| UK. Ruth Kelly and Bill Oddie unveil new Bird Centre at Rainham Marshes |
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| Tuesday, 14 November 2006 | |
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Environmental news: Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly highlighted the Government's commitment to quality green spaces, well designed homes and strong leadership in the Thames Gateway today, and welcomed Judith Armitt to her first public engagement as new Chief Executive. The announcement came as she and Bill Oddie, broadcaster and ornithologist, jointly opened a new RSPB visitor and educational centre at Rainham Marshes in Essex. The RSPB centre provides outstanding views for visitors and schoolchildren across the marshes and River Thames and is an example of the environmental emphasis that will be outlined in the forthcoming Thames Gateway Strategic Vision. It has been built to the highest environmental standards, with features that include solar panels, rainwater harvesting, natural light and ventilation and a ground source heat exchange system. Entrance to the centre is free for local residents. Birds that can be seen all year round from the centre include a range of water birds like redshanks and lapwings. The occasional peregrine may also be seen as well as water voles, a wide variety of insects and wetland plants. The centre has received nearly £1m as part of a total £26m of Government investment on local environment projects in the Thames Gateway. Judith Armitt has been appointed as Thames Gateway Chief Executive to provide stronger and more visible leadership for the Gateway, and promote engagement by central and regional government, agencies, local organisations and private sector investors. Ruth Kelly said: "The Thames Gateway is about much more than new jobs and homes, we also want to see quality green spaces like this fantastic RSPB centre for people to enjoy, high design standards for new homes and strong visible leadership. Later this month I will set out our commitment to a new network of parklands and our aim for the Gateway to become an exemplar for low and zero carbon development." "I am also delighted to have Judith on board. We need a strengthened focus on leadership on the ground and good co-ordination of a complex network of partners. Her appointment is key to ensuring that there is a clearer joint direction as we move forward, and her proven track record of leadership and delivery will bring valuable skills and experience to this new role." Judith Armitt said: "My role will give strategic leaderhsip and vision to the Thames Gateway Programme and engage the key individuals and organisations involved. This is an exciting time for the Thames Gateway with a unique opportunity to create the sort of communities in which we all want to live, work and invest in. I look forward to taking on that challenge so that we can ensure we deliver the jobs, homes, infrastructure and green spaces that are needed." Later this month Ruth Kelly will announce a commitment to a network of quality green spaces that build on existing environmental projects for local people to access and enjoy. The commitment is in line with Sir Terry Farrell's ideas about linking up the parklands, green spaces and natural wetlands along the estuary to improve the local environment. The announcement is part of the Thames Gateway Interim Strategic Framework and will also include measures to raise the design standards of new homes and an update on a carbon neutral feasibility study that was commissioned earlier this year. Editors note: Notes to editors: The Thames Gateway stretches for 40 miles along the Thames Estuary from the London Docklands to Southend in Essex and Sheerness in Kent. Therefore, translating this vision into workable solutions for the unique local areas in the Gateway involves coordination of a range of local and national agencies and programmes. Judith Armitt has been appointed to provide stronger and more visible leadership for the Gateway, and promote engagement by central and regional government, agencies, local organisations and private sector investors. She is responsible for driving the delivery of the Thames Gateway programme and the implementation of the Strategic Framework, incorporating the proposed Economic Development Strategy. She began work on 1 November and takes on overall responsibility for Communities and Local Government Thames Gateway Strategy and Delivery functions and co-ordination (at official level) of Thames Gateway growth and investment strategies across Government and its partner agencies (English Partnership, the Housing Corporation and Regional Development Agencies). Her previous roles include Chief Executive of Medway Council, Director of Finance and Support Services at the London Borough of Lewisham, and previous work for the Greater London Council. The RSPB reserve at Rainham Marshes was bought from the Ministry of Defence in July 2000. Its former use as shooting ranges has preserved much of the original medieval land-form and marshland wildlife and is now the largest remaining expanse of wetland bordering the upper reaches of the Thames Estuary. The reserve is of particular note for its diverse bird interest, especially its breeding birds (wading birds in particular) and the numbers of wintering wildfowl, wading birds, finches and birds of prey. The reserve also supports a wide range of wetland plants and insects including some that are nationally rare or scarce and has one of the highest densities of water voles in the UK. Other environmental projects underway in the Thames Gateway include Gravesend Community Woodland, Shorne Woods Country Park, Dagenham Dock Environmental Technology Centre, and Ranscombe Farm Country Park. At minimum, carbon neutral developments require that any carbon emissions generated by the use of buildings must be offset by carbon savings elsewhere. The carbon feasability study will look at how to achieve this without putting up barriers to development, and will be designed to take account of the wider impacts within the Gateway. |
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| Last Updated ( Tuesday, 14 November 2006 ) |
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