Common use of Regeneration Clause in Contracts

Regeneration. Falkirk town is the main administrative and retailing centre for the area. It has a vibrant town centre which has been popular with shoppers for its mix of the usual high street retailers and specialist shops. Like all town centres, it has suffered during the economic downturn due to the closure of major chains such as Woolworths and HMV, and vacancy rates have increased. However, it retains its position as a major shopping centre within the Scottish retail hierarchy. Throughout our area, some 5,600 people are employed in the retail sector. Partly because of recent closures of retail premises due to economic downturn, employment in this sector has fallen from over 7,400 in 2008. Over 1,000 of this reduction took place in 2010/11. Some businesses continue to show faith in our area and a new Tesco store opened in Camelon in early 2012. There is some competition from neighbouring centres such as Livingston and Stirling and new out of town centres in Glasgow and Edinburgh. The Council commissioned a retail survey as part of the Local Development Plan currently being prepared which has provided up to date information on local shopping patterns which were shown to have remained similar to those in the previous survey ten years before – in spite of the rise of internet shopping. In 2010, Falkirk Council attracted regeneration funding through its successful bid to the Scottish Government’s Town Centres Regeneration Fund to make a number of architectural and environmental improvements around Falkirk town centre and Falkirk Old and St Xxxxx’x Xxxxxx Church. A further bid for Heritage Lottery Funding to upgrade frontages within the conservation area in the Town Centre is currently being progressed. Work has been completed on the regeneration of the two of area’s district centres – Bo’ness and Stenhousemuir. The regeneration of Stenhousemuir town centre included the opening of a new library, park facilities and retail provision, including a new Asda store. The Bo’ness Townscape Heritage initiative has also been completed but the regeneration project for the harbour and foreshore has been put on hold. A masterplan for Xxxxx town centre was unveiled in early 2012 including a library. shops, a car park and a town square and the planning process has commenced. Demolition has already taken place of some of the old blocks which had to be swept away to allow the new development to take place. Initial plans for the regeneration of Grangemouth town centre have not progressed as hoped but the Council has recommenced the process of seeking a development partner. The Falkirk Gateway project, an ambitious project of business, office, retail and leisure uses on the east side of Falkirk with good access to the M9, has also been put on hold because of the economic situation. Falkirk Council and our partners are keen to act on behalf of local businesses, people and communities, leading the response of partners locally to minimise the impact of the economic downturn and maintain the momentum of regeneration. Our area’s economic strengths will aid our response, the actions underway currently to bolster the area’s economy, and the key actions we will be required to take to ensure our area’s continued development. Transport: Our area is fortunate to be well connected with excellent transport links to the rest of Scotland and worldwide. The area lies at the centre of the Scottish motorway and railway networks. The upgrading of the A80 to motorway standard in 2011 has reduced journey times towards Glasgow and the south. Further motorway improvements at junctions 5 and 6 of the M9 and that at Junction 2 on the M876, providing access to Central Business Park and the new Forth Valley Royal Hospital, are underway or have been completed. Preparatory works for the improvements to the A801 Avon Gorge route have been carried out by the Council and planning permission has been agreed. Funding has yet to be finalised, however for this project which has been a long term requirement by the Council. The Clackmannanshire Bridge, opened in 2009, has provided a second local crossing of the Forth linking the Council area with Fife, Clackmannanshire and beyond. The proposed refurbishment of the Kincardine Bridge has yet to commence. The Forth Replacement Crossing, due for completion in 2016, although further away, will provide additional connectivity to Fife and beyond. There are fast and very frequent rail connections to both Glasgow and Edinburgh. Network Rail plans an electrification programme (EGIP) which will increase frequency and reduce journey times still further. The current planned completion date is 2016. Rail services are also available to Stirling – also part of Network Rail’s electrification plans - with connections further north and twice a day direct to London and Inverness. Rail freight traffic to Grangemouth remains important and electrification will take place as part of the EGIP project. The Grangemouth Freight Hub is designated by the Scottish Government as a National Development in its National Planning Framework 2. This will increase our area’s connectivity further and make it an even more attractive place for employers to locate in. Grangemouth is Scotland’s premier port and largest deep sea container port. Container traffic has continued to grow and the port handles around 9 million tonnes of cargo per year. While the port is