Setting the Scene for Wirral Waters
A green infrastructure strategy August 2011 A Green Infrastructure Strategy - setting the scene for Wirral Waters
Introduction ...... 3
Potential projects and partners:; short, medium and long term ...... 8
Green Infrastructure assessment ...... 9
Short Term Green Infrastructure Projects ...... 15
Links to national greening programmes: ...... 20
Potential Early Project Locations ...... 21
Medium Term Green Infrastructure Projects ...... 22
Long Term Green Infrastructure Projects ...... 24
Connecting with the local context...... 27
Green Infrastructure Principles ...... 33
A Road Map for Investment ...... 34 Appendix 1 WGS process and funding available...... 36 Appendix 2 Green Streets Process ...... 39 Appendix 3 Intermediate Labour Market (ILM) and Social Enterprise ...... 40 Appendix 4 Places to focus ...... 43 Appendix 5 Funding GI Improvements ...... 44
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A Green Infrastructure Strategy - setting the scene for Wirral Waters
Introduction
The vision for Wirral Waters is to create a new city waterfront of international stature focussing upon the transformation of Birkenhead and Wallasey Docks and their surrounding neighbourhoods.
Throughout the world, towns and cities are increasingly looking to establish compressive and integrated urban greening strategies to guide environmental investment and improve ecological performance. This in part is driven by a desire to improve the visual quality, character and perception of places, but is now also being seen as a key infrastructure to manage natural resources and ecological systems.
This approach for Wirral Waters is also wholly in line with the new Environment White Paper – Natural Choices – Securing the Value of Nature. This sets out the importance of creating and managing green infrastructure to deliver a range of benefits for urban areas.
Wirral Waters faces particular challenges in that the surrounding environment is variable, with areas of high cultural and environmental quality and areas of very poor quality environment. This disparity in quality could be heightened when the plans for Wirral Waters, with plans for areas of high quality green space and improved access
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to the blue spaces, are implemented if nothing changes in the surrounding areas. Such disparities will not serve the new development well and a wider plan to improve the green infrastructure in a wider area is called for and supported in the Wirral Waters applications.
Figure 1Example of poor quality environment in the area around the Wirral Waters development
This approach requires an integrated and strategic approach to investment, joining up different programmes and initiatives to maximise the economic, social and environmental return. The European Green City Index, a study by the Economist Intelligence Unit published in 2009, rates the environmental performance of 30 European cities. It takes a holistic approach to assessment by comparing how each city addresses issues of transport, water, waste and land use, air quality and environmental governance. Whilst it acknowledges high quality green infrastructure typically involves up-front costs it is increasingly recognised as a key indicator for improving both the long term environmental performance and the quality of life for urban communities.
Stockholm, for example, has chosen to protect its green spaces for many years to promote its quality of life; this ensures that around 85% of the population live less than 300 metres from parks and green areas. Rome plans to plant 500,000 trees in order to establish ecological corridors between its various parks, and Vilnius, one of the lower- income cities, is seeking to make itself even greener by increase the quantum of green space per head of population.
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CABE‟s international research into urban green space management highlighted the value of long term planning. Parks Victoria in Melbourne put in place a comprehensive strategy for the city‟s open space network to promote environmental equality, sustainability and long term delivery through partnerships with local organisations. Malmo in Sweden, demonstrates that investing heavily in good quality open space played a critical part in promoting the social quality and character of its experimental, and now hugely popular harbour-side neighbourhood, BO01.
Toronto has set out to improve the green network in the city, a city that has plans to expand by 3m people. The setting and challenges for the city are similar to that for Birkenhead.
Figure 2 Toronto Waterfront - with the start of a green network
For Wirral Waters much work is already complete on establishing the principles of a strategic environmental framework. The Wirral Waters Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) and supporting Guiding Principles: 15. Landscape, Waterfront and Public Realm (11th December 2009) set the aspiration for this new city waterfront to be an exemplar regional environmental resource that will require „a shift beyond approaches driven by the quantity of greenspace; towards quality, function, distinction and diversity‟.
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The principles highlight the value of taking a „Green Infrastructure‟ approach to holistically coordinate a complex and multifunctional set of initiatives and programmes that include:
Spaces that promote healthy living, active sport and informal recreation Safe, attractive and walkable neighbourhoods Increased levels of ecology and biodiversity Infrastructure to improve waste management, drainage, energy and transport
This Green Infrastructure Prospectus sets out a set of short, medium and long term projects that could take forward the SRF and be developed by a wide ranging partnership to guide investment in the strategic and comprehensive greening of Wirral Waters and it neighbourhood setting.
Figure 3 SRF Composite Framework
It has been prepared by The Mersey Forest, in partnership with Wirral MBC and Ian Parkinson Inc. and funded by the Forestry Commission through the NWDA Newlands Programme. The Mersey Forest Team has been at the heart of the Natural Economy North West environmental investment programme.
