Greenstructure and Urban Planning

Sustainable Urban Environmental Planning - Community Plans

by Anne Beer

Local policies and their implementation

Each area for which a Community Level Plan is developed is inevitably different and, therefore, the policies that you develop for your area should be unique to it. The following are only examples of policies relating to local water management, biodiversity and greenspace; these are illustrated since they are the range of policies most likely to involve a local community working in groups rather than as individuals. They are not intended to be fully inclusive of all the issues which will require policies to be worked out by the local community, but they serve as a starting point when you are thinking how to solve your area's particular environmental problems. Problems best solved by individual or public/private agency initiatives are not dealt with here, although they would need to be addressed in finalising a Community Environmental Plan.

a. Policies aiming to encourage sustainable local water management

Increase the area of permeable surface

Wherever possible impermeable surfacing (tarmac, paving and buildings) should be altered into permeable surfaces (gravel, turf and structurally reinforced turf, 'grass-crete', treed and shrubbed areas etc.). The surface cover types which could be considered for change by a local community include: driveways, entrance areas, public spaces, courtyards, low capacity parking areas, some industrial areas (although due to the need to contain spillage of toxic material and liquids some of these areas must remain impermeable), school yards and sports pitches.

Open some river banks to re-create the old flood plains where appropriate and develop new ponding areas along the river to reduce downstream flooding

Implementing such a policy would require liaison with the local Water Board, industrialists and the local authority.

Promote rainwater storage through improvement and creation of retention ponds and surface drainage systems

Parks, golf courses, cemeteries, lawns, 'dead' left over space, school grounds and communal open space are all suitable locations for retention ponds. Man-made water channels (shallow valley forms operating like ditches) can be introduced or improved and extended into a system which can channel water from the gardens as well as any open land to the retention ponds. Storage in ponds allows the eventual development of valuable ecosystems and wildlife habitats. Plants, fish and other aquatic organisms can colonise; this helps to filter the water and maintain the stability of the habitat. There is a need to liaise with the water board and the local authority.

Two types of retention ponds can be considered:

permanent storage ponds, which are appropriate where a continuous supply is available and where inflow and outflow and soils permit a stable condition

temporary storage ponds which are only full during and after storm events, and are allowed to dry out. This type is less suitable for development in recreation areas but the boggy land, which will ensue is still a wildlife resource, since it creates a habitat too often eliminated from rural as well as urban areas.

Store and use rainwater and grey water for household and irrigation purposes

Individuals can organise rain water to be collected from the roofs and other impermeable surfaces and stored on site in rain water storage tanks, or communally in larger pools. It is easier to do if a whole community is involved in the purchase of the necessary equipment and can share its plumbing skills. This water can be used in vegetable growing and general gardening, car washing and for any other outdoor use. Such a system also helps alleviate flash flooding except in times of the heaviest rainfall.

Grey-water too can be collected for recycling; it contains soap and dirt which can act as a mild fertiliser, so it must be treated before use to avoid contamination. This is easier to arrange in new build than in existing housing areas.

Improve recreational access to water courses and local reservoirs

Many parts of water courses are often inaccessible and hidden away, and sometimes sections are culverted. The full potential of the water courses needs to be realised through a series of local environmental improvements over a period of time. There is a need to liaise with the water board and the local authority.

b. Policies aiming to enhance biodiversity through the management of local land use

Too often current 'nature conservation' policies are ineffective, they have not achieved even 'weak sustainability' as far as bio-diversity is concerned and so loss of biodiversity continues. Even in areas where the loss has not been catastrophic, a precautionary policy almost always has to be recommended whereby the concept of enhancing biodiversity through every land use and land management action is integrated into all areas of development.

