Visits to city parks and green spaces in England were up by 25 per cent in 2016 as compared to 2010, new research published today (Friday, 6 July) by Natural England has revealed.

Natural England’s Urban Greenspaces report also found that more people are visiting the natural environment within towns and cities across England than ever before with an estimated 879 million visits to parks in towns and cities in 2015/16.

The report brings together findings from Natural England’s annual ‘Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment’ (MENE) public survey and explores how people living in urban areas engage with the natural environment and visit urban greenspaces.

The government’s 25 Year Environment Plan aims to connect more people with the environment by creating more green infrastructure in towns and cities, helping people improve their health and wellbeing by using green spaces and encouraging children to be close to nature, with particular focus on disadvantaged areas.

Data from March 2009 to February 2016 was analysed, and showed:

• Urban Greenspaces are increasingly utilised with an estimated 1.46 billion visits in 2015/16 compared with 1.16 billion visits in 2009/10
• 93 per cent of the urban population claimed to have taken visits to the natural environment for recreation in the last 12 months
• There has been a decrease in the use of cars and vans to reach urban greenspaces between 2010 and 2016 with around seven in ten visits taken on foot in 2015/16
• Public parks, recreation grounds and other greenspaces were the most common places visited within towns and cities (47 per cent, 9 per cent and 14 per cent of all visits respectively), but people also reported visiting urban woodlands (5 per cent), rivers and canals (7 per cent)
• For some urban residents visits to the natural environment may be the only opportunity to exercise

Principle Specialist for People and the Environment at Natural England, Rose O’Neill, said:

The MENE survey gives us a valuable insight into how people enjoy the great outdoors.

We know that lots of us love a visit to our local park or favourite green spot and it is great to see this is on the rise. Research has shown a clear and important link between urban greenspaces and mental health which underlines the important role the natural environment can have in all of our lives.

The MENE survey is funded by Natural England, with support from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

It was first commissioned in 2009 and has provided a wealth of evidence relating to outdoor recreation, behaviour and attitudes. With 81 per cent of England’s population reported as living in urban areas in 2015/16, this data provides a valuable insight into how people use and relate to the natural environment.

Natural England uses the research to understand how people use, enjoy and are motivated to protect the natural environment and to help monitor changes in use of the natural environment over time.

Across all seven years of the MENE survey, four in 10 urban residents (40 per cent) had taken at least one visit to the natural environment in the seven days prior to being interviewed

It also found that some people are more likely to visit urban greenspaces, than other natural places further afield, including:

• Those aged 16-34
• Those in the black and minority ethnic population
• Those who don’t have access to a car
• People with children

The Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) have found Koi herpesvirus (KHV) disease in fish at the following sites in England and Wales.

KHV is a serious viral disease of fish and is a listed disease in the United Kingdom. It affects all varieties of common and ornamental carp species (Cyprinus carpio) and can result in large scale mortalities.
Fish with KHV disease may show the following signs, especially when water temperatures are between 16 to 28 °C:

• necrotic (white or brown) patches on the gills
• rough patches on the skin and sloughing mucous
• sunken eyes

You must contact the FHI if you suspect an outbreak of KHV. This includes fish with the above signs, or deaths of carp or carp hybrids.

There is no risk to public health.

New outbreaks

When laboratory testing confirms KHV disease at a site, the FHI place statutory controls to limit the spread of the disease. These controls restrict movement of aquatic animals and ensure equipment is disinfected.