Recently a comprehensive green infrastructure strategy for Liverpool forged a strong working relationship between the City Council and the local health sector and provided a robust evidence base for long term strategic planning. The city-wide strategy
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identified key interventions and activities to address environmental and socio- economic needs and capitalise on opportunities, this can be achieved for the area around Wirral Waters.
The Mersey Forest and partners also have an established track record in effective partnership working and building community capacity for local environmental programmes. It is a network of partnership organisations and stakeholders that has been built over many years to help guide and deliver a wide range of urban greening programmes.
In setting out projects and next steps, this Prospectus is structured as:
- Potential Projects and Partners
- Connecting with the local context
- Green Infrastructure Principles
- A Road Map for Investment
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Potential projects and partners: short, medium and long term
The Wirral Waters Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) sets out Peel‟s ambition for the project to be a catalyst for the sustainable regeneration and growth of Inner Wirral and the wider City region. Of the ten goals established for the programme, the seventh – Creating an exemplar regional environmental resource – calls for „transformational change in environmental quality by working with partners in greening the city though long term investment in blue and green infrastructure‟.
This transformational change cannot be brought about by piecemeal and fragmented open space initiates. It will require a coordinated delivery framework to prioritise strategic projects, maximise value for money, and ensure both implementation and management costs are defined at the outset in order to;
Integrate new development with existing areas Enable a design and functional context for phased development Respond to evolving circumstances Provide context for a programme of community involvement actions
Familiar to all dockside environments, the landscape and townscape Wirral Waters is extremely varied in form and quality. This brings great challenges and opportunities for their regeneration and physical transformation. The guiding principles document provides may examples as to how this challenge has been met in many international cities including Darling Harbour in Sydney, Copenhagen‟s Canalside and the Kop van Zuid, in Rotterdam.
One further example worth referencing is the long term regeneration of the Ile de Nantes waterfront in France. From the outset the regeneration programme was led by an overarching environmental framework, or park system, for all the waterside, industrial and neighbourhood areas that worked pragmatically with the character, grain and ecology of the existing docks.
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Green Infrastructure assessment
The current Green Infrastructure Framework being developed for the City Region can provide a wide range of information on the current status of GI in the Wirral Waters area.
Map 1 Typology for Wirral Waters
Table 1 GI Typology in Wirral Waters project area
Typology % of WW area Agricultural land 5.62% Allotment, community garden or urban farm 0.68% Cemetery, churchyard or burial ground 0.10% Coastal habitat 0.11% Derelict land 0.23% General amenity space 5.73% Grassland, heathland, moorland or scrubland 8.02% Institutional grounds 3.21% Not GI 44.30% Outdoor sports facility 6.34% Park or public garden 0.96% Private domestic garden 14.09%
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Water body 2.20% Water course 2.38% Wetland 0.36% Woodland 5.66%
Overall the area has 56% Green Infrastructure, well distributed across a range of types, with a significant area of private gardens and grassland and a relatively high level of outdoor sports and woodland areas. The amount of GI is comparable to the Liverpool average GI Cover of 62%. However, the area of private gardens is less than for Liverpool and not surprisingly there is a higher level of the water typologies. The amount of woodland is higher than the Liverpool average, boosted by the large area of new community woodland at Bidston. Amenity Green Space is higher than Liverpool. In Liverpool, it was highlighted that this typology is often of low functionality, an area of opportunity for improvement.
Figure 4 Large area of underused land close to Egerton Dock
Comparing to other parts of the UK is difficult as similar GI Assessments have not been carried out to the same degree. A landcover assessment (excluding water assets and using a more limited set of typologies) has been carried out in London.
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Figure 5 Landcover Survey results
Rather than compare Wirral Waters to London as a whole we can look at one Borough that has similar social, economic and environmental issues, Barking and Dagenham.
Barking and Dagenham has a higher level of woodland, much lower level of agriculture, and approximately the same amount of private garden. Amenity grassland is significantly higher, but this could be because of the method of assessment.
In this London Green Space assessment, Barking and Dagenham was described as “Tree Poor” in comparison to the rest of London. Wirral Waters has 2% less cover than Barking and Dagenham.
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Figure 6 Area for potential green infrastructure alongside the docks - a good opportunity to bring people to the water’s edge
Through a process of analysis of the green infrastructure and a wide range of socio- economic and environmental data, the areas where existing GI is providing useful functions – areas to safeguard and provide for in management planning and areas where functions such as water management, evaporative cooling, aesthetic etc. are not being provided to meet identified needs have been identified.
For example Map 2 shows the areas in and around the proposed development at Wirral Waters that either have or lack the functionality to tackle the need for evaporative cooling, important in combating urban heat island effects
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Map 2 Example of mapping need and function
This type of assessment is carried out for all 28 functions, Map 3 Identifying where need being fulfilled by existing green infrastructure, shows the result of combining all of these assessment maps to show that areas where needs are being fulfilled.