well placed to continue to prosper, the downturn in the economy may affect trade flowing through the terminal. Our area is 20 minutes from Edinburgh airport which has now overtaken Glasgow (only 45 minutes away) as the busiest in Scotland. Because of our good transport links, commuting rates in our area are high. The 2001 Census showed over 22,000 out- commuters and 14,000 in-commuters. The main commuting links are with the two cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow and also with the Council’s five neighbouring local authority areas. The 2011 Census results are expected to show that these figures have increased. The Council was one of seven local authorities which were successful in the summer of 2008 in bidding for funding for the “Take the Right Route” project in the Larbert-Stenhousemuir area which aims to achieve an increase in active travel – walking and cycling - and public transport use. Electricity: In January 2010 the Scottish Government approved the upgrade to the 137 mile long Beauly to Denny 400kv electricity transmission line. This will allow the transmission of renewable energy generated in the north of Scotland to the Central Belt. The end of this line will involve the upgrading of the substation at Denny. Part of the length of the transmission line will be underground in the Glenbervie area. In March 2012, a US company announced proposals to develop a coal fired power station at Grangemouth. The plant would use carbon capture and storage technology in a bid to reduce emissions by more than 90%. This project is at a very early stage. Funding has still to be sought from the UK government for the technology, and planning consent will be required. Water and sewerage infrastructure: Most of the Council area is well served by the water supply and sewerage systems provided through Scottish Water and there should be sufficient capacity to meet most planned future developments. There are some issues in some of the more rural areas, but Scottish Water expect to be able to upgrade capacity to meet all developments currently planned. Flooding: Substantial land areas within the Falkirk area are potentially liable to flooding, particularly along the Forth estuary and the Rivers Avon and Carron. Climate change may lead to more frequent and severe flooding than the more localised incidents which have been experienced in recent years. The Falkirk Council area has one of the highest proportions of its population which is at risk of flooding of any council in Scotland. The Grangemouth petrochemical complex is also at high risk of flooding. Much of the area was considered potentially vulnerable by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) in their analysis published in December 2011. According to the SEPA flood map, significant parts of the Council area could be subject to flooding along the Forth estuary and along some of our river valleys. This may limit development in some areas. The Council has new duties under the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009. We will work with our partners in Scottish Water, SEPA and British Waterways who all have responsibilities in this area, and with neighbouring councils, to produce the local flood risk management plan covering our area. We have produced a biennial flooding report which details flooding events during the preceding two years, measures taken to prevent or mitigate flooding in the preceding two years and further proposed measures. The latest was published in 2009. The Bo’ness Flood Prevention Scheme was completed in 2010 and studies are underway for a flood defence scheme for Grangemouth. Environmental protection: The area is home to ten nationally and internationally important Sites of Special Scientific Interest, two Special Protection Areas for birds, a Special Area of Conservation for flora and fauna at Black Loch Xxxx and the Firth of Forth RAMSAR site, the wintering ground for many bird species. There are also very many locally important ecological areas requiring protection from development so that they can continue to be enjoyed by Falkirk residents. However, the last 100 years have seen considerable declines in the numbers and health of many of our wild plants, animals and habitats as human activities place ever-increasing demands on our natural resources. The Council has recently published an updated Biodiversity Action Plan aimed at safeguarding the local variety of life, conserving our rare and threatened plants, animals and habitats. The amount of vacant and derelict land in our area has been decreasing - from 282ha in 2002 to only 139ha in 2012, as land has been regenerated and put to new uses. However, this figure has remained constant for several years and a significant proportion of this land has been in this condition for a considerable period of time. Our record on waste recycling is good. In 2011/12 53.3% of waste was recycled or composted. This was up from 36% in 2007/08 and only 19% in 2004/05. The Scottish Household Survey for 2009/10 showed that 96% of the population said that they had recycled items in the previous month – up from 54% in 2003/04 and above the Scottish average of 88%. We must work to maintain and improve these figures. Climate change remains an issue which is already affecting our environment and biodiversity. 