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wetlands, permeable paving and engineered tree pits can all help slow, store and clean water. They can also make streets and open spaces more attractive. Even on the street, kerb inlets can direct
treated as integral to the community – in the green open spaces, village green, sustainable transport links and natural play. It shows how finite land can provide shared landscapes that support both people and the environment. Making water visible The Environment Agency’s latest national assessment shows around 6.3 million properties in England are in areas at risk of flooding from rivers, the sea or surface water, making flood risk a central issue in masterplanning. For housing schemes, this means blue infrastructure should not be hidden underground unless there is no realistic alternative. Rain gardens, swales, ponds,
water into rain gardens, parking bays can use permeable paving, street trees can receive runoff and narrowing points can be formed with trees and planting rather than hard build-outs. Biodiversity and accessibility Biodiversity net gain has added another dynamic to the provision of green infrastructure in major developments, requiring a vision to consider for nature first. Whilst safeguarding areas for biodiversity can create non -accessible green space (for humans, cats and dogs), this does not mean any reduction in residents’ benefit from and access to nature. In fact quite the opposite. Protected habitats can contribute through birdsong, pollinators, seasonal planting and visible wildlife, and even in previous brownfield sites or in a town centre location, create a green island acting as a haven for biodiversity. The key is to design a hierarchy of space: for socialising, active travel and habitat protection. Planting needs to be resilient A scheme can look green on completion and fail as climate infrastructure for various reasons: ornamental planting that cannot
cope with wetter winters, hotter summers or periodic inundation is not resilience; SuDS planting must be zoned, with wet- tolerant species in basins and rain gardens, damp-tolerant species on margins and more drought-resilient meadow, shrubs and trees on upper banks. Decent trees need to be planted and
particular care taken to ensure their longevity. They are often the single most powerful intervention for shade, cooling, biodiversity and identity but they need space – below ground as well as above it. Not planting trees to save space in the development and make a profit is short term thinking. Similarly, a young tree planted in the wrong place, with insufficient rooting volume, will not become the mature canopy that future residents need. The value is in the long term The true measure of success is stewardship. Green infrastructure has to survive occupation and changing weather and last for generations. High quality green infrastructure in developments gives a sense of pride to residents. It’s what makes a development desirable and resilient. Planting trees, creating space for biodiversity and thinking about what we as property professionals leave behind for our children is the least we can do to create responsible, safer and a greener future for our next generation.
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