House of Commons - Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs - Minutes of Evidence

Select Committee on Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Minutes of Evidence

Supplementary Memorandum by the Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain (FB 13(a))

WILDLIFE, HISTORICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL VALUE OF WALLS

Dry stone walls are an important landscape feature as well as being important for farming, wildlife, history and archaeology.

Dry stone walls are the significant field boundary in uplands, which are a very large area and which include many National Parks and AONBs.

Dry stone walls are important to the cultural history and provide local distinctiveness.

The natural history value is not appreciated as much as that of hedges since it is less obvious. In the context of their exposed, windswept location they provide an important environment for flora and fauna throughout the whole food chain.

Walls have much the same wildlife functions as hedgerows: a linear route for wildlife, shelter and enhanced microclimate, habitat for plants, insects, small animals and birds, a viewpoint for raptors.

INFORMATION ON NEGLECT AND DERELICTION AND COMPARISONS TO LOCAL AND NATIONAL SURVEYS

There are few surveys other than that done by Countryside Commission. DSWA has urged more information gathering since even the extent of walled areas throughout the country is not well researched or recorded. Most of our specific information is by observation by DSWA members.

THREAT TO WALLS FROM REMOVAL OR FROM DERELICTION

The major threat is from dereliction.

The basic problem is that if routine maintenance is neglected the immediate repair/restoration costs become very high compared with a fence although the long term costs are lower. This is the common accounting problem of the short term against long term.

Stone, or whole walls are reused by farmers for wall repairs. Individual walls are more, and less, important for farming. These may not be the same as their importance in the landscape or historically.

There are some, but relatively few, local instances of removal for sale of the stone. There are significant reports of theft for garden stone from roadside walls.

COMPARABLE COSTS OF POST AND WIRE FENCING AND COMPARABLE DURATION OF POST AND WIRE COMPARED TO A DRY STONE WALL

Many upland areas don't have sufficient depth of soil for fence posts to be driven. Fences do not provide shelter. Rusted wire has to be disposed of. There apparently has been research done on longevity of post and wire fencing by ADAS.

Costs depend on location of the wall and whether stone is already there. Perhaps 10 times higher initial costs compared to fences. Annual maintenance costs about one per cent of initial cost but then they last forever. Included in the full report National Survey of the State of Repair of Dry Stone Walls in England is table 4.2 giving information on costs for restoration of dry stone walls.

"LOST WALLS" WALLS THAT APPEAR ON MAPS BUT OF WHICH NO TRACE COULD BE FOUND

There was a condition category to allow recording of boundaries shown on maps but which were not found on the ground included for the surveyors involved with the field work for the National Survey of the State of Repair of Dry Stone Walls in England. Some results were possibly field boundaries other than walls but most have likely disappeared by dereliction with reuse of the stone on other walls.

SYSTEM OF PROTECTION

There is no protection for dry stone walls (compared with hedges).

Dry stone walls need protection at least comparable to that for hedgerows.

A commitment by all agencies (e.g., Forestry Commission and Highways) is required to protect walls.

Agree with memorandum from English Heritage that a holistic approach is needed considering all the reasons for protection and for all field boundaries. We note that there is at present a special problem with local styles, which incorporate both walls and hedges.

Agree with Countryside Commission submission that Primary Legislation is needed for walls, as for hedges. Landscape Conservation Orders could be one approach.

We agree with the detailed suggestions of CPRE in their memorandum to the Committee.

The Town and Country Planning system seems to be an appropriate vehicle for the formal protection.

EDUCATION AND ADVICE

It is very important that everyone is aware of the value of dry stone walls.

Landowners and farmers should get advice through MAFF/WOAD/SOAFD/FRCA and the normal grant and advice system.

Developers and the general public could get advice through Structure and Local Plans, Conservation Area specifications (which should extend beyond the built-up areas into the surroundings), Village Design Statements and Design Guides (e.g., for barn conversions) which should also consider the landscape context.

The DSWA also has a role within its slender resources.

GRANTS FOR ON-GOING MAINTENANCE, REPAIR, OR REPLACEMENT

The most cost-effective grant is for maintenance since if maintenance is not done regularly a wall rapidly decays and requires large sums for repair. We suggest a small annual sum payable on walls in good repair. The criteria should be as those for a "full repairing lease".

Grants are needed for repair but need to be flexible to allow for the work needed to bring them to the "good repair" category. Thus much more money is needed for remote walls, those in difficult terrain and those where stone needs to be brought in.

We note that there is a continuous variation between repair and replacement. If the broken sections amount to more than about 30 per cent with the wall down to about 30 per cent of its height a full rebuild may be necessary.

A survey of DSWA professional members produced a figure of 60 per cent of the total cost to a landowner, for the minimum level of grant aid before landowners would consider rebuilding dry stone walls.

DSWA is concerned that there should be high quality training to provide an adequate skills base. This training provision should be high enough to preserve local distinctiveness in the wall style. Training in the skills of the craft can take a long time. DSWA is actively involved with training and operates a tiered, practical skill certification scheme that is widely respected amongst employers.

DSWA's network of Branches around the country currently run in the region of 100 training events (many at weekends). These are open to the public.

We believe that training from the traditional routes, agricultural colleges and ATB (or its successor) has reduced considerably in recent years.

We wish to see that the highest standards are demanded for grant work, so that there is value for money, and this will require trained assessors to inspect quality before grants are paid. DSWA has been involved with training assessors for some branches of ADAS and is happy to provide this service for others.

© Parliamentary copyright 1998
Prepared 7 October 1998