The Green Infrastructure Strategy Standard enables comprehensive green infrastructure policy based on the Green Infrastructure Framework’s principles and standards.

How does it work?

Local authorities work in partnership with stakeholders including local communities, to assess and strategically plan their green infrastructure provision. Policy applies the Green Infrastructure Framework’s principles and standards to set out how green infrastructure will help to create greener, beautiful, healthier and more prosperous neighbourhoods, with a thriving nature network that can reduce air and water pollution, support sustainable drainage and help places adapt to climate change.

What is the standard?

Area-wide standard: Local authorities, working in partnership with stakeholders including local communities, assess and strategically plan their green infrastructure provision, for example as part of a Green Infrastructure Strategy. Plans set out how green infrastructure will help to create greener, beautiful, healthier and more prosperous neighbourhoods, with a thriving nature network that can reduce air and water pollution, support sustainable drainage and help places adapt to climate change.

In doing this, they apply the 15 Green Infrastructure Principles and the Green Infrastructure Standards locally (adapting them to local context where appropriate) and set green infrastructure policies, proposals and development requirements in development plans and local design codes. Local authorities set SMART targets in a Delivery Plan for achieving the Green Infrastructure Framework Standards and local policies over time, as well as arrangements for the long term management and maintenance of all green infrastructure.

Plan and monitor and evaluate progress against delivery of these local targets every five years.

Major development standard: Each major new development has a Green Infrastructure Plan (which may be part of a Design and Access Statement) setting out how the development will deliver the Green Infrastructure Framework’s 15 Green Infrastructure Principles and the Green Infrastructure Standards as set out in local green infrastructure policies, proposals and development requirements in development plans and local design codes. The green infrastructure delivered within (or associated with) major new developments should be managed, maintained and monitored for a minimum of 30 years.