West of England Opportunities for Green Infrastructure Joint Scrutiny Committee, Item 9, 22 January...
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West of England
Opportunities for Green Infrastructure
Joint Scrutiny Committee, Item 9, 22 January 2010
Gerry Hamersley, Area Manager, Natural EnglandSteve Grainger, Chief Executive, Avon Wildlife Trust
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
How Stress can be seen as a major public Health Problem
Chronic Stress
Anxiety and Depression
Raised Inflammatory Markers
DiabetesCardiovascular Disease Lung Disease
Cancer
Physical inactivity and Obesity
Social IsolationReduced access to
GreenspaceSocial Inequalities leading to environmental
injustice
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
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Road Greenspace Gardens
BOYS cpm
GIRLS cpm
BOYS time (hrs)
GIRLS time (hrs)
Generalised Land Use Database – classifies features in OS Mastermap Topography
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Low High
ObesityPhysical Activity
Greenery
Odds R
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A Ellaway
S Macintyre
BMJ 2005;331;611-2
Association of greenery with obesity? N = 6919
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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
Planning policy context for green infrastructure in the West of England
Community planning context for green infrastructure in the West of England
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 sub-regional perspective the provision to be
made for green infrastructure.”
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
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”.
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 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.
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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!
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Thank you