The assessment shows low levels of need fulfilled across the area, although there are areas where needs for cooling, recreation and shading are addressed at a relatively higher level. With Bidston Moss and Bidston Hill standing out as areas where there are relatively high levels of need fulfilled.
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Map 3 Identifying where need being fulfilled by existing green infrastructure
In a similar way Map 4 Need is still to be met (fulfilled), shows the areas where function is lacking at present.
Map 4 Need is still to be met (fulfilled)
In contrast to the areas of need fulfilled the levels of unfulfilled need are higher. Key needs include green travel, recreation, shading, cooling and corridor for wildlife.
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In an area of planned significant investment such as Wirral Waters, many of these missing functions can be seen as “Pinch Points”. Previous studies have identified Pinch Points as areas of investment where an issue (pinch) may reduce the viability or the potential value of an investment. GI can play a role in addressing the issue(s).
Short Term Green Infrastructure Projects
To ensure co-ordinated action and resourcing, a Wirral Waters Green Infrastructure Working Group has been established. A Green Infrastructure workshop on the 10th February outlined a series of early win projects that could run for about one to five years. These included wildflower meadows at Four Bridges and Duke Street along with some structure planting on the Northside where a new boulevard may be created. Whilst these projects will undoubtedly improve the visual amenity of the area it will be important to be realistic on how long the seasonal impact of the meadows would be and the time required establishing a semi-mature belt of trees.
To maximise the value of short term wins, all projects should ideally fit within a strategic framework that contributes to the wider urban greening principles. To exploit the sustainability dividend from these projects they should also be assessed for their wider environmental and social benefits, including health, transport, water, waste, carbon, land use, air quality and biodiversity. For example, short term grasslands or meadows could be established using local green waste, recycled at the Bidston waste transfer station. They could follow the example of the Manor Estate in Sheffield or the Milton Keynes Parks Trust and be grazed by sheep, and specific management regimes could ensure the habitat is suitable for local invertebrates and butterflies.
Green Streets – Working with communities, land owners and the local authority to develop a network of urban trees that provide a wide range of functions for local people, act as natural signposting, linking the key GI Sites in the WW area and providing a strong backbone of environmental improvement, on which other projects can develop adjacent to or nearby the urban trees
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Figure 7 Green Streets project – more than just trees in the ground
“Meanwhile land” planting – the areas around WW have many sites that seem to be unused at present, but are likely to have hope value – the term “Meanwhile” land has been used to categorise such sites. Creative use of these sites for tree planting on short rotations, wildflower sowing or food growing, or a mix of all these, can help to transform the site giving it a temporary function that helps to support the nearby developments until such time as it is ready for development itself. Biomass (http://www.biomassenergycentre.org.uk) planting on vacant sites provides a valuable way to generate an income from vacant sites through short rotation coppice of specific tree species including willow and hazel. The wood produced can be used for fuel and charcoal production or can be used as a raw material for basketry and fencing.
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Figure 8 GI in Nantes’ Docklands
Food Growing - There is an increasing demand from communities for access to land to grow food. We have not tested this in Birkenhead, but in Liverpool an active campaign around Urban Agriculture is gaining momentum. Whilst projects such as Incredible Edible Todmorden, may not be possible, it may!
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Figure 9 Local food growing - example from Todmorden
Intermediate Labour Market – Providing training and work for people in Birkenhead will be a key issue to address and one that we think can start to be tackled quickly. Developing an ILM linked to the 3 project ideas above and to the care and maintenance of the existing valuable GI would be led by Groundwork Merseyside with support from other partners.
Natural Play Projects (http://www.playengland.org.uk/) can be created at a variety of scales and provide an excellent opportunity to engage with local children, teenagers and schools. Projects can often draw on funding sources that are unavailable to other environmental improvement programmes.
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Figure 10 Natural Play – using natural materials in green spaces to create exciting areas to play
Bids ton Moss (http://www.newlandsproject.co.uk/bidston-moss-map.php) Building on the investment made to date by improving access, including provision of a car park and secure bike racks, increasing on site signage and levels of management as well as animating the site, through use for community events, forest schools and training programmes.
Figure 11 Bike race at Bidston Moss
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Potential short term greening proposals should be planned to trigger changes in cultural, social, physical perceptions of the area. They provide a valuable opportunity to work with local communities on implementation and should be promoted in the local press and national media. Opportunities for linking with national campaigns could include:
Links to national greening programmes including:
Love Parks Week (http://www.loveparksweek.org.uk/) is an annual campaign, organised by parks charity GreenSpace. Each year hundreds of events take place enabling thousands of people to get out and enjoy their parks and green spaces to help put forward the case for reinvestment. Our prospectus looks to link Central Park with Bidston Moss and Bidston Hill, Birkenhead Park, the Mersey and the central hub of Sky City Park.
National Tree Planting Week (http://www.treecouncil.org.uk) is the UK's largest tree celebration annually launching the start of the winter tree planting season. It is a great chance for communities to do something positive for their local treescape. Each year, Tree Council member organisations such as voluntary bodies and local authorities and up to 200 schools and community groups support the event.
