11.3 Landscape and Biodiversity

We will manage the highway to protect natural and built environments and biodiversity

We recognise the the need to protect valuable natural and built environments as well as biodiversity. Through the Lancashire Environment Strategy 2005-2010, we have established key actions on Landscape, Heritage and Wildlife to;

• conserve, enhance and restore landscape character and quality
• conserve, restore and re-establish habitat quality and species diversity.

A Landscape Strategy for Lancashire provides an assessment of the County's landscapes and recognises the special character of the countryside and villages. It gives strategic guidance on maintaining the character of rural lanes, conserving grass verges and woodlands, hedgerows and dry stone walls, and enhancing footpaths, bridleways and cycleways to offer opportunities for informal recreation. It also forms the basis of the Joint Lancashire Structure Plan Policy and the Supplementary Planning Guidance on Landscape and Heritage.

Lancashire is a member of the EUROPARC Federationⁱ, the EU programme promoting sustainable tourism in Protected Areas. The Forest of Bowland, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is a candidate EUROPARC charter park and Lancashire will develop sustainable tourism, accompanied by sustainable transport, within the area. Transport elements include Quiet Roads and Greenways and the demand-responsive Bowland Transit bus service.

The importance of biodiversity is recognised in Action for Sustainability - Northwest England's Framework for a Better Quality of Life which has been developed by the Government Office for the North West, the North West Regional Assembly and a wide range of regional partners. One of its primary targets is to establish and deliver UK and local Biodiversity Action Plans.

Roadside verges can support habitats that have become scarce within the wider countryside. They are therefore valuable to flora and fauna, supporting a rich variety of species. From 1988 to 1992 Lancashire carried out a survey of verges to identify sites of important flora and established a maintenance regime to protect them. The most valuable verges have been designated as Biological Heritage Sites. A Biodiversity Action Plan has been developed for verges and a new survey will be carried out to identify those which support biodiversity habitats, followed by an evaluation of their maintenance needs. This will complement the Highways Agency Biodiversity Action Plan which will define actions and set targets for the beneficial management of the Trunk Road soft estate - the land between the highway fences but not occupied by road carriageway.

A Strategic Environmental Assessment has been completed for the Local Transport Plan. Environmental Appraisal will be carried out on proposals for Major Schemes. It has been completed on possible routes for the Heysham-M6 Link and the Appraisal for the A570 Ormskirk Bypass is currently in progress. Full landscaping will be carried out in line with national and Lancashire Biodiversity Action Plans to match the local context.

1. EUROPARC, part of the EU Life programme, is the umbrella organisation for Europe's protected areas

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