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. 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. 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. 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. 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 ▇▇▇▇ 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. 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 Figure 17: Deaths by cause 2011

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. 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. 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. 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. 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 ▇▇▇▇ 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. 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 Figure 17: Deaths by cause 2011