2.1 Analysis of Regional Strengths, Disparities, Gaps and Potential
2.1.1 Introduction
The Regional Planning Group (RPG) met on 13th September 1999 and undertook an analysis to identify the regional strengths, disparities, gaps and potential in relation to rural issues within Yorkshire and The Humber.
The exercise was carried out on a thematic basis, focusing on environmental, social and economic issues separately but with cross-interest groups discussing each. The analysis from the SWOT was used to identify and set the Rural Development Plan's objectives by relating them back to the strategic goals.
The key sustainable development themes which emerged from the analysis are identified in Table 2.1.
| Environmental Themes | Social Themes | Economic Themes |
|---|---|---|
 Protect/enhance cultural/natural environment and biodiversity. Environmental management of businesses. |
Empowering local communities. Access to services. Diverse rural communities. |
Rural business growth. Market towns. Supply chains. Tourism. Regional branding. |
The themes that occur within the following SWOT analyses demonstrate that: social progress recognising the majority of needs is ensured; there is effective protection of the environment; a prudent use of natural resources; and, that a maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment will be promoted through this process. The key issues that have been highlighted within the SWOT analyses can be related back to Chapter 1 and paragraph numbers have been included to facilitate easy cross referencing.
2.1.2. SWOT Analyses
Environmental SWOT
| Strengths | Para No Section 1 | Opportunities | Para No Section 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Designated areas of outstanding environmental, landscape and nature conservation value, including designations of national and international importance. |
29-32 | Integrated funding for social, environmental and economic objectives. |
38, 85 |
| Good uptake and range of agri-environment schemes targeted to enhance key landscape wildlife, historic features and habitats. |
84, 268-270 | To reverse negative aspects of modern agriculture, to ensure environmental sustainability. |
64, 67, 68, 71 |
| Range of countryside agencies operating throughout the Region. |
37, 38, 41 | Good infrastructure of countryside agencies, National Parks etc. |
29, 34, 38 |
| Established grouse shooting moorland. |
57, 250 | Increase awareness for environmental issues relating to agriculture and rural businesses. |
38, 178 |
| Good water quality in some rivers. |
89 | Integrate activity to achieve Biodiversity Action Plan and Character Area Objectives. |
34, 41, 68 |
| Wide range of historical features. |
75, 76 | Scope for new woodlands to deliver biodiversity benefits, e.g. new native woods |
50, 62 |
| Strong cultural identity represented through landscape character and settlement patterns. |
34, 40, 41 | Protection of European Directives. |
26, 32 |
| Extensive areas of wildlife habitats eg heather moorland. |
52, 55, 57 | Capital grants for sustainable restructuring e.g. winter housing, slurry storage and waste treatment facilities. |
86, 87, 185 |
| Stewardship already targeted via character/natural area |
84 | Codes of Good Agricultural Practice adopted by farmers. |
88 |
| Perceived and real high quality environment. |
29, 30 | Further opportunities for co-ordination between agencies to address environmental provisions. |
38, 84 |
| Waste use and disposal to provide environmental benefit. |
86, 89 | ||
| Training in environmental skills. |
48, 49 | ||
| Greater uses of renewable energy sources. |
233, 237 | ||
| Weaknesses | Threats | ||
| Some habitats degraded by recent period of intensification of land management and insufficient agri-environment funds. |
35-37 | Sea level rise and increased salt water flooding. |
86 |
| Falling farm incomes. |
191-192 | Climate change. |
86 |
| Farm incomes differ between sectors. |
192-197 | Local shortages of water for irrigation etc. |
45 |
| Diffuse pollution and pollution of aquifers particularly in nitrate vulnerable zones. |
26, 87 | Increasing statutory requirements and associated costs. |
26, 29, 172 |
| Erosion of soils from inappropriate use of land. |
86, 87, 89 | Overgrazing in Pennine areas. |
43, 44, 56 |
| Trespass and vandalism affecting urban fringe farming. |
Undergrazing in some areas of the North York Moors. |
56 | |
| Fragmented wildlife habitats in the lowlands |
52, 63-65 | Species and habitat loss. |
65, 72 |
| Future uncertainty within the farming industry. |
111, 194 | Inappropriate development. |
51 |
| Many farmers and landowners have limited experience of conservation land management. |
49 | Impact of alternative crops. |
184, 200, 237 |