Disease controls have been applied at:

• 
  Church Lane Lake, Essex – 6 July
  (PDF, 416KB, 3 pages)
  

• 
  Newstead and Annesley Country Park, Nottingham – 6 July
  (PDF, 422KB, 3 pages)
  

• 
  Parkers Fishery Pools, West Midland – 6 July
  (PDF, 392KB, 3 pages)
  

• 
  Mawgan Porth Pools and Lake, Cornwall – 9 July
  (MS Word Document, 388KB)
  

• 
  Mill Farm Fishery, Hereford – 13 July
  (PDF, 403KB, 3 pages)
  

• 
  Holme Grange Fishery, Berkshire – 19 July
  (PDF, 402KB, 3 pages)
  

• 
  Clear Water Fisheries, Lancashire – 24 July
  (PDF, 632KB, 3 pages)
  

• 
  Trench Pool, Shropshire – 24 July
  (PDF, 746KB, 3 pages)
  

• 
  Old Hough Fishery, Cheshire – 25 July
  (PDF, 384KB, 3 pages)
  

• 
  Woodside Fishery, Hereford & Worcester – 31 July
  (PDF, 355KB, 3 pages)
  

• 
  Coopers Arms, Derby – 1 August
  (PDF, 443KB, 3 pages)
  

• 
  K Lakes, Skegness – 2 August
  (PDF, 368KB, 3 pages)
  

• 
  Martham Pits, Norfolk – 3 August
  (PDF, 484KB, 3 pages)
  

• 
  Ashland Lakes, Buckinghamshire – 7 August
  (PDF, 648KB, 4 pages)
  

• 
  Shadwell Pool, Greater London – 8 August
  (PDF, 707KB, 4 pages)
  

• 
  Locklands Lake, Lincoln – 9 August
  (PDF, 451KB, 4 pages)
  

• 
  Acton Park Lake, Wrexham – 13 August
  (PDF, 499KB, 4 pages)
  

• 
  Canvey Lake, Essex – 14 August
  (PDF, 834KB, 3 pages)
  

• 
  Stoneham Lakes, Hampshire – 17 August
  (PDF, 449KB, 3 pages)
  

• 
  Lakewood Fisheries, Scunthorpe – 29 August
  (PDF, 374KB, 3 pages)
  

• 
  Middle Pool, Shropshire – 18 September
  (PDF, 674KB, 4 pages)
  

• 
  Kippax Park, Leeds – 26 September
  (PDF, 456KB, 3 pages)
  

• 
  Gatton Waters, Norfolk – 28 September
  (PDF, 375KB, 3 pages)
  

• 
  Watmore Farm Fishery, Hampshire – 2 October
  (PDF, 556KB, 3 pages)
  

• 
  Orchard Lakes, Hampshire – 3 October
  (PDF, 478KB, 3 pages)
  

• 
  Broadlands Lake Complex, Hampshire – 5 October
  (PDF, 375KB, 3 pages)
  

Controls lifted

Sites with KHV disease must undergo a formal monitoring programme for the duration of the calendar year immediately following the outbreak. The FHI visit these sites to look for evidence of disease and to inspect compliance with the conditions of the statutory controls in place. The controls are removed if the disease doesn’t reoccur during this period.

Some sites choose to cull and disinfect their stocks, rather than undergo monitoring.

Diseases controls lifted at:

• Swallow Aquatics, Rayleigh – 20 July
• J & K Aquatics Ltd Wholesale unit – Black Vat system and the Retail Unit, Somerset – 13 August
• Blagdon Water Gardens – Systems containing susceptible species, Somerset – 13 August
• Watermarque Yeovil – Systems containing susceptible species, Somerset – 13 August

Further information

You can:

• view all KHV disease outbreaks, their locations, and controls
• find out more about KHV disease
• take steps to prevent the introduction and spread of KHV disease

Background

Koi herpesvirus disease (KHV) is a listed disease under The Aquatic Animal Health (England and Wales) Regulations 2009. KHV outbreaks have been subject to statutory controls in the UK since 2007. The UK maintains a surveillance programme for this disease.

When the FHI confirm an outbreak, they take steps to control and, wherever possible, remove the disease. This may involve movement controls on susceptible species in the affected area, enhanced biosecurity, culling of fish, and cleaning and disinfecting of the premises.

Once statutory controls are in place the site operators must write to the FHI to get permission to move live fish into, out of, or within the designated area, and to make material changes to the site or site activities. This also applies to fish eggs and gametes.

