Green & Blue Infrastructure Strategy
The Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy aims to highlight the importance of connecting green and blue spaces together, their multifunctional value and the contribution they make towards the District-wide Green and Blue Infrastructure (GBI) network.
A fundamental element of this Strategy has been the mapping of the existing GBI network, utilising a variety of datasets, to then enable us to explore potential future opportunities for the enhancement and extension of the existing GBI network.
The GBI Strategy is dual purpose:
- To inform the Council’s Climate Emergency Review of the Local Plan - specifically the review of GBI related planning policies
- To act as a baseline for future GBI related Strategies (For example in relation to nature recovery and biodiversity net gain – specific requirements for which are expected to become law through the upcoming Environment Bill)
What is Green and Blue Infrastructure (GBI) and what is the Strategy all about?
"Green and Blue infrastructure is a strategically planned network of natural and semi-natural areas with other environmental features designed and managed to deliver a wide range of ecosystem services such as water purification, air quality, space for recreation and climate mitigation and adaptation. This network of green (land) and blue (water) spaces can improve environmental conditions and therefore citizens' health and quality of life. It also supports a green economy, creates job opportunities and enhances biodiversity."
Background to the GBI Strategy
To underpin the review of our planning policies in the Climate Emergency Review of the Local Plan, we needed a robust and up-to-date evidence base to inform how policies should be changed. Following early engagement with Council members and key stakeholders it was decided that a key piece of evidence needed, was a Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy.
There are a wide variety of ‘types’ of GBI and subsequently a wide variety of uses, therefore, the Strategy has been structured around 6 key themes (uses of GBI):
- Recreation and Accessible Greenspace
- Ecology and Biodiversity
- Landscape
- Water Management
- Active Travel
- Historic Environment
For each theme a series of:
- Key Issues;
- Objectives; and
- Emerging Opportunities
have been identified in Section 7 of the GBI Strategy
Components of the GBI Strategy
The Strategy is made up of a number of elements, which include:
View the GBI Strategy, appendices and the GBI Interactive Map
The strategy includes Appendix 1, 2, 3 & 6
GBI interactive map can be found here , and the list of data sources can be found on the button top right in the map
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Contact us
- Email: planningpolicy@lancaster.gov.uk
- Phone: 01524 582383
