Green Infrastructure

What is Green Infrastructure?

Green infrastructure describes the network of greenspaces, landscapes and natural elements that intersperse and connect our cities, towns and villages. More than this, it is a holistic approach to viewing the natural environment which acknowledges the multiple benefits and vital functions it provides for the economy, wildlife, local people and communities – including economic investment, climate change amelioration, sense and quality of place, and biodiversity.

Green infrastructure is equally relevant to urban and rural areas, and is important at different geographic scales. National, regional, county and local policies all promote green infrastructure, both in terms of its functions and also as an organising concept for delivering sustainable growth. In England’s North West, it is about recognising that our evolving post-industrial landscapes are not only composed of different types of land but also that that land fulfils a number of diverse functions:

"Green Infrastructure is the Region's life support system – the network of natural environment components and green and blue spaces that lies within and between the North west's cities, towns and villages and which provides multiple social, economic and environmental benefits".

Green Infrastructure planning is therefore about helping local authorities and their partners to identify the different and important functions of our landscapes, townscapes and individual assets, recognise where different functions may be conflicting, and help to find ways of resolving these conflicts to deliver benefits for people and wildlife alike.