Regulation 19 Rutland Local Plan

Green & Blue Infrastructure

What the policy will do?

Green and blue infrastructure (GBI) is a network of multi-functional green spaces and water environments that sustains the ecosystems needed for a good quality of life.

Green and blue infrastructure (GBI) is critical to high quality environments and streetscapes, and it is important that new developments have well-designed GBI to enable Rutland to develop sustainably. GBI should be considered at the outset (pre-application stages) of new development proposals and green infrastructure principles should be incorporated into a scheme from the earliest stages of the design process. Developers should appraise the site context for green infrastructure functions and take opportunities to achieve multi-functionality by bringing green infrastructure functions together. New development should be capable of delivering a wide range of environmental, health and quality of life benefits for local communities.

The Rutland GBI Strategy (2023) is a culmination of mapping, research, discussions with stakeholders and considers how the Council will deliver high quality green and blue infrastructure in the right places. It tackles Rutland's priorities and is the first step in making green and blue infrastructure at the core of our decision making. We want to deliver our vision for green and blue infrastructure in Rutland and will work in partnership with landowners, businesses and communities to make this happen

The Green and Blue Infrastructure Network policy will conserve the existing GBI in Rutland and promote the opportunities for the creation of new high quality GBI.

Why is this policy needed?

The NPPF requires local authorities to make every effort to promote healthy communities, meet the challenges of climate change and flooding and conserve and enhance the natural and historic environment through the planning process^[5]. Development proposals which might result in the loss of existing open space, sport and recreational buildings and playing pitches will be considered in light of national planning policy.^[6] (currently set out in paragraph 103 of 2023 NPPF)

Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) sets out the value and benefits of open space, sports and recreation and the need to protect and enhance Public Rights of Way (PRoW)^[7]. Green infrastructure helps absorb pollutants, including emissions from farmland, enabling better air quality. The PPG considers climate change and how a comprehensive approach to green infrastructure can promote better water efficiency and water quality. Green infrastructure can also reduce overall flood risk on development through sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), which can also deliver benefits for amenity, recreation, and wildlife.

The 25 Year Environment Plan sets out government action to help the natural world regain and retain good health. It aims to deliver cleaner air and water in the UK, protect threatened species and provide richer wildlife habitats. It calls for an approach to agriculture, forestry, land use and fishing that puts the environment first.

The National Planning Policy Framework^[8] (NPPF, 2023) defines GBI as "A network of multi-functional green and blue spaces and other natural features, urban and rural, which is capable of delivering a wide range of environmental, economic, health and wellbeing benefits for nature, climate, local and wider communities and prosperity."

The types of GBI assets that make up the GBI network in Rutland, comprising both public and private green and blue spaces are:

• allotments
• amenity open space
• grounds to public buildings
• grounds to religious buildings as well as stand-alone cemeteries
• parks and gardens
• playing fields
• sport facilities
• vegetation along transport corridors
• semi-natural habitats
• water: watercourses, canals, and reservoirs
• trees and woodland
• corridors – paths, cycle ways, riparian, ditches, verges, lines of trees, strips of managed vegetation, linear green spaces.

People and nature benefit from a multitude of natural resources and processes that are dependent on ecosystem health. Benefits to people provided by nature have been termed 'ecosystem services' which are grouped into four broad categories:

• provisioning services, such as the production of food and clean water
• regulating services, such as managing the climate
• supporting services, such as nutrient cycles and crop pollination
• cultural services, such as recreational benefits

Successful Blue and Green Infrastructure complements the built infrastructure and contributes to natural environment. Amongst a list of benefits it can improve sustainability, health and wellbeing, provide flood prevention and/or mitigation measure, sustainable drainage, provide recreational and sporting opportunities, support and enhance biodiversity, create habitat and support ecosystems and improve environmental quality. Therefore, it is an integral part of planning within the Local Plan and contributes to effective spatial planning.

Figure 8 – Green Infrastructure Principles

Figure 8 is taken from Natural England's Green Infrastructure Framework which provides a structure to analyse where greenspace in urban environments is needed most. The Green Infrastructure principles wheel outlines what good GBI looks like and the principles that should be followed to achieve this.

The Rutland Green and Blue Infrastructure Study sets out the green and blue infrastructure network and strategy for Rutland. It sets out the Rutland green and blue infrastructure vision which is "…host a well-connected, accessible and resilient network of green and blue infrastructure which brings multiple benefits to the environment whilst providing people with the opportunity to come into contact with diverse and nature-rich open spaces." Rutland County Council will work in partnership with landowners, businesses, and communities to deliver the GBI vision.

Rutland's top five GBI priorities in achieving this vision and the first step in making green and blue infrastructure at the core of our decision making are:

1. restoring biodiversity and ecosystem integrity;
2. protecting and enhancing tree cover;
3. enhancing water and soil quality;
4. incorporating GBI into new developments; and
5. enabling active lifestyles and accessibility to GBI.

The Green and Blue Infrastructure Study maps the distribution of broad habitat types: agricultural, greenspace (or grassland), semi natural, water, woodland and non-GBI, Designated sites and opportunities for ecological connections. The green and blue infrastructure network can be viewed on the Rutland interactive map and within the Rutland GBI Study.

An Open Space Assessment was undertaken as part of the GBI study. It comprises of an assessment of the quantity, accessibility, quality, and value of open spaces within Rutland County and for each of the 15 sub-areas. The typologies of open spaces in Rutland are mapped. Local needs are identified, and the current and future provision of each sub area was reviewed. Local standards for open space provision and recommendations and based on the findings of this assessment were developed as part of this study. Policy SC7- Provision of New Open Space sets out how the requirements of new residential development of 10 dwellings or more to create new open space.

New Development

Green infrastructure is integral to developing new places, significantly contributing towards places where people want to live, work, and invest. The population of Rutland is projected to grow over the plan period, so creating thriving and prosperous places for Rutland's current and future residents is a key aspect of sustainable development. Development brings opportunities to enhance the network and deliver new green infrastructure of all types and sizes.

The NPPF recognises the opportunities that appropriately located and well-designed open spaces can provide. Paragraph 98 states "Access to a network of high-quality open spaces and opportunities for sport and physical activity is important for the health and well-being of communities and can deliver wider benefits for nature and supports efforts to address climate change."

New development should contribute to the extension of the green and blue infrastructure network, helping to address deficiencies in provision and providing good quality connections to the network and throughout the development. Open space should be provided on-site where possible. If the provision cannot be made on the application site an off-site location should be considered. In cases where the provision of open space cannot be met on-site the developer cannot provide an offsite location either, the council will seek developer contributions towards the costs of providing necessary facilities though developer contributions or the community infrastructure levy.

Supporting Evidence

Green and Blue Infrastructure Study 2023
Rutland County Biodiversity Assessment 2023