Green Day (www.cabe.org.uk/education/green-day) is an initiative that helps to make schools sustainable. It will inspire pupils to learn about climate change and how it relates to the buildings and spaces around them.
Climate Week (http://www.climateweek.com/) is a national event that offers an annual renewal of our ambition to combat climate change. It highlights the many positive and practical steps already being taken in workplaces and communities providing practical examples of projects adapting to climate change.
Guerrilla Gardening (http://www.guerrillagardening.org/) provides the opportunity for communities to take direct action on improving the quality of their local environment though informal planting and management of local green spaces and vacant sites.
Incredible Edible (http://www.incredible-edible-todmorden.co.uk/) is a growing national initiative that originated in Todmorden Lancashire, where local people made the most of vacant and underutilised open spaces to grow fruit and vegetables.
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Potential Early Project Locations
An initial assessment has identified the areas in Figure 12 Potential areas for GI interventions.
The assessment has not included discussions with all the landowners, but provides the basis for the next stage of project development
Project type Measure Description
Green Streets 35 km of road A community led programme of urban tree planting along important road routes.
Meanwhile Land planting 11 ha Planting of temporary, fast growing coppice or forest trees to produce a biomass crop in 3 – 5 years. May also include food growing or wildflower sowing.
Long term GI 18 ha Design and implementation of new areas of woodland or other habitats that provide the types of functionality that have been identified as important.
Access improvement 1 new car park for Bidston Bidston Moss is an Moss along with entrance, underutilised asset, one signage and path that becomes more even improvements important as the new homes are created at Wirral Waters. Improved access to encourage greater use is critical to the long term success of the site.
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Figure 12 Potential areas for GI interventions
Medium Term Green Infrastructure Projects
It is anticipated that medium term projects require a time frame of around five to ten years to allow for design, implementation and establishment. It is planned that these initiatives will start to make a significant improvement in the environmental performance of the area by for example, contributing to a reduction in Wirral‟s carbon footprint and enhancing levels of biodiversity.
Community Garden Centres (http://www.hulmegardencentre.org.uk/) provide the opportunity to develop a community enterprise, such as the Hulme Community Garden Centre in Manchester. This is a community led inner-city horticultural project established to bring the local community together through gardening. It provides low-cost plants to the local community and acts as an education hub promoting horticultural and sustainability issues to schools, colleges, the local community and wider public
Community Wildlife Gardens (http://www.urbanecology.org.uk/) have been established by local conservation groups for many years to enhance local biodiversity and promote education. The William Curtis Ecological Park was
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located on a temporary site near Tower Bridge in London and the site was returned to its owners after five years.
Figure 13 Nantes waterfront
Land Art Projects (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_sculpture) provide the opportunity for artist in residence programmes to establish significant landmarks to interpret and promote the identity of the area. The Lamberton earthwork, created by Andy Goldsworthy provides one example. Created alongside the Consett & Sunderland path and cycle track. The design of the earthwork echoes the local legend of the gargantuan Lambton Worm.
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Long Term Green Infrastructure Projects
These projects are central to the long term transformation of the borough. Whilst they may be created for a wide variety of reasons they should have sound environmental credentials and make a significant contribution to improving natural systems and ecological processes.
New Parks (http://www.landschaftspark.de/en/derpark/index.html) are a central component of green infrastructure frameworks. The make a significant contribution to development and regeneration programmes and provide a key tool in changing the perception of places. For example Duisburg Nord in Germany‟s industrialised Rhur has transformed a massive industrial wasteland of over 200 hectares into a multifunctional park where old industrial facilities are being put to a variety of new uses.
Urban Forests (http://www.betterbankside.co.uk/bankside-urban-forest) provide an increasingly popular way to significantly increase the tree stock in urban areas. Often they are area based programmes, such as the Bankside Urban Forest, that improve streets, pavements, squares and parks. Encouraging local investment in the area and helping to coordinate individual projects within an overarching vision.
Cycleways and Greenways (http://www.cphx.dk) provide a strategic movement framework for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles. Increasingly cities are investing heavily in infrastructure to serve green travel routes. In Copenhagen green cycle routes have been designated to promote safe cycling, and encourage more people to cycle.
Urban Farming (http://www.growingpower.org/chicago_projects.htm) is responding to the rapid rise in the cost of food production and delivery in cities. Many places are now looking to find new ways to produce local food within urban areas at a scale beyond the traditional allotment. Chicago is actively supporting urban agriculture initiatives, from farmer's markets throughout the city to market garden and urban growing operations. These include both public and privately supported initiatives are seeking to rapidly increase the amount of food produced within the city.
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Figure 14 Food growing down the Champs Elysees
The focus for action in this prospectus is twofold;
Firstly it addresses need – tackling potential pinch points
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Secondly it looks at what can happen quickly, to start to make a change on the ground and effect change that will minimise the disparity in terms of quality of place between the areas of investment and the surrounding areas.