86% of residents rated their neighbourhood as a good place to live in 2010. This has increased each time the Council has conducted its biannual Council tax survey. Health inequalities and physical activity Deaths: Along with the rest of Scotland, the death rate in the Falkirk area is continuing to decrease slowly, with the annual number of deaths falling to under 1,500 for the first time in 2009. Although numbers fluctuate from year to year, the long term trend of a decrease in the death rate is expected to continue. Mortality: Mortality rates from all the major causes of death have been decreasing for some time, and this trend is expected to continue. Standardised mortality rates (SMR) which measure mortality compared to the Scottish average (Scotland = 100) for Falkirk have shown some signs of improvement since 2006, particularly for those aged under 75, as can be seen in Figure 16, although in 2011 the SMR for all ages and for those aged under 75 worsened again. This will continue to be monitored. Figure 16: Standardised mortality 2006-2011 Source: Falkirk Council Research and Information Team, National Records of Scotland Tables 3 and 4 xxxx://xxx.xxx-xxxxxxxx.xxx.xx/statistics/theme/vital-events/deaths/age-standardised-rates.html There have been considerable improvements in death rates from major diseases such as coronary heart disease in recent years and also in treatments for cancer. However, with the aging population and cancer being predominantly a disease of older people, cancer is now the biggest single cause of death in the Falkirk area as can be seen in Figure 17. Other major causes of death include stroke (cerebrovascular disease) and respiratory diseases. Figure 17: Deaths by cause 2011 Source: National Records of Scotland Lifestyle changes such as eating healthier food, taking more exercise or stopping smoking could reduce further the prevalence of the major killer diseases in the Falkirk area. As well as this, there is a clear link between health and life circumstances with people living in most disadvantaged circumstances experiencing poorer health than those who are better off. Improving health and well-being is a complex process which requires individuals to make the correct choices. Falkirk accepted the challenge from the British Heart Foundation to become a “Heart Town”, one of three in Scotland. Heart Towns is an initiative that brings communities together through local fundraising and volunteering as well as raising awareness of heart disease and offering residents support services including initiatives for schools, workplace health and lifestyle information resources.

Regeneration. Falkirk town is the main administrative and retailing centre for the area. It has a vibrant town centre which has been popular with shoppers for its mix of the usual high street retailers and specialist shops. Like all town centres, it has suffered during the economic downturn due to the closure of major chains such as Woolworths and HMV, and vacancy rates have increased. However, it retains its position as a major shopping centre within the Scottish retail hierarchy. Throughout our area, some 5,600 10,400 people are employed in the wholesale and retail sectorsectors. Partly because of However, recent closures of retail premises due to economic downturn, employment in this sector has fallen from over 7,400 in 2008. Over 1,000 the collapse of this reduction took place in 2010/11. Some businesses continue to show faith some national chains such as Woolworths have left gaps in our high streets which could prove difficult to fill in the current climate. The area and a new Tesco store opened in Camelon in early 2012. There is some also suffering from increased competition from neighbouring centres such as Livingston and Stirling Xxxxxxxxxx and new out of town centres in Glasgow and Edinburgh. The Council has commissioned a new retail survey as part of its revision to the Local Development Plan currently being prepared which has provided will provide up to date information on local shopping patterns which were shown to have remained similar to those in update the previous survey carried out some ten years before – in spite of the rise of internet shopping. In 2010, Falkirk Council attracted regeneration funding through its successful bid to the Scottish Government’s Town Centres Regeneration Fund to make a number of architectural and environmental improvements around Falkirk town centre and Falkirk Old and St Xxxxx’x Xxxxxx Church. A further bid for Heritage Lottery Funding to upgrade frontages within the conservation area in the Town Centre is currently being progressedago. Work has been completed started on the regeneration of the two of area’s district centres. Developer partners have been appointed for all four centres – Bo’ness (Bo’xxxx, Xxxxx, Grangemouth and Stenhousemuir). The regeneration of Stenhousemuir town centre included the opening of is nearing completion. During 2008 a new library, park facilities and retail provision, including a new Asda storestore opened. The Bo’ness Townscape Heritage initiative continues to deliver economic regeneration and built heritage conservation to Bo’ness town centre. Regeneration masterplans prepared for Bo’ness foreshore, Xxxxx and Grangemouth are at an earlier stage in the development process, with community consultation completed. Planning applications for each are expected in the near future. However, with the economic downturn, investment in regeneration has also been completed but slowed with an extension to the regeneration