Land Use Review

1. Land Use Review Community Briefing The Foxhole Centre, Dartington Hall Tuesday 23 November 2010

2. Purpose of Review To provide a new vision and strategy for the use of the land on the Dartington Hall Estate. Objectives of the Review • To develop an agreed and credible vision of how the on estate land can best be used to support Dartington’s purpose. • Outline a costed, affordable and deliverable plan to ensure a smooth transition from current uses to expected future use.

3. Guiding Principles • Future land uses should support Dartington’s primary purpose and programmes. • The integrity and beauty of the estate must be retained. • Any plan should be informed by the current and past land uses. • Any new approach needs to be economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. • The process should be used as an opportunity to engage staff, the local community, key stakeholders and potential partners.

4. Estate Context

5. Land Use Review – On and Off Estate Land On Estate Land Off Estate Land

6. SWOT AnalysisStrengths • 3 miles of the River Dart • Location and access • High Landscape value • Visitors • Innovation • Past Experimentation • Transition Town Totnes • Relatively big estate • Range of land types • Existing range of land use – farm / woods / conservation etc • Current high income from let land • Present ‘conventional’ land use gives known financial returns and known impact on landscape • Sufficient buildings to support a wide range of potential uses • Knowledge and experience of staff and volunteers • Enthusiasm • Grant income ( stewardship etc ) • Sustainability department • Arts and Social Justice departments • FSC status • SRF trials • Listed structures and buildings • Inclusion within Countryside Stewardship Scheme • County Wildlife site status • Biodiversity • Conservation areas • Productive farmland • Scheduled ( registered ) parkland • Dartington’s stated aims and objectives • Educational Use • Amenable and helpful tenant

7. SWOT AnalysisWeaknesses • Current low income from woods • Expectations based on past activity • Arts and social Justice departments current limited use of land • Current high income from farmland • Many innovative uses are unproven financially • Some innovative uses will alter the landscape • Finance / backing • Stated aim to be no worse off financially than we are now • Limited resources (time) • Fluctuating commodity prices • Watercourses • Public Opinion • Residential and business tenants • Public perception of ‘open access ‘ across the estate • Planning system • Need for consultation • High staff turnover • Whatever is ‘cutting edge’ now, is likely to be considered mainstream in 5 years time

8. SWOT AnalysisOpportunities • Current Low income from woods • The river Dart – Hydro schemes etc • Innovation – lead thinking • Experimentation • Use by Arts and Sustainability departments • Totnes Transition Town • Relatively large estate • Land suitable to accommodate a range of uses • Develop new uses • Increase income from woods and farmland • Develop secondary income – eg charcoal • Adapt buildings sustainably to accommodate uses • Retain key staff • Re-evaluate importance of land use and adjust finances accordingly • Climate change • Future grant schemes • Links with community • Attract new visitors • Influence public opinion • Influence and involve tenants • Development / planning • Manage public access • Include repair and upkeep of historic structures and buildings in any future use • Positive consultation • Use of volunteers • Link to Dartington’s aims and objectives • Increase educational use • Increase the number of and biodiversity value of the conservation areas • Impose positive environmental and sustainability clauses / terms in any new tenancy agreements

9. SWOT AnalysisThreats • Expectations from public and staff • Totnes Transition Town • Pressure to use the land for a wide variety of uses • Current high income and aim of being no worse off financially than we are now • Lack of good comparable data for many innovative uses • High staff turnover • Current economic climate • Dartington’s finances and ability to support the initiative over the longer term • Likely increase in management time needed if the number of users increases and the use itself becomes more innovative • Climate Change • Population Growth • Changing leisure patterns • Reduction in knowledge of the countryside • Use of fossil fuels • CAP reform • Dependence on grants • Volatile commodity prices • High landscape value • Planning process • Development pressure • Phytopthera and other diseases • Un-managed public access and dogs • Unknown future • Rapidly changing thinking on the global way forward

10. External Drivers • Climate Change • Population Growth • Environmental Awareness • Financial Constraints • CAP Reform

11. Climate Change • Sea level rise. • At the moment, food production has more than met increasing demands. • However, a 2% rise in temperature could lead to dramatic falls in yields in continents, such as Africa and Latin America. • China is rapidly losing land to desertification. • The UK is better placed than most.