| Increasing landscape monoculture. |
36, 43, 44 | Uncontrolled tourism and recreational use. |
104, 246, 248 |
| Limited evidence of "green business practice". |
43, 44, 64, 86 | Inability to maintain landscape infrastructure. |
48 |
| Planning and environmental constraints to development. |
167 | ||
| NB. Examples are given for illustrative purposes and do not indicate priorities | |||
| It should be noted that there are big variations within the region on some issues | |||
Social SWOT
| Strengths | Para No Section 1 | Opportunities | Para No Section 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong sense of community. |
33, 75 | Integrated funding for social, environmental and economic objectives, eg integrated rural services and credit unions. |
100, 174 |
| Relatively low crime rate compared to urban areas. |
145 | Growing demand for access, sport, recreation and countryside pursuits, education, heritage and tourism (eg national cycle network). |
104, 249 |
| Established access to forest and woodland resources. |
162 | Development of multifunctional community centres. |
100 |
| Very strong regional identity associated with attractiveness of countryside, culture and heritage. |
34, 104 | Scope for new woodlands to increase areas available for public access and recreation. |
162, 163 |
| Benefits and experience of Structural funds (Objective 5b, Objective 2). |
257-266 | Increase skills base through training. |
118, 119 |
| Farming and other land management occupations still well represented in most rural communities. |
122-125 | To develop capacity building and community enterprises. |
100 |
| Strong delivery partnerships are already in place. |
174 | Use of ICT to provide on line services. |
103, 142 |
| High educational attainment in North Yorkshire. |
116 | Objective 1 and 2 designations |
28 |
| Existing access resource. |
154-162 | ||
| Weaknesses | Threats | ||
| Rural deprivation leading to social exclusion. |
98 | Ageing communities. |
107, 108 |
| Poor health and welfare services. |
139-140 | Stress and isolation. |
109 |
| Lack of affordable/social housing. |
150-153 | High housing costs and second homes. |
150-153 |
| High levels of hidden unemployment. |
133-136 | Declining rural services, eg shops, schools & banks. |
138 |
| Isolated and dispersed communities. |
100, 106 | Lack of integration in transport aspects of farming and forestry businesses. |
228 |
| Poor access to services. |
137-140 | Low levels of succession and new entrants and ageing agricultural workforce. |
110-115 |
| Poor transport infrastruture. |
140-143 | Declining agricultural and other land management employment. |
123 |
| High levels of seasonality, part-time and casual employment in agriculture and tourism. |
122, 128 | Failure to prepare for changes resulting from information revolution and uptake of new technology. |
103, 117 |
| Off-farm employment opportunities vary considerably with geographic location. |
131, 132 | Transport problems associated with 'honey pot' areas. |
248 |
| Difficulties of urban fringe farming, particularly high crime levels. |
145 | ||
| Peripherality of some hill farming. |
100, 180 | ||
| Poor uptake and skills in ICT |
102, 103 | ||
| Most farmers are inexperienced in marketing their own produce and lack public interface. |
166, 220, 221 | ||
| High dependency on employment in primary agriculture and its upstream and downstream industries. |
124, 125 | ||
| Lower proportion of young people. |
107, 108 | ||
| Low attainment of academic and vocational qualifications amongst farmers. |
119 | ||
| Regional extremes of population densities. |
106 | ||
| Low uptake of further and higher education. |
119 | ||
| Below average earnings. |
126-128 | ||
| Regional variation on access to utility services. |
144 | ||
| Poor access to transport for specific sectors of population. |
141 | ||
| NB. Examples are given for illustrative purposes and do not indicate priorities | |||
| It should be noted that there are big variations within the region on some issues | |||
Economic SWOT
| Strengths | Para No Section 1 | Opportunities | Para No Section 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Existing added value groups (eg Yorkshire Pantry). |
226 | Integrated funding for social, environmental and economic objectives. |
100, 174 |
| A number of food processing facilities and abattoirs. |
222-228 | Potential to expand existing projects and organisations to the whole region. |
100, 174 |
| Some successful diversified businesses, especially farm tourism and agricultural diversification. |
200-211, 247, 248 | Development of niche agricultural products, organic marketing, added value marketing and agricultural related supply chains through private sector collaborative marketing initiatives. |