To coordinate a programme of delivery a set of short, medium and long term projects should be considered. Ideally, these should fit within a green infrastructure framework for Wirral Waters, the surrounding neighbourhoods and the wider Wirral borough.
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Connecting with the local context
The Wirral Waters SRF, Landscape Strategy and East Float Masterplan proposals provide a useful basis to establish a green infrastructure framework for the site with its adjacent context.
Economic, social and environmental objectives for the council are set out in the Sustainable Community Strategy, Wirral 2025. Prepared by Wirral Local Strategic Partnership, it gives the core corporate vision and aims:
A strong local economy for Wirral Safer, stronger communities in all parts of the borough The best possible health and wellbeing for all families and individuals Excellent life chances for children and young people A high quality living and working environment Sustainable, appropriate housing for all
Investing in green infrastructure provides a cross-cutting mechanism to support the delivery of all of these objectives, although creating a high quality living and working environment would be the central goal. The Strategic Partnership has signed up to the principle of „living within environmental limits‟ to guide the sustainable delivery of the strategy. To oversee this work an Environment and Sustainability Advisory Group has been established which was recognised in the most recent Comprehensive Area Assessment undertaken by the Audit Commission in 2010. This group will routinely monitor sustainability issues for all delivery programmes and will develop plans to reduce Wirral‟s carbon footprint.
The Unitary Development Plan, adopted in 2000, continues to be the primary planning policy. Open space policy is currently driven by numerical standards for the quantity and distribution of publically accessible open space, but this is likely to change when the plan is updated. The target date for the new core strategy is June 2011, when the UDP will be replaced a new Local Development Framework. Consultation on the Preferred Options for the Core Strategy was completed in January and the core strategy will be issued shortly as a Publication Draft.
The Spatial Options Report prepared for consultation included two policy options for developing an appropriate network of green infrastructure across the Borough. Policy GI1 suggested adopting borough wide numerical standards for the provision of various types of green infrastructure. Policy GI2 gave an option to identify specific priorities for the provision of various types of green infrastructure within each Settlement Area to reflect local needs and characteristics.
Preference is given to the second option to encourage the delivery of a more locally sensitive set of priorities for green infrastructure for each Settlement Area. Investment
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can then be clearly related to local circumstances and identified local needs. This policy will address specific local shortfalls and to protect locally distinctive features and habitats with a lower emphasis on rigid numerical standards. This option is also seen to be the most sustainable as a neighbourhood level approach to identifying priorities and targets can more readily target local circumstances and needs.
The Spatial Options report is also clear on the role of green infrastructure serving the spatial objectives of the core strategy, including: economic revitalisation; the use of vacant land; improving housing and residential environments; improving social inclusion; promoting walking and cycling; improving local distinctiveness; and, mitigating the effects of climate change.
The evidence base that has been prepared for the core strategy includes key documents that can influence priorities for green infrastructure investment.
Wirral Waters Strategic Regeneration Framework Integrated Regeneration Study for Birkenhead and Wirral Waters 2010 The Open Space and Recreation Audit 2009 The Wildlife and Biodiversity Audit 2009 The Landscape Character Assessment 2009
Complimentary sub-regional green infrastructure strategies are also currently being drawn up for the wider Liverpool City Region; for the Dee Estuary on behalf of the Mersey Dee Alliance alongside the proposals for a national Coastal Trail an a Merseyside Ecological Framework.
The Open Space Audit concludes with a set of recommendations to improve the quality, design and management the different types of green spaces with the Borough. It recognises that the Council has good provision of open space, but much is not used to its maximum capacity. Recommendations for natural and semi-natural green space include the development of a green infrastructure plan for the entire borough. Currently the Council's Parks and Countryside Service is producing a service delivery plan for the hierarchy of public parks and open spaces along with a strategy for future maintenance. Yet it appears that this will be undertaken on a site by site basis, rather than as an integrated and multi-functional framework.
To deliver Wirral‟s emerging Core Strategy green infrastructure policy it is suggested that the Borough prepares a comprehensive green infrastructure framework. This will define the „appropriate network of green infrastructure across the Borough‟ that the core strategy calls for and would provide an invaluable tool to unite the activities of various regeneration programmes, including Wirral Waters, into a single investment plan. The framework would define a shared vision to guide delivery by multiple partners over the long term.
This is the model adopted by the internationally recognised Emscher Landschaftspark in the highly industrialised Ruhr valley of northwestern Germany. It has also been used to coordinate green infrastructure investment in the Thames Gateway and the
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East London Green Grid. The Emscher landscape park provided the framework, or „glue‟ to unite a wide range of regeneration projects establishing a landscape infrastructure, promoting 'green corridors', and allowing a new network of connections between places. It involved local communities in the restoration and creation of the landscape, with 16 community projects that provided employment and training. By focusing on the rediscovery of the value of natural assets such as landscape and waterways, and the creative re-use of industrial heritage it inspired a new identity for the area.
