Green infrastructure and greenspace: national and regional updates on policy, political context, guidance and initiatives

Catherine Cairns, Delivery Leader for Green Infrastructure in East of England

Content of presentation

1. Introduction

2. National updates:• PPS and eco-towns policy• Challenges posed by new Government • ‘Natural Development’ initiative• ‘Nature Nearby’ report• Sustainable urban drainage• Link with ecosystem services• ‘No Charge’ report• Related initiatives from RSPB, Wildlife and Woodland Trusts

3. Regional update• Planning challenges• GI strategiesin EoE and their relation to PPG17 Greenspace

Strategies• mksm GI design guidance• Health benefits of greenspace• Natural England’s GI Guidance• Natural England’s regional GI webpages, newsletter and

Champions network

Green infrastructure is taking off ….

• Natural England GI Guidance published

• Eco-towns required to design in >40% green space

• CABE’s ‘Grey to green’ report launched

• Landscape Institute published GI position statement

• Natural England ‘Nature Nearby’ report published

The core strategy should be supported by evidence of what physical, social and green infrastructure is needed to enable the amount of development proposed for the area, taking account of its type and distribution. This evidence should cover who will provide

the infrastructure and when it will be provided.

“Green infrastructure” is a network of multi-functional green space, both new and existing, both rural and urban, which supports the natural and ecological processes and is integral to the health and quality of life of sustainable communities.

ET 14.1 Forty per cent of the eco-town’s total area should be allocated to green space, of which at least half should be public and consist of a network of well managed, high quality green/open spaces which are linked to the wider countryside. Planning applications should demonstrate a range of types of green space, for example community forests, wetland areas and public parks. The space should be multifunctional, e.g. accessible for play and recreation, walking or cycling safely, and support wildlife, urban cooling and flood management.

ET 14.2 Particular attention should be given to land to allow the local production of food from community, allotment and/or commercial gardens.

The Coalition Government and Green Infrastructure

• Create a new designation (like SSSI) to protect areas of particular importance to local people

• Introduce measures to protect wildlife and promote green spaces and wildlife corridors in order to halt the loss of habitats and restore biodiversity

Place-making in a growth agenda

High quality natural green space is an essential component of creating better places and cohesive communities.

An NE / development sector partnership to value, design and create quality green infrastructure and to demonstrate how – at different scales and locations – the contribution of the natural environment to regeneration.

The project will engage with real sites demonstrate positive planning, highlight opportunities and overcome barriers, share best practice to support the mainstreaming of green infrastructure in development and regeneration.

• Brian.McDonald@naturalengland.org.uk

‘Nature Nearby’ guidance

• This guidance is for parks and greenspace practitioners particularly decision makers, planners and managers

• It will help them provide quality access to the natural environment

• It sets out the standards we think will provide the best offer for people and nature in their local park or greenspace

• It outlines the benefits we can all derive from this approach

‘Nature Nearby’ guidance

1. Accessibility and Quantity Standard• Accessible Natural Greenspace Standard (ANGSt)3 underlying principles:

a) Improving access to green spaces

b) Improving naturalness of green spaces

c) Improving connectivity with green spaces

2. Service Standards• Existence of core facilities and services eg. NNR Service Standards• Country Parks Accreditation

3.Quality Standard• The Green Flag Award - quality of existing facilities and

services

Sustainable Urban Drainage Scheme – Upton development, Northampton Growth Area

Link between GI and ecosystem services

Ecosystem Services approach

• Ecosystem services - provides us with a systematic framework to:

‘conserve, enhance and manage the natural environment for the benefit of present and future generations’

• Ecosystems /natural environment provide the following goods and services provided by ecosystems:– Supporting Services– Provisioning Services– Regulating Services– Cultural Services

Supporting Services:The basics for a healthy

natural environment and include:

• the nutrient cycle• formation of soil• production of oxygen• the water cycle

Regulating Services:These are the basis for

survival, reliant on supporting services including:

• air quality regulation• climate regulation • flood regulation • erosion control• water purification and

waste treatment• disease control• pest control• pollination• natural hazard

regulation

Parks and green spaces provide these services within a green infrastructure network servicing, and protecting urban areas and populations in particular.

Provisioning Services:

The products obtained from ecosystems and also the basis for survival: 

• food • fibre• fuel • genetic resources • biochemicals,

natural medicines, and pharmaceuticals

• ornamental resources

• fresh water

Cultural services

Important to human well-being, the economy and social cohesion. They include:

• a biodiverse environment

• inspiration through contact with nature and landscape

• mental and physical health

• recreation and tourism

• knowledge (traditional and formal)

• education and life-long learning

• cultural heritage

• spiritual and religious values

• aesthetic values

• social interaction and reducing isolation

• sense of place

Parks and green spaces should provide the perfect balance of conservation and recreation with enabling staff to make this happen.

‘No Charge.Valuingthe naturalenvironment.’Natural EnglandOctober 2009

Initiatives to increase GI at a landscape scale

RSPB’s Futurescapes

Partnership effort among RSPB, fellow environment organisations, local communities, businesses and government bodies to develop a vision for wildlife–rich countryside in selected areas and to work together to achieve it. Examples from the East of England include Thames gateway South Essex and the Fens

Wildlife Trusts’s Living Landscapes

Partnership projects at a landscape-scale to restore and extend ecosystems, for wildlife and people, in response to climate change.

Examples in the east of England include the Stort valley near Harlow and the Great Fen project.

Woodland Trust

Challenge to plant 20 million trees over the next 50 years

Regional update

Key challenge is to make the changes to the planning system work for the delivery of high quality green infrastructure:

• Use GI strategies as robust evidence base for policy development• Ensure LDF documents have strong policies for GI which make

explicit reference to the strategic, multi-functional and connectivity roles of a GI network.

• Ensure planning obligations strategies are in place which include the GI strategy project priorities as potential recipients of planning tariff monies

GI and Open Space/Green Space Strategies: what’s the difference?

• GI goes beyond the site specific, considering also the ‘big picture’ – landscape context, hinterland and setting, as well as strategic links of sub regional scale and beyond

• GI includes both private as well as public assets

• GI provides a multi-functional, connected network delivering ecosystem services

• PPG17 strategies consider a local authority’s publicly-owned greenspaces primarily from access, quality and management perspectives, rather than consideration of their wider environmental benefits and services. These green spaces are however important constituents of a GI network

Health benefits of access to greenspace

Evidence that access to green spaces can

Save lives

Help local authorities with pressing social, health and wellbeing issues

Reduce stress, anxiety and depression

Enhance social interaction and promote independent living

Help promote and sustain increased physical activity

Natural England’s Green Infrastructure guidance

What guidance is there to help you?

1. Natural England Green Infrastructure Guidance and case studies, and Nature Nearby

http://naturalengland.etraderstores.com/NaturalEnglandShop/Product.aspx?ProductID=cda68051-1381-452f-8e5b-8d7297783bbd

2. TCPA eco-towns worksheet on green infrastructure

http://www.tcpa.org.uk/pages/green-infrastructure.html

3. Natural Economy Northwest (2008) The Economic Value of Green Infrastructure

http://www.nwda.co.uk/pdf/EconomicValueofGreenInfrastructure.pdf

4. CABE Space 2006 Paying for Parks

www.cabe.org.uk/publications/paying-for-parks

5. CABE Space 2009 Grey to Green

www.cabe.org.uk/publications/grey-to-green

6. Sustainable Drainage. Cambridge Design and Adoption Guide.

www.cambridge.gov.uk/public/docs