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East London Green Grid

London

Process

Using working landscapes and natural geography

The East London Green Grid vision is underpinned by an innovative ‘Report of Consultant Studies’. This report laid the foundation for an integrated approach to landscape planning and management - a single analysis combines:

  • benefits for health and deprivation
  • flood management
  • cultural and townscape distinctiveness
  • biodiversity
  • deficiencies in access to green space
  • creating settings for regeneration

The resulting proposal for a ‘working landscape’ offers a multi-functional response to issues like climate change.

The mapping and project identification carried out at the start of the process also allowed for the adoption of a landscape-scale approach. Physical geography and natural ecological systems are given as much consideration as administrative boundaries in shaping the recommendations and project management structures.

As a result, six landscape-scale Area Frameworks were defined to identify objectives and projects, taking into account: cross-boundary integration and strategic opportunities for improving the provision, quality, functions, linkages and management of the open space network.

Employing supplementary planning guidance

The Greater London Authority has produced an overarching Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) to help embed the East London Green Grid in Local Development Frameworks, as well as in Open Space Strategies, Regeneration Frameworks, masterplans and development proposals.

  • The guidance has had real impact in securing the involvement of the 10 London boroughs included in the project boundary. Tower Hamlets has identified the objective of “creating a green grid” as one of the key ‘spatial themes’ in its core strategy.
  • The SPG states that Joint Development Plan Documents or Area Action Plans can be produced for each East London Green Grid Area. A good example is the Barking Town Centre Action Plan which seeks to “protect and improve the accessibility, connectivity and quality of parks, play areas, open spaces, rivers and river corridors within the Plan area, including, where relevant, their biodiversity importance”.

Creating area partnerships as a delivery structure

Six area partnerships have been formed - each with a local chair and steering group.

The East London Green Grid has an overarching vision, rather than a prescriptive approach, which encourages devolved planning. This facilitates local buy-in, and melding to local priorities. The SPG is important in this respect, as it is structured to allow for flexible delivery and local prioritisation.

The area frameworks act as local planning and management zones, and provide leadership and delivery opportunities for key agencies including the borough councils, major landowners and intervention bodies such as the Environment Agency.

Laurence Pinturault, project manager at London Borough of Bexley Regeneration Unit, believes that a combination of London-level strategic involvement, close local authority ‘bottom up’ input, the planning framework and area frameworks” are essential for engagement with strategic funders. These include the London Development Agency, Homes and Communities Agency and European Regional Development Fund. Once the strategic planning work is complete, funding must be made available towards tangible, visible outcomes.

Prioritising projects

Jamie Dean, principal urban planner at Design for London, says that “achieving the entire Green Grid programme will take at least 25 years and require an investment of £0.5 billion - and of this around £80 million has been identified”.

Prioritisation is necessary in such an ambitious programme. So far some 70 project priorities have been identified based on an assessment of their feasibility and performance.

The most feasible projects are those where there is a delivery infrastructure already in place. One example is the Lea Valley River Park where the structure of the Lee Valley Park Regional Park authority is a planning and delivery asset.

Flagship projects are instrumental in unlocking large sums of investment funding. The Erith Marshes and Belvedere Links project located along the river Thames in the borough of Bexley aims to transform the, the largest industrial employment areas in London, into a sustainable employment site. The project is designed to reduce flood risks, improve the environmental quality of the Erith wetland, and allow the 229-hectare Belvedere Employment area to accommodate a net increase of between 5,000 and 10,000 new jobs. Works will include the restoration of open spaces including the local network of dykes, and creation of sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) and improvements to footpaths and cycle paths.. £10.6 million of capital funding have been secured for the project from the Communities and Local Government Parklands programme and the European Regional Development Fund unlocking close to £2 million from the London Development Agency.

Addressing management and maintenance concerns

A concern for those involved in environmental led regeneration is that sites are not allowed to deteriorate after the initial capital investment has been spent.

Issues include future revenue funding streams, the false assumptions that agencies - often local borough councils - will eventually pick up the management responsibility and an actual or perceived lack of local skills.

In producing the SPG, the Greater London Authority has recognised the importance of securing long-term revenue funding at the outset of any project, so that once it is established it can be managed and maintained to a high standard.

The SPG recommends that the East London Green Grid is included in Local Development Documents. This will enable local authorities to use developer contributions to help create, improve and manage the East London Green Grid in the future.

Dealing upfront with management and maintenance issues is also a pre-requisite for unlocking funding from the Greater London Authority.