The purpose of the Green Infrastructure Planning and Design Guide is to provide evidence based practical guidance on how to plan and design good green infrastructure. It complements the National Model Design Code and National Design Guide and can be used to help planners and designers develop local design guides and codes with multifunctional green infrastructure at the heart. This will help to inspire the creation of healthier, nature-rich, climate resilient and thriving places to live, learn, work and play.

The audience is primarily Local Authority planners. However, the guide may also be useful to landscape architects, urban designers, parks and greenspace managers and neighbourhood planning bodies.

The guide shows:

• How to apply the Green Infrastructure Framework, including the Green Infrastructure Principles and Standards to design.
• How to design Green Infrastructure features as ‘building blocks’ of a larger connected network.
• Illustrate how to combine Green Infrastructure features in different ‘area types’ to create multifunctional and connected networks at different scales and in different area types.
• How to design Green Infrastructure to meet identified needs (i.e. delivering ecosystem services) with a particular focus on nature, health, climate change, water management and prosperity.
• How to develop landscape-led Green Infrastructure with a focus on landscape character and local distinctiveness.
• How tools such as Biodiversity Net Gain, Urban Greening Factors, Local Nature Recovery Strategies can support design of good Green Infrastructure.
• Signposts to relevant case studies that illustrate the Green Infrastructure Principles and sources of further information.