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Select Committee calls for government to do more to promote green infrastructure

25 February 2016

Green infrastructure is vitally important to creating better places, and should be taken more seriously by government, argues new House of Lords report.

A new report from the cross-party National Policy for the Built Environment Committee, Building Better Places, outlines the importance of delivering a better built environment and criticises current government policy in this area. The report is concerned about the quality of new developments,and about the risk of housing delivery being prioritised at the expense of other elements of the built and natural environmen

 

It recommends a range of measures which are intended to create better places, promote design quality and enhance the resilience and sustainability of new developments. The report notes that the importance of green infrastructure to the built environment was emphasised throughout the committee's inquiry. It also points to the linkages between the places in which we live and work and health.

 

In another sign that green infrastructure is being taken more seriously in government, also this month the national Planning Practice Guidance has been updated to include an expanded section on the importance of green infrastructure planning. This is a major improvement in the status of green infrastructure within the guidance, which had been felt to be downgraded in the previous version and much criticised by the Select Committee's witnesses.

 

The Committee's report calls for green infrastructure to be widely recognised as an asset with wider economic, health and social benefits.

 

The report argues that the government should:

 

  • do more to protect and promote green infrastructure in national policy and guidance, including setting out its benefits for sustainability
  • encourage local authorities to set minimum standards for green infrastructure provision and management in local plans and in planning decision-making.

Paul Nolan, Director of The Mersey Forest commented: "We've been making the case for the impact made by properly planned green infrastructure for many years and we're pleased this report recognises its importance to the places we live and work. We hope the recommendations are listened to as planning policy evolves."

 

The report and the changes to planning guidance will be outlined and discussed at the next North West Green Infrastructure Forum on 16th June. More details.

 

Photo: Neil Howard

 



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