project timescales for the harbour and foreshore has been put on hold. A masterplan for Xxxxx town centre was unveiled in early 2012 including a library. shops, a car park and a town square and the planning process has commenced. Demolition has already taken place of some delivery of the old blocks which had to be swept away to allow the new development to take place. Initial plans for the regeneration of Grangemouth town centre have not progressed as hoped but the Council has recommenced the process of seeking a development partner. The Falkirk Gateway project, (an ambitious project of business, officecommercial, retail and leisure uses on the east side of Falkirk with good access Falkirk). The economy of our area faces significant challenges as the “credit crunch” and resultant economic downturn takes effect. The economic recession during 2009 and beyond could inhibit the regeneration of our local economy and blight prospects for business, investment and jobs. Action has been initiated at national level to assist business and the M9, has economy however concerted action is also been put on hold because needed at local level to mitigate the effects of the economic situationrecession. Falkirk Council and our partners As a partnership we are keen to act on behalf of local businesses, people and communities, leading the response of partners locally to minimise the impact of the economic downturn and maintain the momentum of regeneration. Our We understand the potential impact of the economic downturn and we look to the area’s economic strengths will aid our responsestrengths, the actions underway currently to bolster the area’s economy, economy and the key actions we will be required to take deliver, to aid the response to the downturn and ensure our area’s continued development. Transport: Our area is fortunate to be well connected with excellent transport links to the rest In terms of Scotland and worldwide. The area lies at the centre of the Scottish motorway and railway networks. The upgrading of the A80 to motorway standard in 2011 has reduced journey times towards Glasgow and the south. Further motorway improvements at junctions 5 and 6 of the M9 and that at Junction 2 on the M876, providing access to Central Business Park and the new Forth Valley Royal Hospital, are underway or have been completed. Preparatory works for the improvements to the A801 Avon Gorge route have been carried out by the Council and planning permission has been agreed. Funding has yet to be finalised, however for this project which has been a long term requirement by the Council. The Clackmannanshire Bridge, opened in 2009, has provided a second local crossing of the Forth linking the Council area with Fife, Clackmannanshire and beyond. The proposed refurbishment of the Kincardine Bridge has yet to commence. The Forth Replacement Crossing, due for completion in 2016, although further away, will provide additional connectivity to Fife and beyond. There are fast and very frequent rail connections to both Glasgow and Edinburgh. Network Rail plans an electrification programme (EGIP) which will increase frequency and reduce journey times still further. The current planned completion date is 2016. Rail services are also available to Stirling – also part of Network Rail’s electrification plans - with connections further north and twice a day direct to London and Inverness. Rail freight traffic to Grangemouth remains important and electrification will take place as part of the EGIP project. The Grangemouth Freight Hub is designated by the Scottish Government as a National Development in its National Planning Framework 2. This will increase our area’s connectivity further and make it an even more attractive place for employers to locate in. Grangemouth is Scotland’s premier port and largest deep sea container port. Container traffic has continued to grow and the port handles around 9 million tonnes of cargo per year. While the port is well placed to continue to prosperhousing regeneration, the downturn priority areas identified in the economy may affect trade flowing through the terminal. Our area is 20 minutes from Edinburgh airport which has 2004/09 LHS have now overtaken Glasgow (only 45 minutes away) as the busiest in Scotland. Because of our good transport links, commuting rates in our area are high. The 2001 Census showed over 22,000 out- commuters and 14,000 in-commuters. The main commuting links are with the two cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow and also with the Council’s five neighbouring local authority areas. The 2011 Census results are expected to show that these figures have increased. The Council was one of seven local authorities which were successful in the summer of 2008 in bidding for funding for the “Take the Right Route” project in the Larbert-Stenhousemuir area which aims to achieve an increase in active travel – walking and cycling - and public transport use. Electricity: In January 2010 the Scottish Government approved the upgrade to the 137 mile long Beauly to Denny 400kv electricity transmission line. This will allow the transmission of renewable energy generated in the north of Scotland to the Central Belt. The end of this line will involve the upgrading of the substation at Denny. Part of the length of the transmission line will be underground in the Glenbervie area. In March 2012, a US company announced proposals to develop a coal fired power