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West of England
Opportunities for Green Infrastructure
Joint Scrutiny Committee, Item 9, 22 January 2010
Gerry Hamersley, Area Manager, Natural England
Steve Grainger, Chief Executive, Avon Wildlife Trust
www.naturalengland.org.uk
Green Infrastructure?
• Strategic network of green space and environmental features with
multiple functions
• Established and new in urban areas and rural hinterland
• Operates at all spatial scales – local to wider countryside
• Parks and Gardens, amenity and semi-natural green space,
allotments, churchyards, river and canal side corridors, functional
space (SUDS and flood storage)
The Benefits
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Health and wellbeing in the Community
Food production and productive landscapes
Climate change mitigation and adaptation
+
Promoting sustainable transport and reducing the need to use cars
Community cohesion and life long learning; volunteering
Habitat provision and access to nature
Landscape setting and context for development
Flood attenuation and water resource management
Energy production and conservation
Health and Wellbeing
Green Infrastructure
ANGST
Planning
Coastal access
NHS Forest
Walking for Health
Green Exercise
NHS Alliance
1 million children
Blue Gym
Green Gym
Higher Level Stewardship
How Stress can be seen as a major public Health Problem
Social Isolation
Reduced access to
Greenspace
Physical inactivity and
Obesity
Anxiety and Depression
Social Inequalities leading to environmental
injustice
Chronic Stress
Raised Inflammatory
Markers
Cardiovascular Disease
Diabetes
Cancer
Lung Disease
How surrounding vegetation help children cope
with stress
Physical Activity & Obesity
 Only 40% of men and 28% of women
reach 30 X 5 target of Physical
Activity.
 Physical Inactivity Costs the NHS
£1.8 Billion
 In the UK rates of obesity have tripled
in the past 20 years.
 By 2050 60% of population and 1 in 4
under 16 year olds will be obese.
 Total cost of obesity to society will be
£45 billion by 2020.
Physical activity and land use
1200
1000
800
BOYS cpm
600
GIRLS cpm
BOYS time (hrs)
GIRLS time (hrs)
400
200
0
Road
Greenspace
Gardens
Generalised Land Use Database – classifies features in OS Mastermap Topography
Association of greenery with obesity?
N = 6919
3.5
3
Odds Ratio
2.5
2
Obesity
Physical Activity
1.5
1
A Ellaway
S Macintyre
0.5
BMJ 2005;331;611-2
0
Low
Greenery
High
Green Infrastructure and local food production
• Opportunity to showcase ‘relocalisation’ of sustainable food
production and consumption
• Can forge food supply chain links between residents, local food
producers, processors and distributors
• Ensure greater access to garden allotments, city or school farms
• Can encourage local farmers markets, community garden centres
• Promote the local economy, community interest and cohesion
STOKE PARK – the Natural Environment, Access
and Local Food
Climate Change - Manchester Heat Map
Green Infrastructure and Climate Change
• Providing a natural cooling effect to mitigate the urban ‘heat
island’.
• Sustainable urban drainage to absorb excess rainfall.
• Providing space for renewable energy resources, such as
ground source heat pump installations and biofuel production.
• Allowing species to migrate and adapt to the effects of climate
change.
• Reducing the effects of air pollution by providing vegetation to
store carbon.
• Encouraging alternative modes of transport such as walking and
cycling, thus helping to reduce carbon emissions.
• Providing attractive, cooler and shaded outdoor areas in hotter
summers.
Planning policy context for green infrastructure in the West of
England
Planning Policy Statement 12: Creating strong safe and prosperous communities
through Local Spatial Planning (June 2008) defines green infrastructure and makes
clear that it is necessary to ensure that sustainable communities are delivered.
Draft Regional Spatial Strategy for South West (April 2006) contains Policy GI1
making clear that the development of networks of green infrastructure is a requirement
and that provision for them should be incorporated in spatial planning documents.
Bristol Development Framework
Core Strategy Publication
Version (November 2009) Green
infrastructure features in the vision
and overarching objectives which
are translated into a specific
Policy BCS9. There is also a
section on green infrastructure
policy delivery.
South Gloucestershire Core
Strategy issues and options for
consultation (April 2008) Green
infrastructure is included within Key
Issue 7 on improving health and
wellbeing. Reference is made to the
importance in terms of community
benefits and urban cooling.
www.naturalengland.org.uk
Bath and North East Somerset
Spatial options consultation
(October 2009) includes green
infrastructure as a Key
Infrastructure and Delivery
Requirement. It sets out the main
elements of a proposed policy
framework for Green Infrastructure.
North Somerset Futures Local
Development Framework Core
Strategy Consultation Draft
(November 2009) includes green
infrastructure within a Living within
Environmental Limits theme as
Policy CS9. Specific priorities are
identified
Community planning context for green infrastructure in
the West of England
South Gloucestershire’s
Sustainable Community
Strategy 2008 has a priority to
enhance South Gloucestershire’s
attractiveness with well-managed
and maintained streets and green
spaces
The West of England Multi Area
Agreement (August 2009) includes a
specific section on green infrastructure
and states “The West of England is
seeking to inform decision-making and
more joined up thinking to support urban
and regional environmental planning
through work that informs from a subregional perspective the provision to be
made for green infrastructure.”
North Somerset Sustainable
Community Strategy 2008 - 2026
makes clear that green infrastructure is a
requirement of all regeneration and
development plans under a maintain and
improve environmental quality in urban
areas aim. and aims for better green
infrastructure (including allotments) in
urban and rural areas under
“improvements we want to see”.
The 20:20 Plan - Bristol’s
Sustainable City Strategy (in prep)
does not refer directly to green
infrastructure. However, green
infrastructure has a role in delivering
all 4 primary priorities - stronger,
safer communities; reduce health and
wealth inequalities; raise aspiration
and achievement of young people
and families and make our prosperity
sustainable.
Bath & North East Somerset Local
Strategic Partnership Sustainable
Community Strategy 2009 - 2026
includes improved green infrastructure as
part of the vision. And explains that
strategies that will help deliver this vision
include a green infrastructure strategy
www.naturalengland.org.uk
What’s already being done?
• Initial Scoping Study into Green Infrastructure in the West of
England
• West of England Green Infrastructure Toolkit
• West of England Green Infrastructure Pathfinder Project
• Avonmouth/Severnside HRA Study
Taking it forward in the West of England
• A cross boundary approach at all levels is essential
• Common vision and principles for GI within Core and other
Strategies and Plans in the West of England
• Clear strategic spatial links with GI networks in adjacent Unitaries
• Bring together relevant organisations to support collaboration and
delivery
• Bring in appropriate funding sources for capital works and
management
• And energy!
Thank you
www.naturalengland.org.uk