Natural England - Case Studies of Green Infrastructure – in addition to Green Growth for Green Communities

Case Studies of Green Infrastructure – in addition to Green Growth for Green Communities

November 2009

South East Region

Lodge Hill Medway

Stephen Neal, Senior Development Manager at Land Securities said: “Land Securities supports Natural England's initiative promoting green infrastructure and sees the provision of green infrastructure as a key driver towards the realisation of successful new places and communities.” Natural England are involved with the Lodge Hill project, both directly as part of the design and planning process, and also through engagement with the Medway Green Grid and the North Kent Cluster Study of the Hoo Peninsula led by Greening the Gateway Kent & Medway.

Lodge Hillexternal link

Hoo Peninsula Cluster Studyexternal link

London

Barking Riverside

Barking Riverside is one of the largest brown field sites in Europe and it is aiming to deliver upwards of 10,000 homes, making it the UK’s largest residential-led planning approval and the Thames Gateway’s biggest strategic housing project. It is derelict industrial, land fill and the site of a former power station.

The current redevelopment is a partnership between HCA and Bellway Homes. Natural England and London Wildlife Trust input to early to help develop the Masterplan with an emphasis on respecting the current biodiversity on the site (the ditches and especially the intertidal mud-flats which are one of the largest inside the London Boroughs) and enhancing biodiversity by planning green infrastructure from the outset. Natural England promoted the concept of design for biodiversity whereby biodiversity is designed into the fabric of built and surrounding natural environment of the development rather than being tacked on at the end. Natural England part funded an officer to work on site with Barking Riverside to evolve the master planto incorporate these objectives. Natural England held a series of successful workshops with people like Chris Baines, Dusty Gedge (living roofs) and a range of wildlife expertise from swifts to water voles that got the developers, architects and landscape architects really enthused.

The work we have done connects with Natural Signature and Natural Resilience. The planting e.g. ditches, grassland etc have echoes of the old grazing marsh which brings out Natural Signature. Natural Reslience is a major consideration and comes through in the ditches and wetlands, large proportion of green roofs and street tree planting to ameliorate Urban Heat Island effect. Natural Connections also comes through strongly as there will be an ecology centre and wildlife warden on site. Natural Health Service is implicit in the design of footpaths and the high proportion (40%) of green space within the red line boundary.

The office landscaping is a detail within all of this and I don’t think it necessarily needs to go into the introductory case study piece, suffice to say that we are working with them to develop a range of different landscaping treatments, assess how well they work both aesthetically and ecologically and this could feed into future detailed design work. In addition BR are working with the University of East London to trial different green roof treatments (substrate, rates and types of seeding etc) to see which is the best for brown field inverts and the results will end up on the roofs of many of the new buildings. Over 50% of Barking Riverside aims to have green roofs.

East of England

North Harlow

A proposed 10,000+ new development north of the River Stort, by Land Securities and Places for People. Currently at the very early stages of master-planning, where Natural England hosted a stakeholder consultation workshop in late September for members of the Harlow Area Green Infrastructure Steering Group, and the developers are now holding a series of public events. All the information they are gathering will inform the master-planning process. This major urban extension to Harlow survived a High Court Challenge by Hertfordshire CC to the East of England Plan, now work is starting in earnest.

Harlow Northexternal link

NW Cambridge urban extension.

Natural England has been working closely with this development, initially regarding the impact on the Travellers Rest geological SSSI. We put forward evidence at the EIP for the Area Action Plan, and it has now been endorsed. Janet Nuttall attended a meeting of local authorities and other stakeholders last week with the developers (Cambridge University) and is encouraged by the amount of GI in the masterplan.

Northwest Cambridge to set leading green standardsexternal link

North East

West park

See Green Growth for Green Communities: A selection of regional case studies: (1.2mb)pdf document, ParkCity Conference 2009

Yorkshire and Humber

Dearne Valley Green Heart

The main update for the Dearne Valley Green Heart project is that the partnership is developing an interactive and engaging education programme for next school year to enable greater understanding of the Dearne’s natural assets, and to encourage wider use of green infrastructure in the Dearne. The programme will include drama productions and the development of an interactive CD-ROM teaching aid by media students at a local college, culminating in an awards ceremony for ‘green schools’ (Heather Rennie)

Green Growth for Green Communities: A selection of regional case studies: (1.2mb)pdf document, ParkCity Conference 2009

Ripon City Quarry

The creation of a boating lake on former gravel beds at Ripon City Quarry, together with the proposed creation of a new footpath linking the River Ure and Ripon Canal as part of the restoration scheme a mixture of green and ‘blue’ infrastructure. (Advisor - James Walsh)

Rossington Inland Port

Rossington Inland Port is a large strategic rail freight interchange that is currently seeking planning permission in Doncaster. The site is planned to be located on farmland near the settlement of New Rossington. An Environmental Impact Assessment has been carried out, and Natural England became involved in negotiating a suitable mitigation package for the development footprint.

Concerns were raised over the loss of arable farmland which may act as supporting habitat to a nearby SSSI called Potteric Carr. Natural England’s Government Team defined this as a ‘major case’ development, and along with other partners negotiated on a package of environmental improvements both on and off site, including 256 ha of new habitats, such as enhanced arable, grassland and woodland habitats, new footpaths and 22 hectares of green roof.

Natural England will continue to work hand in hand with the developer to ensure agreed environmental outcomes are achieved if this development gains planning permission.

(Advisor - Colin Holm)

Staynor Hall

The Site comprises 54.5 ha of agricultural land on the southern edge of the town of Selby, North Yorkshire. Included Staynor Hall farm buildings complex and Staynor Hall Wood, a 3ha Planted Ancient Woodland site (PAWS). To the east of the site is Staynor Wood SINC

Planning history
Granted outline planning permission in June 2005.
Permitted development included 1200 dwellings with employment areas, public open space, and shopping and community facilities.
A Section 106 agreement is in place that requires the developers to put in place detailed Landscape Strategy and Nature Conservation Master Plans for the site.

Greenspace provision
The Strategic landscape plan required that 21.4 ha of the 54.5 ha site was given over to landscaped areas and greenspace. The aim was to create a green residential development with a mix of hard and soft surfaces.

The landscaping of the site includes:

  • A planting screen adjacent to the Selby bypass
  • Retention of Staynor Hall Plantation (PAWS)
  • Safeguarding the Staynor Wood SINC
  • Additional woodland planting to reinforce existing features on the site
  • Provision of wildlife corridors to link the woodland areas/SINC/existing water features/new pond features.
  • Provision on site of accessible semi-natural greenspace as part of the recreational greenspace.
  • Provision of cycle/footpath routes through the site connecting the various land uses and beyond to existing facilities in the town of Selby.

Natural England involvement
The original planning permission pre-dates the creation of Natural England
English Nature responded to consultations on the Draft Development Brief for the site in 2003, including comments on the value of incorporating greenspace into the development and recommended that as part of a balanced land planning policy, provision should be made for a minimum of 2ha of accessible natural greenspace per 1000 population.

North West

Salford

Natural England have been advising Salford Urban regeneration company on the development of Irwell meadows, which has the potential to be a great wildlife, landscape and educational resource, right in the city of Salford. Salford Urban regeneration company will also be delivering ‘ Green streets through regeneration in housing areas.

The Irwell meadows could be real showcase of bringing nature into town and using the educational resource to work with local children.

Irwell City Park leafletexternal link (PDF)