station at Grangemouth. The plant would use carbon capture and storage technology in a bid to reduce emissions by more than 90%. This project is at a very early stage. Funding has still to be sought from the UK government for the technology, and planning consent will be required. Water and sewerage infrastructure: Most of the Council area is well served by the water supply and sewerage systems provided through Scottish Water and there should be sufficient capacity to meet most planned future developments. There are some issues in some of the more rural areas, but Scottish Water expect to be able to upgrade capacity to meet all developments currently planned. Flooding: Substantial land areas within the Falkirk area are potentially liable to flooding, particularly along the Forth estuary and the Rivers Avon and Carron. Climate change may lead to more frequent and severe flooding than the more localised incidents which have largely been experienced in recent years. The Falkirk Council area has one of the highest proportions of its population which is at risk of flooding of any council in Scotland. The Grangemouth petrochemical complex is also at high risk of flooding. Much of the area was considered potentially vulnerable by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) in their analysis published in December 2011. According to the SEPA flood map, significant parts of the Council area could be subject to flooding along the Forth estuary and along some of our river valleys. This may limit development in some areas. The Council has new duties under the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009. We will work with our partners in Scottish Water, SEPA and British Waterways who all have responsibilities in this area, and with neighbouring councils, to produce the local flood risk management plan covering our area. We have produced a biennial flooding report which details flooding events during the preceding two years, measures taken to prevent or mitigate flooding in the preceding two years and further proposed measures. The latest was published in 2009. The Bo’ness Flood Prevention Scheme was completed in 2010 and studies are underway for a flood defence scheme for Grangemouth. Environmental protection: The area is home to ten nationally and internationally important Sites of Special Scientific Interest, two Special Protection Areas for birds, a Special Area of Conservation for flora and fauna at Black Loch Xxxx and the Firth of Forth RAMSAR site, the wintering ground for many bird species. There are also very many locally important ecological areas requiring protection from development so that they can continue to be enjoyed by Falkirk residents. However, the last 100 years have seen considerable declines in the numbers and health of many of our wild plants, animals and habitats as human activities place ever-increasing demands on our natural resources. The Council has recently published an updated Biodiversity Action Plan aimed at safeguarding the local variety of life, conserving our rare and threatened plants, animals and habitats. The amount of vacant and derelict land in our area has been decreasing - from 282ha in 2002 to only 139ha in 2012, as land has been regenerated and put to new uses. However, this figure has remained constant for several years and a significant proportion of this land has been in this condition for a considerable period of time. Our record on waste recycling is good. In 2011/12 53.3% of waste was recycled or composted. This was up from 36% in 2007/08 and only 19% in 2004/05. The Scottish Household Survey for 2009/10 showed that 96% of the population said that they had recycled items in the previous month – up from 54% in 2003/04 and above the Scottish average of 88%. We must work to maintain and improve these figures. Climate change remains an issue which is already affecting our environment and biodiversity. 86% of residents rated their neighbourhood as a good place to live in 2010. This has increased each time the Council has conducted its biannual Council tax survey. Health inequalities and physical activity Deaths: Along with the rest of Scotland, the death rate in the Falkirk area is continuing to decrease slowly, with the annual number of deaths falling to under 1,500 for the first time in 2009. Although numbers fluctuate from year to year, the long term trend of a decrease in the death rate is expected to continue. Mortality: Mortality rates from all the major causes of death have been decreasing for some time, and this trend is expected to continue. Standardised mortality rates (SMR) which measure mortality compared to the Scottish average (Scotland = 100) for Falkirk have shown some signs of improvement since 2006, particularly for those aged under 75, as can be seen in Figure 16, although in 2011 the SMR for all ages and for those aged under 75 worsened again. This will continue to be monitored. Figure 16: Standardised mortality 2006-2011 Source: Falkirk Council Research and Information Team, National Records of Scotland Tables 3 and 4 xxxx://xxx.xxx-xxxxxxxx.xxx.xx/statistics/theme/vital-events/deaths/age-standardised-rates.html There have been considerable improvements in death rates from major diseases such as coronary heart disease in recent years and also in treatments for cancer. However, with the aging population and cancer being predominantly a disease of older people, cancer is now the biggest