Maximise genetic diversity

Genetic diversity is the sum of genetic information contained in the genes of individual plants, animals and microorganisms. Within all urban areas a major problem for biodiversity is that many of the newly planted plants are cultivated; the plants used are often clones and, therefore, genetic copies of the 'parent' plant. To ensure genetic diversity, native plants should be used wherever appropriate in all urban greenspaces; if possible they should be from seed-grown stock, preferably from local provenance (developing a local plant nursery to supply the public greenspaces could be part of a local job creation project for a local community). Where possible, soil importation should be avoided, and where improvement is required, this should be carried out in the form of locally collected organic composts. Educational material should be developed within the larger community to encourage any residents who are interested to do the same in their gardens.

Maximise species diversity

Species diversity relates to the number and diversity of species regarded as populations; within such populations gene flow occurs. In urban areas species rich communities are generally taken to be more 'stable' than those that are relatively species poor. It is, therefore, desirable to implement planting and management schemes that promote species rich communities, for instance, meadow grassland rather than mown turf and mixed rather than single species hedgerows.

Maximise habitat diversity

Habitat diversity is important, as it relates to the variety of habitats, biotic communities and ecological processes in the biosphere as well as the diversity within ecosystems. Diverse, naturalistic communities of the type which can be found in urban areas can withstand change and should be encouraged to develop. It would make sense, therefore, to target areas of low diversity within the case study area such as the schools and playing fields and some parkland, as areas within which to encourage the development of new naturalistic habitats appropriate to the local conditions. Implementing such a policy would reinforce the current planning commitment to providing more naturalistic plant communities in greenspaces.

Adopting such policies should do much to reverse the continual erosion of biodiversity which has occurred over the past century within the urban area particularly. The loss has been the result of a combination of the following factors:

conversion of land from natural/semi-natural vegetation to agricultural or other uses

pollution, pesticides or other chemical contamination

introduction of exotic species.

The community gradually needs to become aware of these factors and to consider how to eliminate the worst effects as it implements changes in land management practices.

Increase biodiversity within private gardens and other private land

The possibilities of enhancing local biodiversity through the way in which private gardens are managed by their owners or tenants are substantial. Success in doing this could make a real impact on local biodiversity. It would do much to compensate for its loss in the more densely developed urban areas (Beer, 1998).

Increase biodiversity in the wider urban fabric

There are many small 'corners' within the built-up parts of any settlement which are in effect 'spaces left over after planning' - spaces with no real function. These spaces too often attract rubbish and litter and are an ongoing cost to the community to maintain; transforming them through community environmental 'actions' into small-scale 'nature reserves' is one way to cope with them - and it can have the advantage of enhancing biodiversity as well as eliminating an eyesore.

c. Policies aiming to enhance the sustainability of greenspace

Greenspace - the unifying element

Greenspace can act as the unifying theme for a Community Environmental Plan. All unbuilt land within the urban boundary is part of the urban green even when it is privately owned. Policies are needed for changing what the greenspace looks like, how it is used as well as how it acts to support urban biodiversity.

For greenspace to fulfil its full potential in relation to community environmental planning it is important to develop policies relating to:

the availability of greenspace and open space within 400 metres of every home for use, in particular, by the elderly, disabled, young children and young adults

adequate footpaths and cycle routes and links between greenspaces. These can be provided in the form of green corridors with associated refuges for wildlife within the urban area. Safe usable paths with plenty of seating throughout the study area's greenspaces are needed, in particular, where people have to walk up and down hills on their way to their homes, the shops, schools and workplace.

recreational uses which reflecti the local 'carrying capacity' of that greenspace and its habitats. For example, an area with a fragile habitat or supporting relatively rare wildlife should not be designed so as to encourage boisterous activities.

the creation of rich and ecologically varied local environments designed to maximise the generally desired feeling among urban dwellers of wanting some contact with nature. In areas where people's interest in specific activities rather than nature predominate, skilled designers will need to be used to meet people's requirements.

the stimulation of local interest by using greenspace for educational purposes and encouraging community involvement.

Sustainable Communities - local action

Introduction

Background

Abiotic data

Biotic data

Social, cultural and economic

A Community Environmental Plan

Local policies

Neighbourhood "actions"

Landscape Structure Zones

References

Maps - Case Study

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