Figure 15 Emscher Park - incorporating structures from previous industrial uses of the area into the new landscape that is being created
For Wirral, there is already much material in place to provide a good baseline. The evidence base for the core strategy already has a good inventory of the green infrastructure elements that could be drawn into a common base, ideally using a GIS computer system. Strategic regeneration frameworks, including those for Birkenhead and Wirral Waters that have been developed in recent years would provide the core spatial framework that would also include other greening programmes. The key value of the framework would be a coordinating tool to combine the work of various organisations and partnerships, pool funding raised though developer‟s contributions and establish a framework for delivery.
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Environmental equality
The vision at the heart of the sustainable community strategy, Wirral 2025, is to achieve „a more prosperous and equal Wirral, enabling all communities and people to thrive and achieve their full potential‟. In the foreword, the chair of the local strategic partnership acknowledges that „a substantial percentage of Wirral‟s population lives within some of the country‟s most deprived areas, whilst there are also a large number that live in some of the country‟s most affluent areas‟.
Figure 16 – Unfinished business – half demolished housing in HMR area
Some of the greatest levels of inequality are experienced on the neighbourhoods that were once home to the shipbuilding and dock industries. A recent area assessment by the Audit Commission noted that the decline of traditional industry in these areas has left significant areas of deprivation. The Commission goes on to observe that whilst the Sustainable Community Strategy was agreed in 2009 it has not set out targets for improvements up to 2025 and the size and scale of its ambitions to reduce the inequalities that exist between areas.
Prevailing socio-economic conditions have a direct impact on the quality of local environments and neighbourhoods. Research by CABE into the quality and distribution of green space in urban areas has shown that people in deprived areas, wherever they live, receive a far worse provision of parks and green spaces than their affluent neighbours. With the most affluent 20 per cent of wards across England having up to five times the amount of parks or general green space per person than the most deprived 10 per cent of wards in the country. In addition, there is a clear
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understanding that the higher the quality of green space, the more likely it is to be used. The research goes on to suggest that with a correlation between poor quality of spaces in deprived areas, and the low levels of physical activity of residents, that investing in the quality of parks and green spaces is an important way to tackle inequalities in health and well-being
The Joseph Rowntree report on Regeneration in European cities published in 2008 provides a strong analysis of successful urban regeneration schemes in mainland Europe to inform practice in the UK. It made a point of looking at the benefits from regeneration for vulnerable groups and the connection between the physical transformation of areas with improvements to the prospects of local people, especially those who were adversely affected by the industrial decline.
Citizens‟ workshops undertaken for the research found that many people appreciated the boost that major projects had given to their cities, taking pride in, for example, the Millennium Bridge in Gateshead or the new university in London Docklands. But they also frequently had real concerns that the local environment had become neglected and unsafe. The final report concluded with ten key recommendations including the need to invest in high-quality infrastructure and public realm to change the image of the city and attract private investment and new residents. It also highlighted the need to spread the benefits of regeneration and economic development throughout the community rather than create isolated areas that exclusively benefitted from the process of regeneration.
One of the many challenges for Wirral MBC and partners will be to ensure that Wirral Waters brings about positive change in the wider borough and in particular the adjacent neighbourhoods. The Birkenhead and Wirral Waters Integrated Regeneration Strategy (Wirral MBC 2010) recognises this challenge. It plans to use development to help address key issues and opportunities for the borough from both an environmental perspective and also by encompassing the social and economic dimensions of regeneration. It will seek to help „address socio-economic inequality and instability by easing tangible barriers – e.g. opening up access to and connections between places of work and education, enhancing the quality and legibility of the environment‟.
The Sustainable Community Strategy also recognises the key role that Wirral Waters will play in delivering the strategy by:
Stimulating the regeneration of the surrounding area through a planned approach to physical and social / economic integration and intervention; and,
Bringing investment in sustainable technologies and infrastructure, including energy, waste and water, promoting exemplar sustainability and stimulating the environmental sector in the wider area.
In drawing on the lessons from other European cities in the Rowntree report, investing in high quality integrated green infrastructure should be seen as a key enabling
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infrastructure for regeneration. Creating a new network of attractive, functional and productive open spaces will provide a significant and cost effective mechanism that can contribute to meeting many of the physical and socio-economic objectives in the Community Strategy. It can also adopt a targeted approach that has been called for by the Audit Commission. With active participation from local communities and interest groups, targeted environmental investment within Wirral Waters and the adjacent neighbourhoods will start to provide a more unified and equitable environment to improve the perception, image, health and well-being for the local communities that they serve.
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Green Infrastructure Principles
There are a number of key principles that can help to plan, establish and safeguard the green infrastructure in and around Wirral Waters.
Identify and protect green infrastructure assets before development Engage diverse people and organisations from a range of sectors Linkage is key, connecting green infrastructure components with each other and with people Design green infrastructure systems that function at different scales and across boundaries Green Infrastructure activity must be grounded in good science and planning practice Fund green infrastructure up-front as a critical investment Emphasise green infrastructure benefits are afforded to all; to nature and people Green infrastructure should be the framework for natural environment projects and programmes.