single cause of death in the Falkirk area as can be seen in Figure 17. Other major causes of death include stroke (cerebrovascular disease) and respiratory diseases. Figure 17: Deaths by cause 2011 Source: National Records of Scotland Lifestyle changes such as eating healthier food, taking more exercise or stopping smoking could reduce further the prevalence of the major killer diseases in the Falkirk area. As well as this, addressed albeit there is a clear link between health and life circumstances with people living in most disadvantaged circumstances experiencing poorer health than those who are better offneed for on going intensive housing management to underpin the improvements made. Improving health and well-being is a complex process which requires individuals to make the correct choices. Falkirk accepted the challenge from the British Heart Foundation to become a “Heart Town”, one of three in Scotland. Heart Towns is an initiative that brings communities together through local fundraising and volunteering as well as raising awareness of heart disease and offering residents support services including initiatives for schools, workplace health and lifestyle information resourcesThe next LHS will identify future housing regeneration priorities.

Regeneration. Falkirk town is the main administrative and retailing centre for the area. It has a vibrant town centre which has been popular with shoppers for its mix of the usual high street retailers and specialist shops. Like all town centres, it has suffered during the economic downturn due to the closure of major chains such as Woolworths and HMV, and vacancy rates have increased. However, it retains its position as a major shopping centre within the Scottish retail hierarchy. Throughout our area, some 5,600 10,400 people are employed in the wholesale and retail sectorsectors. Partly because of However, recent closures of retail premises due to economic downturn, employment in this sector has fallen from over 7,400 in 2008. Over 1,000 the collapse of this reduction took place in 2010/11. Some businesses continue to show faith some national chains such as Woolworths have left gaps in our high streets which could prove difficult to fill in the current climate. The area and a new Tesco store opened in Camelon in early 2012. There is some also suffering from increased competition from neighbouring centres such as Livingston and Stirling and new out of town centres in Glasgow and Edinburgh. The Council has commissioned a new retail survey as part of its revision to the Local Development Plan currently being prepared which has provided will provide up to date information on local shopping patterns which were shown to have remained similar to those in update the previous survey carried out some ten years before – in spite of the rise of internet shopping. In 2010, Falkirk Council attracted regeneration funding through its successful bid to the Scottish Government’s Town Centres Regeneration Fund to make a number of architectural and environmental improvements around Falkirk town centre and Falkirk Old and St Xxxxx’x Xxxxxx Church. A further bid for Heritage Lottery Funding to upgrade frontages within the conservation area in the Town Centre is currently being progressedago. Work has been completed started on the regeneration of the two of area’s district centres. Developer partners have been appointed for all four centres – Bo’ness (Bo’xxxx, Xxxxx, Grangemouth and Stenhousemuir). The regeneration of Stenhousemuir town centre included the opening of is nearing completion. During 2008 a new library, park facilities and retail provision, including a new Asda storestore opened. The Bo’ness Townscape Heritage initiative continues to deliver economic regeneration and built heritage conservation to Bo’ness town centre. Regeneration masterplans prepared for Bo’ness foreshore, Xxxxx and Grangemouth are at an earlier stage in the development process, with community consultation completed. Planning applications for each are expected in the near future. However, with the economic downturn, investment in regeneration has also been completed but slowed with an extension to the regeneration project timescales for the harbour and foreshore has been put on hold. A masterplan for Xxxxx town centre was unveiled in early 2012 including a library. shops, a car park and a town square and the planning process has commenced. Demolition has already taken place of some delivery of the old blocks which had to be swept away to allow the new development to take place. Initial plans for the regeneration of Grangemouth town centre have not progressed as hoped but the Council has recommenced the process of seeking a development partner. The Falkirk Gateway project, (an ambitious project of business, officecommercial, retail and leisure uses on the east side of Falkirk with good access Falkirk). The economy of our area faces significant challenges as the “credit crunch” and resultant economic downturn takes effect. The economic recession during 2009 and beyond could inhibit the regeneration of our local economy and blight prospects for business, investment and jobs. Action has been initiated at national level to assist business and the M9, has economy however concerted action is also been put on hold because needed at local level to mitigate the effects of the economic situationrecession. Falkirk Council and our partners As a partnership we are keen to