Measures to help taxi drivers to buy cleaner vehicles, remove barriers for investment in the oil and gas industry, and tackle tax avoidance using profit fragmentation are just some of the key policies that will be legislated for in the Finance Bill 2018-19, published in draft today (6 July 2018).

This legislation, which implements tax policies announced in recent fiscal events, continues the government’s commitment to a competitive and fair tax system.

Mel Stride, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, said:

Britain is one of the best places in the world to do business, and we’re determined to see that continue.

This legislation illustrates our commitment to creating an environment in which innovation and enterprise can thrive, while ensuring that everyone plays by the same rules.

The consultation on the draft legislation will run until 31 August 2018, with measures included in the next Finance Bill.

As part of the government’s new single fiscal event timetable, earlier publication of Finance Bill legislation allows more time for scrutiny of tax measures, giving greater certainty and stability to taxpayers.

Environment Agency construction work gathers pace on the major flood scheme for Perry Barr and Witton, near Birmingham. The £32 million project will reduce flood risk for 1,400 properties currently at risk of flooding from the River Tame, including 950 homes.

The Environment Agency carried out a sod-cutting ceremony to mark progression into the main construction of the second phase. The event was attended by Chair of the Environment Agency Emma Howard Boyd. The flood defence scheme has been developed in partnership with Birmingham City Council and Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council. The partnership ensures that disruption to the park users is minimised and that the local community are kept informed through construction.

The scheme, costing just over £32 million, is part of the Environment Agency’s programme of £2.6 billion investment into flood defences across the country. The scheme was made possible through funding contributions from Birmingham City Council, Regional Flood and Coastal Committee, Arts Council and crowd-funding.

The formal start to the second phase of the scheme was coupled with a tour of the Perry Barr and Witton Flood Risk Management Scheme. This phase of the scheme, will provide additional flood storage at Forge Mill in Sandwell Valley, which is upstream of Perry Barr and Witton, and will control the flow of flood water downstream. Work in the Country Park will include new fencing for improved animal pens at Forge Mill Farm, extending it as a visitor attraction. There will also be improvements to the entrance into the park for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders entering from the Old Newton Road.

The main aspects of this phase include the building of the new embankment, installation of the river outlet and temporarily re-diverting the river.

The first phase of the scheme was completed in spring 2017. Improvements were made to the existing upstream flood storage area at Perry Hall Playing Fields along with improvement works in Perry Barr and Witton, including wall repairs and wall raising along Brookvale Road, construction of walls along Tame Road and installation of a flood gate at the Atlas Industrial Estate entrance. These measures in isolation would not provide a big enough reduction in flood risk, so Phase 2 will provide the necessary flood water storage during a major flood, such as that experienced in 2007.

Emma Howard Boyd, chair of the Environment Agency, said:

It’s great to see first-hand work starting at Perry Barr and Witton – a fantastic scheme which not only proves the value of partnership working but which also promises to improve public spaces too. A keen cyclist myself, I’m pleased to see that as well as reducing flood risk the project will improve cycle paths and parkland in the area – a win-win for everyone.

Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey said:

This excellent new scheme will better protect 1,400 more properties from flooding and will improve access to the wonderful Sandwell Valley Country Park for both local residents and tourists.

With funding coming from the government, local councils, the Arts Council and crowd funders, this project is a great example of how by working together, we can help protect our communities and improve our environment.

The scheme is due to complete in spring 2020.

Along with flood defences and flood management schemes, knowing your flood risk is also important when protecting your family and property from flooding. People can check their risk and register to receive free flood warnings by visiting GOV.UK or calling Floodline on 0345 988 1188.

The Environment Agency publish permits that they issue under the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED).

This decision includes the permit and decision document for:

• Operator name: Wot-An-Egg Limited
• Installation name: Broomfield Farm
• Permit number: EPR/UP3232JY/A001