213-215, 188, 200, 219-221 |
| Existing farm tourism collaborative marketing partnerships (eg Farm Holiday Bureau, Farm Attraction Group). |
247, 248 | Regional branding and Protected Designation of Origin and Protected Geographical Indicator registered products. |
226, 227 |
| Existing delivery partnerships (eg Objective 5b projects). |
174 | Opportunities for: agricultural diversification, farm and forestry related tourism and of other on-farm businesses. |
200, 247, 248 |
| Existing collaborative labour, machinery, and input purchasing (eg Ridings Machinery ring). |
213 | Consumer demands for animal welfare, food safety and landscape, nature conservation, environmental protection and a clear provenance will increase. |
171, 172 |
| Established forest and woodland resources. |
229, 230 | Sustainable power initiatives. |
237 |
| Very strong regional identity associated with attractiveness of countryside, culture and heritage. |
33, 75 | To manage farm woodland, improve woodland supply chains and develop the wood processing industry. |
231-234 |
| Established grouse shooting moorland. |
250 | Increase skills base through training. |
117, 120 |
| Well established tourist destination, from outstanding environmental, landscape and nature conservation value (both coast and countryside) and Yorkshire brand. |
246 | Use of ICT to improve business competitiveness. |
103, 120 |
| Farmers have experience of running their own businesses. |
176 | Efficient transportation of products from rural areas. |
22, 228 |
| Benefits and experience of Structural funds (Objective 5b, Objective 2). |
257-266 | Objective 1 and 2 designations. |
28 |
| Proximity to centres of population particularly in the south and south west of the region. |
20-22 | Growing demand for access, sport, recreation and countryside pursuits, education, heritage and tourism |
104, 249 |
| Good provision of tourist accommodation and attractions. |
247, 248 | Organic/low input/integrated farming systems. |
168, 188-190 |
| Existing wood fuel processing plant. |
237 | Livestock and/or crop products for energy, industrial, medicinal uses. |
168 |
| Diversity of farm types. |
181-182 | Opportunities for: agricultural diversification, farm and forestry related tourism and of other on-farm businesses. |
200-211, 248, 249 |
| Rural tourist accommodation and attractions in certain locations and niche markets. |
247, 248 | ||
| Weaknesses | Para No Section 1 | Threats | Para No Section 1 |
| Few opportunities to diversify within agricultural production. |
230 | Increased competitiveness as a result of trade liberalisation. |
169, 178 |
| Low farm incomes which differ between sectors. |
126-132 | Likely expansion in the wood processing sector in the North East Region. |
233 |
| Considerable differences in performance between best and average rural, especially farm, businesses. |
132 | Requirement to comply with new legislation, eg health and safety, animal welfare and accreditation schemes with associated costs. |
172 |
| Little tradition of collaborative activity. |
213 | Declining agricultural employment. |
123 |
| Some upland livestock systems unable to convert to organic production. |
189 | High dependency of agricutural businesses on farm subsidies. |
178, 193 |
| Remoteness of some rural businesses especially hill farming. |
164, 167 | Farm business insecurity due to short-term agricultural business tenancies. |
176 |
| Economics of grouse shooting very cyclical. |
250 | Falling farm asset values. |
191-197 |
| Average economic size of holdings is small. |
179, 180 | Declining and ageing communities. |
107, 108 |
| High dependency on employment in primary agriculture and upstream and downstream industries. |
124, 125 | ||
| Many farmers and landowners have no experience of woodland management. |
231 | ||
| Inadequate access to business support in rural areas. |
117 | ||
| Planning constraints for on-farm diversification enterprises. |
167 | ||
| Tenancy constraints for on-farm diversification and agri-environment uptake. |
176 | ||
| Limited off-farm employment opportunities. |
131, 132 | ||
| High proportion of relatively small farms in the west. |
177 | ||
| Poor access to capital in order to diversify. |
167 | ||
| Poor access to labour markets. |
20-22 | ||
| Most farmers are inexperienced in marketing their own produce and lack public interface. |
166, 220, 221 | ||
| Significant number of industries/businesses supplying services to agriculture. |
212-215, 217, 219, 220, 222 | ||
| NB. Examples are given for illustrative purposes and do not indicate priorities | |||
| It should be noted that there are big variations within the region on some issues | |||
Page last modified:
17 August, 2005
Page published: 1 October, 2000