act on behalf of local businesses, people and communities, leading the response of partners locally to minimise the impact of the economic downturn and maintain the momentum of regeneration. Our We understand the potential impact of the economic downturn and we look to the area’s economic strengths will aid our responsestrengths, the actions underway currently to bolster the area’s economy, economy and the key actions we will be required to take deliver, to aid the response to the downturn and ensure our area’s continued development. Transport: Our area is fortunate to be well connected with excellent transport links to the rest In terms of Scotland and worldwide. The area lies at the centre of the Scottish motorway and railway networks. The upgrading of the A80 to motorway standard in 2011 has reduced journey times towards Glasgow and the south. Further motorway improvements at junctions 5 and 6 of the M9 and that at Junction 2 on the M876, providing access to Central Business Park and the new Forth Valley Royal Hospital, are underway or have been completed. Preparatory works for the improvements to the A801 Avon Gorge route have been carried out by the Council and planning permission has been agreed. Funding has yet to be finalised, however for this project which has been a long term requirement by the Council. The Clackmannanshire Bridge, opened in 2009, has provided a second local crossing of the Forth linking the Council area with Fife, Clackmannanshire and beyond. The proposed refurbishment of the Kincardine Bridge has yet to commence. The Forth Replacement Crossing, due for completion in 2016, although further away, will provide additional connectivity to Fife and beyond. There are fast and very frequent rail connections to both Glasgow and Edinburgh. Network Rail plans an electrification programme (EGIP) which will increase frequency and reduce journey times still further. The current planned completion date is 2016. Rail services are also available to Stirling – also part of Network Rail’s electrification plans - with connections further north and twice a day direct to London and Inverness. Rail freight traffic to Grangemouth remains important and electrification will take place as part of the EGIP project. The Grangemouth Freight Hub is designated by the Scottish Government as a National Development in its National Planning Framework 2. This will increase our area’s connectivity further and make it an even more attractive place for employers to locate in. Grangemouth is Scotland’s premier port and largest deep sea container port. Container traffic has continued to grow and the port handles around 9 million tonnes of cargo per year. While the port is well placed to continue to prosperhousing regeneration, the downturn priority areas identified in the economy may affect trade flowing through the terminal. Our area is 20 minutes from Edinburgh airport which has 2004/09 LHS have now overtaken Glasgow (only 45 minutes away) as the busiest in Scotland. Because of our good transport links, commuting rates in our area are high. The 2001 Census showed over 22,000 out- commuters and 14,000 in-commuters. The main commuting links are with the two cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow and also with the Council’s five neighbouring local authority areas. The 2011 Census results are expected to show that these figures have increased. The Council was one of seven local authorities which were successful in the summer of 2008 in bidding for funding for the “Take the Right Route” project in the Larbert-Stenhousemuir area which aims to achieve an increase in active travel – walking and cycling - and public transport use. Electricity: In January 2010 the Scottish Government approved the upgrade to the 137 mile long Beauly to Denny 400kv electricity transmission line. This will allow the transmission of renewable energy generated in the north of Scotland to the Central Belt. The end of this line will involve the upgrading of the substation at Denny. Part of the length of the transmission line will be underground in the Glenbervie area. In March 2012, a US company announced proposals to develop a coal fired power station at Grangemouth. The plant would use carbon capture and storage technology in a bid to reduce emissions by more than 90%. This project is at a very early stage. Funding has still to be sought from the UK government for the technology, and planning consent will be required. Water and sewerage infrastructure: Most of the Council area is well served by the water supply and sewerage systems provided through Scottish Water and there should be sufficient capacity to meet most planned future developments. There are some issues in some of the more rural areas, but Scottish Water expect to be able to upgrade capacity to meet all developments currently planned. Flooding: Substantial land areas within the Falkirk area are potentially liable to flooding, particularly along the Forth estuary and the Rivers Avon and Carron. Climate change may lead to more frequent and severe flooding than the more localised incidents which have largely been experienced in recent years. The Falkirk Council area has one of the highest proportions of its population which is at risk of flooding of any council in Scotland. The Grangemouth petrochemical complex is also at high risk of flooding. Much of the area was considered potentially vulnerable