A STRATEGY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSFORMATION IN THE BLACK COUNTRY ENVIRONMENTAL INFRASTRUCTURE GUIDANCE: MAIN REPORT 2 CONTENTS 01 / Introduction 11 02 / The Importance of Environmental Infrastructure 13 03 / Growth and Environmental Infrastructure in the Black Country 19 04 / Approach to this Study 25 05 / Needs and Opportunities across the Black Country 33 06 / Identifying Priority Areas 115 07 / Identifying Interventions 121 08 / Moving Towards with Delivery 137 Image on cover: Sandwell Valley Country Park, SMBC ENVIRONMENTAL INFRASTRUCTURE 3 GUIDANCE – MAIN REPORT ENVIRONMENTAL INFRASTRUCTURE GUIDANCE – MAIN REPORT SUMMARY 01 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC REGENERATION IN THE BLACK COUNTRY IS CONTINGENT ON ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSFORMATION. The Black Country Environmental Infrastructure Guidance Overarching EIG Principles The Black Country Core Strategy sets out a where environmental infrastructure Environmental infrastructure encompasses infrastructure in the future should focus vision for the Black Country that recognises interventions will maximise opportunities ‘green infrastructure’ (greenspace, trees on how well it maximises these benefits in that social and economic regeneration for achieving the range of social, economic and woodland, grassland, natural areas and supporting the priorities and challenges the and the quality of the environment are and environmental objectives of the Core geodiversity), ‘blue infrastructure’ (water Black Country faces. As such, in developing intimately linked. It highlights that achieving Strategy. It also provides an overview of the courses, water bodies, wetlands) as well as the EIG a set of Environmental Infrastructure environmental transformation is central to types of intervention that could be employed industrial and built heritage. Environmental objectives have been developed for the a successful and prosperous future of the to achieve environmental transformation. This infrastructure assets are , therefore , not EIG based on Objectives and Sustainability sub-Region, citing supporting Environmental main report is supported by the Environmental confined to formal public green spaces , such Principles set out in the Black Country Core Infrastructure Guidance (EIG) in setting Infrastructure Design Guidelines, which as open parks and gardens. Instead they Strategy. These objectives and supporting the strategy for ‘delivering high quality, provides greater detail on the different types of cover a wide spectrum of features, places and principles for development area outlined liveable and distinctive places ‘ that build environmental intervention and a suite of four spaces. For example, they can range from below. It should be noted however that the on a ‘multifunctional green space network’. EIG Action plans which set out key priorities regional landscapes, to local nature reserves, overarching principles of environmental This document constitutes the main report for each of the Black Country Authorities. to green roofs . infrastructure is that it is multifunctional. of the EIG. It sets out the evidence base Environmental interventions should be able to and overarching strategy for prioritising Environmental Infrastructure can perform a contribute to several of the objectives at the action to achieve the step change in range of economic, social and environmental same time. environmental quality desired; highlighting benefits. Delivering environmental 6 EIG OBJECTIVES EIG PRINCIPLES SUPPORTING 1. Focusing environmental High quality environmental infrastructure has been shown to support economic INVESTMENT infrastructure in areas development by leaving inward investment and improving productivity, as such: where it can support • Economic development priority areas and public realm improvements should investment within strategic demonstrate consideration of high quality and multifunctional environmental centres and regeneration infrastructure. corridors for sustainable economic growth • Environmental infrastructure, temporary or permanent, should be used to improve the quality of vacant or underutilised land. This may be particularly relevant in areas where there is a lot of hard standing. • Use environmental interventions to denote gateways FOSTERING 2. Identifying opportunities Areas with well maintained green space are more likely to have high approval ratings. HIGH QUALITY for environmental Green space also helps to improve the values of buildings and contributes to community NEIGHBOURHOODS infrastructure to assist in cohesion, as such: protecting and improving • Multifunctional environmental infrastructure should be a central consideration early in high quality residential master planning stage of development areas in sustainable locations CREATING 3. Ensuring that communities Sustainable transport links and the network of environmental infrastructure assets go hand SUSTAINABLE are well served through in hand. sustainable links to LINKS • Opportunities should be sought to utilise and improve walking and cycling routes along residential services and the canal, river and former rail routes. employment opportunities • New development should make a demonstrable contribution towards developing a wider cycle and walking network across the Black Country that link live / work areas and existing environmental infrastructure assets such as the Black Country Beacons PROTECTING 4. High quality environment Environmental infrastructure supports a wide range of habitats and species that help to AND ENHANCING respecting, protecting restore the quality of water and air, as well as protecting geodiversity assets. and enhancing water, BIODIVERSITY D • In addition to providing dedicated areas of biodiversity value, new development should soil, air, biodiversity and demonstrate consideration of environmental infrastructure to support the creation of geodiversity functional ecological networks that utilise native habitats and support Biodiversity Action Plan priority species and link existing environmental infrastructure assets including the Beacons, and nature conservation designations. • Development and environmental initiatives should contribute to overarching urban greening. Redevelopment of vacant and underutilised sites needs to recognise that they might be playing an important environmental function. • Natural systems such as rain gardens and swales should be used to control, cleanse and store storm water. Where possible, this should be used as a source of non potable water. • Geodiversity assets should be respected and celebrated. ENVIRONMENTAL INFRASTRUCTURE 7 GUIDANCE – MAIN REPORT EIG OBJECTIVES EIG PRINCIPLES CELEBRATING A 5. Enhance character, Environmental infrastructure should be used to enhance the built and heritage environment: amenity and quality SENSE OF PLACE • Ensuring development recognises local historic and landscape character and assets, so of place building on that heritage and regeneration initiatives work in tandem. the Black Countries historic, landscape and • Identifying where derelict sites already contribute key environmental functions, so that cultural assets to support these functions can be preserved and enhanced. attractive, district centres and housing renewal • The canal tramroads and former canals have been identified as possible sites in the area that could be restored for heritage, access and ecological value. SUPPORTING 6. Supporting community Access to environmental infrastructure can play an important role in supporting healthy HEALTHY LIVING services to promote lifestyles; reducing the burden on the health authorities: learning, healthy lifestyles, • Development should demonstrate good access to green space suitable for recreation. recreation and sport • Small scale urban greening should be ubiquitous throughout developments MANAGING 7. Make efficient use of The resources and functions that environmental assets support should be supported: resources, including water, RESOURCES • Opportunities should be sought to utilise environmental interventions, such as rain soil, land, air, waste, EFFICIENTLY water gardens and swales manage water resources. minerals and opportunities to mitigate climate change • Vacant and underutilised land can offer should be used to generate resources. These uses may be permanent or temporary and could include: - Food growing through urban farming and allotments - Supporting the creation of a biomass and wood fuel market by growing short rotation coppice - Utilising natural remediation processes, such as phytoremediation BUILDING 8. Support climate change Climate change will cause longer, hotter and dryer summers, with wetter winters. This will RESILIENCE TO adaptation measures. - threaten vulnerable infrastructure and people. Environmental infrastructure should be used CLIMATE CHANGE including flood risk and to build resilience to temperature and flood risk: urban heat islands. • Urban greening, using open space, street trees, green roofs, green walls and rain gardens will help reduce the urban heat island effect and should be incorporated into all development and public realm • Urban wetlands and rain gardens as well as other SUDS solutions should be utilised to manage, cleanse and store surface water. 8 Prioritising action Although environmental infrastructure should be encouraged across the Black Country, prioritising action is important to focus attention, time and resources. For each of the eight EIG objectives, a range of spatial indicators and supporting evidence has been used to demonstrate where environmental interventions will best