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A Road Map for Investment
Road Map key stages:
GI Audit Workshop - Convene workshop of key WMBC staff to 1 compile and confirm an audit of green infrastructure projects and associated programmes.
GI Partners Workshop – convene workshop of local organisations and 2 stakeholders who may lead or support GI projects
GI Catalyst Projects – prepare an action and delivery plan for short term urban greening projects with key partners, with a timescale for 3 action on the ground in autumn and winter 2011.
GI Strategy for Wirral – prepare borough wide green infrastructure strategy. Announcement could follow close after the launch of the LDF 4 in June to align with new GI Policy. This can also make use of the City Region GI Framework available in summer 2011.
GI Pilot Projects – implementation of GI pilot projects during 2012 5 complementing the pilot work initiated in 2011.
Delivery programme for Wirral Waters and the surrounding areas 6 established and agreed for the Wirral GI Strategy.
Completion of GI Strategy for Wirral – including spatial masterplan, 7 business plan and funding strategy.
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A Green Infrastructure Strategy - setting the scene for Wirral Waters
Appendix 1 WGS process and funding available
Based on the data gathered to date there may be up to £50,000 available for woodland planting in the project area, Figure provides an overview of the process to apply and get approval for the funds once the land owner has agreed to woodland planting.
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Appendix 2 Green Streets Process
Over 15km of Green Streets projects have been identified. The following provides an overview of the high level activities that are required to get schemes delivered on the ground. As the process indicates, more detailed project plans are developed once the initial investigations are complete.
Green Streets in Wirral Waters
Partner and funder agreements - agree funding, location and scope Step One of project. Map all site data onto GIS.
Step Two Project planning – detailed design and layout of project. Site audit
Engagement - drop in sessions and informal meetings to discuss Step Three project ideas and show plans of project Consultation - Community and Business Consultation to agree tree type and location. Communicate why how where of project. Involvement - partner, community walk-abouts, planting sessions
Step Four Project delivery – Tendering and delivery of project to site
Step Five Post delivery engagement - further planting events, celebration, press etc
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Appendix 3 Intermediate Labour Market (ILM) and Social Enterprise
A report by Ursus in 2009 highlighted the role that ILM could play in both getting people back into work and also helping to bridge the productivity gap between the NW and other areas of the UK.
Key messages from the report that are relevant to Wirral Waters are;
ILM's though more expensive than traditional employment initiatives offer good Value for Money because of their effectiveness in getting people into work and also the wider social and environmental benefits that are delivered However, to date schemes have often been intermittent, relying on grant support and fading away once this is removed. The short term nature of grant support often does not allow the development of an effective business in challenging areas. ILM's are an effective way to bride the skills gap that has been identified by training organisations and private sector companies. A successful ILM will need input and encouragement from Land Asset Holders - to gain access to land. Employment agencies - to support the initiative and signpost those best suited to this type of work to the ILM. Private sector contractors -who can be important partners in identifying the key skills needed in the sector and an essential link to long term employment
Ursus also identified a spectrum of potential "models" for an ILM. For Wirral Waters, at this stage, we suggest that the most appropriate model to pursue will be some form of local partnership body. This is between the two options of a loose network or a regional partnership body shown in URSUS' diagram below.
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Figure 17 Spectrum of opportunities for ILM development
Wherever possible, in delivering Green Infrastructure improvements for Wirral Waters, it will be important to utilise procurement processes that maximise local economic benefits, engage, and involve all sections of the community, not least in order to promote the long-term sustainability of improvements. Legislation now permits public contracts to incorporate stipulations concerning social and economic benefits, namely by incorporating provisions such as: - Contracting with social enterprise - Use of local labour and contractors
Wirral Waters lies within or adjacent to, areas and communities of economic disadvantage.
Maximising the direct role of social enterprises in the delivery of the need based improvements will help to ensure that such communities are engaged and in a position to benefit from its economic impact. This an opportunity to use prominent works to raise the profile of social enterprise.
Our aspiration includes the development by Groundwork of an Intermediate Labour Market programme, focused on getting local people back to work, with new skills and motivation. We also envisage the development of a management and maintenance company, based on a social enterprise model that would manage and develop the Green Infrastructure in the programme area, without undermining the ability of other private sector companies to also benefit from increased activity in the area.
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This social enterprise would take on skilled, but unemployed people, as well as those from the ILM programme that showed enthusiasm and wanted to stay working in this sector.
The following diagram indicates the flow of people through the programmes.
Process
Merseyside has one of the most well-established social enterprise sectors in the UK and includes a number of businesses engaged in activities directly relevant to the construction sector and, increasingly, environmental improvement and horticultural sectors.
