craig Spalding, CEO of Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans, said: “We’re fully behind initiatives to bring about positive environmental impacts, but it’s important these are balanced with access to community spaces.

“We’re concerned that the rapid rollout of e-chargers without sufficient planning procedures could see charging points appear in places that cause accessibility issues and obstacles for people with sight loss.”

Niall Foley, External Affairs Manager, Guide Dogs Scotland, said: “While we welcome measures to reduce our carbon footprint, EV charging points can prove a hazardous obstruction for people with sight loss if they are not installed with care. It’s important to have consistent guidance and standards to ensure that EV charging points are not barriers to pavement users.”

“Research released by Living Streets in July 2022, found that over one in four Scottish people (28%) would walk more if their streets were clutter free. The option of reducing planning controls therefore flies in the face of government policy which is trying to create better infrastructure to get people walking.”

The full response from Living Streets Scotland to the Transport Scotland consultation can be viewed here.  

SEPA: Water abstraction suspensions lifted in Fife after rainfall, but licences suspended in the Borders

  • Water abstraction suspensions are being lifted in the River Eden catchment after strong compliance from farming community and recent rainfall.
  • Suspensions are being imposed in parts of the River Tweed catchment from 23.59 on Thursday 18 August as the river continues to show signs of stress and little improvement from limited recent rainfall.
  • Prolonged dry weather is forecast, which means any improvement in the situation is likely to be short-term and water users are being urged to continue being efficient.

Overview

Support and compliance from Scottish farmers, coupled with recent rainfall, has led to water abstraction suspensions being lifted in the River Eden catchment.

River flows in the area have made some recovery after several days of wet weather and peaked on Monday. They have since slowly fallen again but still remain nearly two-and-a-half times higher than they were on Saturday, before abstraction ceased and the rainfall arrived.

However, in the Scottish Borders, the recent rainfall has not been enough to make up for longer-term deficits and recovery in the River Tweed. To prevent further stress and harm on the local water environment, SEPA will be imposing suspensions on water abstraction licences in parts of this catchment from 23:59 on Thursday 18 August.

More prolonged dry weather is forecast and SEPA will continue to monitor conditions and take appropriate action until the risk of water scarcity has reduced.

As has been the case throughout this summer, the east of Scotland has been particularly affected by water scarcity with every area currently in Alert, Moderate Scarcity or Significant Scarcity. In order for water levels to return to Normal Conditions, we would need to experience up to double the amount of rainfall we’d usually have in August.

River Eden, Fife

A total of 56 full suspensions and 23 partial suspensions were put in place on Sunday 14 August. Exemptions were given to a small number of soft fruit farmers, following a Ministerial Direction from Scottish Government. Soft fruit is a perennial crop which typically has more efficient irrigation methods and a lower water impact.

These suspensions were lifted at 1pm on Wednesday 17 August.

SEPA officers have been engaging with farmers in the area since the suspensions came into effect and reported no non-compliances. Instead, they witnessed good practice with farmers taking the right steps to protect local water environments and having planned ahead for the conditions by using alternative water sources such as boreholes.

River Tweed, Scottish Borders

The water environment in parts of the River Tweed catchment reached Significant Scarcity last week, the highest category for water scarcity defined by SEPA. Recent rainfall has not been enough to reverse the current situation, which has been building up over a long period of time. The long-term forecast is a return to dry conditions.

The temporary suspensions will be in place from 23.59 on Thursday 18 August, affecting around 30 licence holders, predominantly within the agriculture sector. This action is being taken to allow water levels to recover and to minimise potential long-term harm to the environment. SEPA is working with Scottish Government to assess the options for a small number of abstraction licences in other sectors.

Those abstractors affected will receive suspension notices. These will be for the minimum time necessary and will be lifted as soon as possible. Continuing to abstract without a licence is an offence, and SEPA officers will be engaging with abstractors to ensure compliance. As soon as conditions improve sufficiently, the suspensions will be lifted. 

There is clear evidence for the need to suspend abstraction licenses to protect the sustainability of local water environments. Last week in the Tweed catchment, Mouthbridge at Blackadder Water dropped to its lowest flow since records began in 1974. Lyne Station recorded its fourth lowest flow in 53 years, only 2003 was lower.

Suspensions are part of Scotland’s National Water Scarcity Plan, which is designed to ensure the correct balance is struck between protecting the environment and providing resource for human and economic activity during prolonged dry periods. The Plan clearly sets out what actions SEPA and abstractors are required to take at each stage of water scarcity.

Support from farming community

Rob Morris, Senior Manager, Rural Economy Unit at SEPA, said: “We are so pleased with how farmers in the River Eden catchment responded to the urgent water scarcity situation.

“We thank them sincerely for doing the right thing and complying with the abstraction suspensions. We saw a significant 38% rise in the river level in just a few hours from when suspensions were imposed at midnight to when rainfall started later on Sunday afternoon.

“This shows the impact their actions had, and their support has been critical in allowing water levels to recover to a point where suspensions are no longer required.

“Suspending abstraction licences is only done when necessary and is not a decision we take lightly. While we stress that the suspensions on the River Tweed will last for as short a time as possible, the science is telling us that without action there is a substantial risk of impacts on fish populations, natural habitats and longer-term damage to watercourses. As shown in Fife, these will be in place for the shortest time possible.

“We’ll continue to monitor river levels across Scotland, and make our decisions based on science and the need to need to prevent long-term damage to local water environments that we rely on. With further dry weather in the forecast, it’s important that everyone abstracting water continues to manage their water use carefully.”

Protecting our water environment 

The combination of very low flows and high temperatures in watercourses leads to deaths of fish, invertebrates and plants. While some parts of river ecology can recover quickly, others such as fish and plant populations can take years to recover. Some populations, such as pearl mussels, could be permanently lost.   