12. World Population Growth • In 2010, it is already believed that the world population has reached 6.8 billion. • 49% of the population live in urban areas. • This is predicted to increase by 70% by 2050. 1900 – 1.6 billion 2000 – 6.0 billion 2050 – 9.1 billion

13. World Population Growth • Resource Protection • Water – quality, quantity, filtration, storage, flood protection. • Soil – structure and fertility, C sequestration. • Air – reducing NH3, N20, CH4 and CO2. • Biodiversity • Landscape

14. Financial Constraints • Many EU countries are currently experiencing varying levels of financial problems. • Long or short term? • CAP represents 48% of EU’s budget. • Projected to decrease to 32% by 2013. • New member states say they get a raw deal. • 75% of budget spent on direct payments to farmers. • CAP seen as expensive : has trashed the environment and created surpluses.

15. Common Agricultural Policy The aim of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is to provide farmers with a reasonable standard of living, consumers with quality food at fair prices and to preserve rural heritage. • New Parliament and Commissioner • Proposals for reform by 2011 • Negotiation until 2013 • Implementation and new CAP – January 2014 • Bigger challenges for the next 50 years than faced by CAP aid, environment policy for last 30 years – and for a still enlarging EU.

16. Key Conclusions from Phase One Report • The land is flexible in its use. • Any new and innovative use is likely to deliver less income and be more costly to administer than at present. • The land is not properly integrated into Dartington’s core purpose. • There are few clear policies to guide management decisions and the strategies and surveys which do exist are not integrated.

17. Preliminary Recommendations • Create an all-encompassing Estate Management Plan. • Establish a suite of Estate policies. • Expand land use by the Charitable Departments. • Improve public access. • Income from the land. • Government Policy and EU Legislation. • Education. • Environmental Aims. • Review process.

18. Possible Uses • DHT use To support the programme areas and place. Examples would be: a public arena (concerts etc), an area for a campsite or camping pods, energy production, conservation and extension to woodland areas and sympathetic development. • Educational use Visitor oriented ‘farm demonstration unit’, a centre for contemporary agriculture, sculpture trails, etc • Pressing Problems Uses relating to addressing current issues. At the moment, such issues include: Food vs Fuel; carbon release and production, agricultural training and the plight of the honey bee.

19. Possible Uses • Major users It is entirely possible that one use will be found which will occupy the majority of the land. Examples of such uses could include: an extensive organic beef unit, a low carbon dairy farm, or a link to an existing operator such as Riverford. • Smaller users It is highly likely that a number of smaller units could be created, each concentrating on a specialism. Examples of these could include: Green Burials, Biomass, Agroforestry, adding value to woods by coppicing and using timber to make hurdles and charcoal etc, orchards, vineyards and innovative agricultural crops such as hemp and miscanthus. • Processing Some of these uses are likely to encourage interest from those people wishing to create local products. Examples of these could include beef, cheese, fruit, wine or forest products

20. Land Use ReviewPreliminary thoughts on possible future uses • Rationalise and manage public access (leaflet/waymarking/interpretation, etc) • Educational use (eg Forest Schools, etc) • Arts use (eg sculpture trail) • Sustainability use (eg sites for garden) • Social Justice use (eg community garden) • Public arena (eg concerts, etc) • Camping area/camping pods • Green burials • Use by third parties • Sympathetic development • Extend conservation areas • Use of existing woodland • New woodland • Biomass • Agroforestry • Orchards (fruit/nuts) • Vineyard • Link with Riverford (market gardening) • Innovative agricultural crops • Extensive organic beef unit • Low carbon dairy farm • Number of smaller units as per the Farmshare project on Northmoor estate in Oxfordshire • Set up the home farm (including buildings) as a visitor oriented ‘demonstration unit’ • Home-grown produce, eg beef, cheese, ice-cream, etc • Energy production, eg water, wind, solar • Brewery • Reinstate Deer Park

21. First ScenarioOne Major User 742 acres One major user eg conventional use but low input/carbon neutral Existing Landscope Projects Woodlands Arts, Social Justice, Sustainability use Development

22. Second ScenarioOne medium-sized user and several smaller ones New (small) Project New (small) Project New (small) Project Eg: 300 acres Medium-sized user Eg: low carbon dairy, agroforestry, etc Existing Landscope Projects Woodlands Arts, Social Justice, Sustainability use Development Reservoir of Land

23. Third ScenarioLand split between a number of smaller users New (small) Project New (small) Project New (small) Project New (small) Project New (small) Project New (small) Project New (small) Project Existing Landscope Projects Woodlands Arts, Social Justice, Sustainability use Development