In order to fully embrace the opportunities presented by social enterprise we recommend that stipulations concerning social and economic impacts are incorporated into as many contracts let under the Green Infrastructure programme as possible. Social enterprises are particularly well positioned to deliver such benefits and contract opportunities could be advertised through channels to ensure maximum awareness across the Borough and Merseyside.
By ensuring that social enterprise and ILM programmes are included within the procurement route for any Wirral Waters implementation and management projects, the Strategy has the potential to: - Strengthen the local SME base - Improve access to the industry for the unemployed - Help ensure a stronger local economic base for deprived neighbourhoods - Improve the skills base - Meet increasing employer demand for skills and for relevant, quality training - Accelerate workforce development activities in order to up-skill the existing workforce
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Appendix 4
Places to focus
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Wirral Waters Green Infrastructure Prospectus
Appendix 5 Funding GI Improvements
The grid below starts to evaluate how (aside from CIL and S106) Green Infrastructure improvements could be funded. The list is not complete, but does provide a wide array of opportunities.
Table 2 Funding opportunities
Funding source GI that may be funded GI Benefits that may be funded
Woodland Street Ponds Grassland/Wildflowers Hedgerow Food Green Green River/Water Flood Poor Health Access Climate Image Culture Biodiversity Trees Growing Roof Wall improvements Air change and Quality adaptation Heritage
Setting the Scene for Growth 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Woodland Grant Scheme 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 RDPE Funds 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Landfill Tax Credit Scheme 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Aggregates Levy 1 1 1 1 1 1 Lottery Funds 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Heritage 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Big Lottery 1 1 Trusts 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Section 106 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Community Infrastructure Levy 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Environment Agency 1 1 1 PCT 1
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Wirral Waters Green Infrastructure Prospectus
United Utilities 1 Tourism Bodies 1 Local Transport Plan 1 1 1 DEFRA 1 1 1 1 1 Local Economic Partnership 1 EU Funds 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Community Environment Fund 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Private Sector Sponsorship 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
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Appendix 6
Valuing the GI proposals
The development of Wirral Waters is a programme of national significance in an area of high levels of deprivation and inequality; an area in need of investment for sustainable growth. Green infrastructure will underpin the quality of place and life in and around Wirral Waters. The approach is not a panacea, but it can play an important part in ensuring that the development fulfils its potential and does not exacerbate current problems. Initial proposals for a programme of green infrastructure creation and improvements in the areas surrounding Wirral Waters have been proposed. These are estimates, greater value will be gained by more ambitious programmes.
Table 3 Proposed projects Project type Measure Description Green Streets 35 km of A community led programme of urban tree planting road along important road routes. “Meanwhile” 11 ha Planting of temporary, fast growing coppice or land treatment forest trees to produce a biomass crop in 3 – 5 years. May also include food growing or wildflower sowing. Long term GI 18 ha Design and implementation of new areas of woodland or other habitats that provide the types of functionality that have been identified as important. Access 1 new car Bidston Moss is an underutilised asset, one that improvement park for becomes more even important as the new homes Bidston Moss are created at Wirral Waters. Improved access to encourage greater use is critical to the long term success of the site.
It is estimated that implementation costs will be circa £2m, that a programme of Social Enterprise can be developed gain additional local benefit and that given support work could commence in late 2011, with some of the benefits immediately apparent. Using the prototype Green Infrastructure Valuation Toolkit, this study provides a preliminary assessment of the economic value of the work undertaken. Overall the toolkit shows a net present value for the project of £29.5m. Making the initial investment of £2m a sound one based on this assessment Economic value is shown in the case study as one of two types:
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Wirral Waters Green Infrastructure Prospectus
1. Contribution to GVA – this is a contribution to the economy through increased profit, reduced costs, salary etc. for Stanley Bank the toolkit identified value of £12.7m 2. Other economic benefit - contribution to the broader economic context such as the value in terms of improved health, or the value that society puts on biodiversity – areas where there is no “market” that provides a pricing mechanism. For Stanley Bank the toolkit identified value of £16.7m This significant economic return is due to; Environmental Return: • Brownfield converted to green space Filtered stormwater runoff to the river • Return of wildlife to site • Reduced air pollution • Carbon locked up in trees and woodland • Heat island impacts reduced across the area • Noise reduction Social and Cultural Return: • 10,000 additional visitors per year1 • Venues for community festivals • Enhanced community pride • Opportunities for food growing • Skills training and community enterprises linked to the development • 400 additional volunteers
Quality of Place: • Green routes throughout the area • High quality spaces for leisure and recreation • Enhanced key gateways into the area • Image of riverfront edge changed from industrial to green • Views of the river opened to local community and visitors
A range of potential partners, including The Mersey Forest, Groundwork and Faith4Change have been identified as being able to take forward aspects of the programme and engage effectively with local communities. Funding sources have been identified, but will need development time to apply for and then initiate the projects.
1 This is likely to be an underestimate, the improvements to Bidston alone could, based on new data from Sutton Manor, increase visits by 100,000 per year
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