The current conditions are a consequence of drier weather this year, with only four of the last 12 months recording above average rainfall. The east of Scotland also experienced the driest January in more than 80 years and groundwater levels are the lowest they have been since records began in 2009.

Although there has been some recent rainfall in the east and an immediate increase in river flows, it has not been enough to recover the longer-term deficits.  

Further advice and guidance 

It is vital that farmers and other water abstractors are prepared for these conditions as climate change means water scarcity will be a more regular occurrence. We are committed to working with businesses to build resilience into their systems. This could be switching to a borehole or incorporating appropriate off-line storage lagoons on their land.

Where suspensions are not in place, we are asking businesses that abstract water to only do so when absolutely necessary, stagger their operations, irrigate at night where possible, reduce volumes and durations or pause abstractions altogether.

Abstractors in Alert and Early Warning areas should be planning ahead for their upcoming water requirements and working with neighbouring water users to schedule abstractions where possible. Equipment should also be checked for any leaks.

Abstractors may be able to switch to groundwater as their source and can apply to do so on our website. Applications from Significant Scarcity areas will be prioritised and fast-tracked.

Anyone concerned about meeting licence conditions or wishing to discuss contingency measures are encouraged to contact SEPA by emailing waterscarcity@sepa.org.uk

For more information on water scarcity and to view the latest report, visit:  www.sepa.org.uk/waterscarcity   

Progress to becoming a fairer, greener Scotland?

Marking one year of the Bute House Agreement

New funding has been announced to cut carbon emissions in homes and commercial properties, as the Scottish Government continues to focus on delivering its net zero targets and support families with the cost of living.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Zero Carbon Buildings Minister Patrick Harvie announced £16.2 million funding for five zero emission heat networks during a visit to ng Homes in Glasgow.

The announcement coincides with the first anniversary of the Scottish Government and the Scottish Green Party Parliamentary Group signing the Bute House Agreement, a plan to work together to build a green economic recovery from COVID, respond to the climate emergency and create a fairer country.

In its first year the agreement has delivered a range of benefits for households, communities and businesses and seen work begin on a number of longer-term reforms.

Particular progress has been made across a range of areas including:

  • Doubling the Scottish Child Payment to £20 per week per eligible child from April 2022, with plans to extend eligibility to under 16s and further increasing the payment to £25 per week by the end of 2022.
  • Bringing ScotRail into public ownership.
  • Introducing free bus travel for under 22s to cut the cost of living for young people, encourage sustainable travel behaviours early in their lives and improve access to education, leisure, and work.
  • Investing a record £150 million in active travel in 2022-23, including more than doubling the funding for the National Cycle Network, a new walking fund, and supporting pilots for free bikes for school age children who cannot afford them.
  • Publishing Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation setting out how Scotland will transition to a wellbeing economy.

The Agreement set out a strategy for over a million homes to be using zero carbon heating systems by the end of the decade and allocating funds from a total planned investment of £1.8 billion to cut energy bills, improved building energy efficiency and reduce climate emissions.

Scotland’s Heat Network Fund offers long term funding support to deliver more climate-friendly ways of heating Scotland’s homes and buildings. It has enabled the rollout of new zero emission heat networks and communal heating systems, as well as the expansion and decarbonisation of existing heat networks across Scotland.

Moving forward, the Scottish Government is primarily focused on four key tasks: reducing child poverty; addressing the climate crisis; the recovery from COVID of Scotland’s public services including the delivery of the National Strategy for Economic Transformation; and the development of the prospectus for an independent Scotland and an independence referendum in October 2023. 

The First Minister said: “The world has changed substantially since the Agreement was reached 12 months ago. The conflict in Ukraine and the rising cost of living crisis have profoundly impacted everyone’s lives.

“However, the stable and collaborative government provided by the Agreement, has helped to deliver immediate action in the face of these challenges, including supporting those displaced from Ukraine and using the powers that Ministers have to address the cost of living crisis.

“Action is needed now to support communities to respond to the cost of living and climate crises, and Scotland’s Heat Network Fund is just one of the many initiatives that the Scottish Government has already undertaken.

“The projects that receive support from the Fund will fully align with the Scottish Government’s aim to eradicate fuel poverty by supplying heat at affordable prices to consumers, which is especially important now when we are seeing record rises in the cost of heating.

“The Bute House Agreement was reached to equip us best to deal with the challenges we face, because we believe that new ideas and ways of working are required to deal with new problems. An unstable world needs more co-operation and more constructive working towards building a consensus, if governments are to be equal to what the people need of them.”

Mr Harvie said: “One year on from the Scottish Greens entering government as part of the Bute House Agreement, I am proud of what this Government is doing to build a fairer, greener Scotland.

“From free bus transport for young people to doubling the Scottish Child Payment, we are committed to accelerating action to tackle the climate and cost of living crises.

“The energy crisis households across Scotland now face is being driven by rocketing prices for gas, which we depend on for heat. We are clear that we need to redouble our efforts to improve the efficiency of our homes, making them more comfortable and cheaper to run, and end our reliance on gas for heat. That’s why we are investing £1.8 billion in our green homes and buildings programme.

“Delivering a just transition to net-zero and seizing the opportunities this presents is a major focus of the Scottish Government, and rapidly increasing Scotland’s renewable energy generating capacity and securing accompanying jobs and investment will be central to our work over the rest of the parliament.

“During the first year of the Agreement firm foundations have been built, demonstrating delivery and progress on shared policy priorities and adopting an approach that is both challenging and constructive.”

Bute House Agreement – One Year On report

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