by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) in their analysis published in December 2011. According to the SEPA flood map, significant parts of the Council area could be subject to flooding along the Forth estuary and along some of our river valleys. This may limit development in some areas. The Council has new duties under the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009. We will work with our partners in Scottish Water, SEPA and British Waterways who all have responsibilities in this area, and with neighbouring councils, to produce the local flood risk management plan covering our area. We have produced a biennial flooding report which details flooding events during the preceding two years, measures taken to prevent or mitigate flooding in the preceding two years and further proposed measures. The latest was published in 2009. The Bo’ness Flood Prevention Scheme was completed in 2010 and studies are underway for a flood defence scheme for Grangemouth. Environmental protection: The area is home to ten nationally and internationally important Sites of Special Scientific Interest, two Special Protection Areas for birds, a Special Area of Conservation for flora and fauna at Black Loch Xxxx and the Firth of Forth RAMSAR site, the wintering ground for many bird species. There are also very many locally important ecological areas requiring protection from development so that they can continue to be enjoyed by Falkirk residents. However, the last 100 years have seen considerable declines in the numbers and health of many of our wild plants, animals and habitats as human activities place ever-increasing demands on our natural resources. The Council has recently published an updated Biodiversity Action Plan aimed at safeguarding the local variety of life, conserving our rare and threatened plants, animals and habitats. The amount of vacant and derelict land in our area has been decreasing - from 282ha in 2002 to only 139ha in 2012, as land has been regenerated and put to new uses. However, this figure has remained constant for several years and a significant proportion of this land has been in this condition for a considerable period of time. Our record on waste recycling is good. In 2011/12 53.3% of waste was recycled or composted. This was up from 36% in 2007/08 and only 19% in 2004/05. The Scottish Household Survey for 2009/10 showed that 96% of the population said that they had recycled items in the previous month – up from 54% in 2003/04 and above the Scottish average of 88%. We must work to maintain and improve these figures. Climate change remains an issue which is already affecting our environment and biodiversity. 86% of residents rated their neighbourhood as a good place to live in 2010. This has increased each time the Council has conducted its biannual Council tax survey. Health inequalities and physical activity Deaths: Along with the rest of Scotland, the death rate in the Falkirk area is continuing to decrease slowly, with the annual number of deaths falling to under 1,500 for the first time in 2009. Although numbers fluctuate from year to year, the long term trend of a decrease in the death rate is expected to continue. Mortality: Mortality rates from all the major causes of death have been decreasing for some time, and this trend is expected to continue. Standardised mortality rates (SMR) which measure mortality compared to the Scottish average (Scotland = 100) for Falkirk have shown some signs of improvement since 2006, particularly for those aged under 75, as can be seen in Figure 16, although in 2011 the SMR for all ages and for those aged under 75 worsened again. This will continue to be monitored. Figure 16: Standardised mortality 2006-2011 Source: Falkirk Council Research and Information Team, National Records of Scotland Tables 3 and 4 xxxx://xxx.xxx-xxxxxxxx.xxx.xx/statistics/theme/vital-events/deaths/age-standardised-rates.html There have been considerable improvements in death rates from major diseases such as coronary heart disease in recent years and also in treatments for cancer. However, with the aging population and cancer being predominantly a disease of older people, cancer is now the biggest single cause of death in the Falkirk area as can be seen in Figure 17. Other major causes of death include stroke (cerebrovascular disease) and respiratory diseases. Figure 17: Deaths by cause 2011 Source: National Records of Scotland Lifestyle changes such as eating healthier food, taking more exercise or stopping smoking could reduce further the prevalence of the major killer diseases in the Falkirk area. As well as this, addressed albeit there is a clear link between health and life circumstances with people living in most disadvantaged circumstances experiencing poorer health than those who are better offneed for on going intensive housing management to underpin the improvements made. Improving health and well-being is a complex process which requires individuals to make the correct choices. Falkirk accepted the challenge from the British Heart Foundation to become a “Heart Town”, one of three in Scotland. Heart Towns is an initiative that brings communities together through local fundraising and volunteering as well as raising awareness of heart disease and offering residents support services including initiatives for schools, workplace health and lifestyle information resourcesThe next LHS will identify future housing regeneration priorities.