Green Infrastructure benefits

If a proposed development affects an existing community, the open space design should consider that community’s aspirations and needs.

Information can be found from our own open space and recreational assessments, existing community partnerships, and bespoke consultation exercises such as Spaceshaper: A User’s Guide.

Residents and employees are happier and healthier when they live in a green area. There are physiological benefits from being more at ease in green rather than grey surroundings. When access to a green space is nearby there is also the benefit of shade, improved air quality and increased likelihood of informal recreation.

Moreover in 2011, a University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences study found access to nature and green environments improves:

• mental functioning
• self-discipline
• impulse control
• overall mental health
• recovery from surgery
• immune system functioning
• healthier blood glucose levels for diabetics
• functional health status and independent living skills among older adults
• generosity
• sociability
• social ties among neighbours
• mutual trust
• willingness to help others

By contrast, less green space is linked to:

• worse attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms
• higher rates of anxiety disorders
• higher rates of clinical depression
• high rates of childhood obesity
• higher rates of 15 out of 24 types of diagnosable illness including cardiovascular disease
• more loneliness
• poor social support
• more aggression, violence, violent crime, and property crime

These factors are independent of other variables like personal wealth. Overall, people are happier and healthier in green surroundings rather than grey.

Residents

Attractive green landscapes create space for communities to interact and evolve. Building stronger communities in this way improves social cohesion and helps to bring down social costs such as crime.

The UK government’s 2011 National Ecosystems Assessment, reported that living close to green space provides a benefit of £300 per person per year.

Employees

Green space around the workplace improves the health and motivation of workers resulting in increased productivity, fewer sick days and higher staff retention rates.

Research conclusively shows that investment in green infrastructure at a development’s outset brings developers financial benefits by increasing sale prices.

The Town and Country Planning Association has shown that an attractive surrounding landscape and green features increase property values by 6 to 18%.

The Commission of Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) conducted similar research which concludes that property values increase near green spaces. On average, houses close to parks gained 8% higher prices than similar properties further away.

Also, there is evidence to suggest that the attractive environment provided by green infrastructure can boost inward investment.

Good landscape design ensures that everyone can move through the site and enjoy its open spaces, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity or social grouping.

Particular consideration should be given to:

• the design of footways, pathways, ramps, seating, steps and playgrounds
• avoiding barriers for pedestrians, including those with wheelchairs, pushchairs and prams
• positioning of signs and vistas at a height readable or viewable by all site users, including small children

A green infrastructure asset should not be viewed as undeveloped land which is merely a cost to developers. In fact, the opposite is true. A single or interlinked network of green infrastructure assets can yield a considerable return on investment. This applies both to new projects, with green infrastructure from the outset, and existing sites where investment can improve older properties and create greater value.

Negotiating a price

In some cases, land may be unsuitable for development because of flood risk. This highlights the importance of identifying site assets before any development and possibly even before purchasing the land. Identification of the site assets and requirements of green infrastructure provision can be used as a tool in negotiating the price when purchasing land.

Income streams

Developers investing in open space and structural landscaping in a residential scheme may be able to offset these initial costs. This could be by charging a premium on properties that overlook or take some benefit from the feature. Also green infrastructure assets may support income streams such as playing fields or allotment space where residents are charged for their use.

Maintenance costs

Developers should aim to keep maintenance costs as low as possible, but allow for the proposal’s original intention to be fully realised. This can be done through careful thought about the design and the range of facilities provided.

The approach to ongoing maintenance of green infrastructure should be discussed with the Planning Department during the planning application process. The type of green infrastructure delivered and access provision will determine whether the developer or the council will take responsibility for maintenance. Further information is provided in Section 6 of the Bridgend LDP.

Financial costs and planning obligations

The financial costs of delivering green infrastructure are borne by the developer. This will be either through designing and delivering green infrastructure as part of the overall scheme or through financial contributions.

Guidance on the use of planning obligations is provided in Planning Policy Wales (2012) and Welsh Office Circular 13/97 Planning Obligations.

Planning obligations can only be sought where they are:

• necessary to make the proposed development acceptable in land use planning terms
• directly related to the proposed development
• fairly and reasonably related in scale and kind to the proposed development

Good design

The design of external environments can significantly influence crime and anti-social behaviour as regards:

• opportunities for it
• the ability to detect it
• people’s fear of it

Design should avoid creating leftover areas that are difficult to maintain and/or serve no function. These usually become neglected and attract undesirable behaviour. External environments including paths should be overlooked by occupied buildings or roads to increase natural surveillance and deter anti-social behaviour.

Natural environment

Natural features such as trees have an important role to play in creating high quality environments in which residents can be proud to live. Good design should retain and manage such features, while maximising surveillance. Similarly, natural and relatively unsupervised open space can provide opportunities for creative play, where children learn how to deal with risk.

Green areas can also be used by the whole community to enjoy and engage in the stewardship of their local environment. These can help create a sense of community ownership and responsibility, making these areas less likely to attract undesirable behaviour.

Bridgend County Borough Council’s Community Strategy SPG contains further information.

Landscape-scale connections are necessary to reduce fragmentation, improve connectivity and secure functioning ecosystems. In delivering these functions, green infrastructure also creates space for nature.

It improves wildlife habitats and integrates biodiversity into the built environment, bringing green into cities and enabling urban residents to enjoy nature.