Middlesbrough Council Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy 2021-2037

Part 1: Setting the Scene Document control

Version Date Status Prepared Approved

1.0. October 2020 Draft Part 1 Report LW, MC, SS, EB TJ 1.1 February 2021 Final Draft Part 1 Report LW, MC, SS, EB TJ 1.2 April 2021 Final Part 1 Report LW, MC, SS, EB TJ

Project LUC project team Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy Mark Cooke Lucy Wallwork Client Sofie Swindlehurst Emily Beedham LUC Project Number 11038 Date Project Team April 2021 The Strategy has been prepared by a team led by LUC of planners, ecologists and landscape architects. Note This document and its contents have been prepared by All comments and contributions to the development of the LUC for Middlesbrough Council. study are gratefully acknowledged. LUC assume no responsibility to any other party in respect of or arising out of or in connection with this document and/ or its contents. Contents

Chapter 1 4 Chapter 7 Introduction Theme 5: The Blue Network and 42 Waterfronts

Chapter 2 Chapter 8 The Vision for Middlesbrough’s GBI 9 Theme 6: Walking and Cycling 47 Network

Chapter 3 Appendix A 53 Theme 1: Regeneration, Heritage 11 and ‘Sense of Place’ Policy Review

Chapter 4 Appendix B 61 Theme 2: Biodiversity and 19 Geodiversity Record of Stakeholder Consultation

Chapter 5 63 Theme 3: Reconnecting 26 Appendix C Communities with Nature Output of Stakeholder Workshops

Chapter 6 Theme 4: A Resilient Landscape 37 Chapter 1 Introduction to Part 1 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Chapter 1 Introduction to Part 1 This Strategy is designed 1.1 ‘Green and blue infrastructure’ (or GBI) is an essential component of healthy, thriving communities and to identify and prioritise the ecosystems. Working on behalf of Middlesbrough Council, actions required to strengthen and in consultation with key stakeholders, LUC was commissioned to prepare a Green and Blue Infrastructure Middlesbrough’s network of Strategy for the Borough. This new strategy identifies Improving resident’s and visitor’s Aesthetic value and reinforcing Play, education and interaction green and blue features up opportunities across the Borough to protect and enhance physical & mental health sense of place with nature GBI, helping to guide the investment and delivery of GBI until 2037, at all scales. It and its associated benefits, to support the Council’s new provides a Vision of a robust Local Plan. The Strategy is split into two parts: network, providing a broad Part 1 ‘sets the scene’ by providing a baseline range of functions – from play analysis; Active transport opportunities, such as Reducing the risk of flooding and improving Opportunities for community Part 2 outlines an Action Plan of Priority Opportunities walking and cycling water quality growing and recreation, to biodiverse and delivery mechanisms. habitats and flood resilience. What is Green and Blue Infrastructure? 1.2 Green and blue infrastructure (or GBI) is a term used to describe the network of natural and semi-natural

features within and between our villages, towns and cities. Improving air quality and noise Increased economic activity and Urban cooling and enhanced efficiency of regulation improved house prices building climate systems 1.3 GBI includes parks and open space but is not limited to the open space network. It captures features at all scales, from river catchments to planters and rain gardens within urban streetscapes.

1.4 The concept has become prevalent across the UK government’s policy agenda and among a variety of other Space for biodiversity and improved Opportunities for social interactions & Carbon sequestration and mitigating climate actors, including developers and transport authorities. It ecological resilience community cohesion change has been promoted through the 2018 publication of the 25 Year Environment Plan (25YEP). As the Landscape An illustration of the multiple functions (or benefits) which GBI can provide. Institute has urged, “it has never been more necessary to invest in green infrastructure”.

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1.5 GBI is characterised by its ‘network’ status and by place the ambitions of the 25YEP on statutory footing, by 1.13 The Borough is predominantly urban in character, its ‘multi-functionality’, which ranges from providing and creating a new governance framework for the environment, to with only around 30% of the land in agricultural use. Once connecting habitats for wildlife, to providing the open space ensure a ‘cleaner, greener and more resilient country for the a thriving steel town, the Borough has suffered population and recreational assets that communities require in order to next generation’ as the UK leaves the EU. decline since the 1960s. However today, a number of help tackle multiple health and wellbeing issues. regeneration initiatives provide the opportunity to create 1.9 The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sustainable communities, and the successful and expanding explicitly addresses the need for GBI networks, stating that University of and Middlesbrough’s colleges The Policy Context for Green and Blue Infrastructure strategic policies in plans should set out an overall strategy contribute to the town’s economic prosperity. that makes sufficient provision for the conservation and 1.6 The 25 Year Environment Plan (25YEP), published in enhancement of green infrastructure (Paragraph 20). It also 1.14 In terms of its landscape context, Middlesbrough is 2018, sets out the Government’s support for habitat creation, requires that planning policies should aim to achieve healthy, located on the alluvial plain to the south of the . multi-functional sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDs), inclusive and safe places, including through the provision At the beginning of the 19th century was a small farm of only and natural spaces close to where people live and work. It of ‘safe and accessible green infrastructure’ (Paragraph 91) 25 people, however today much of the underlying landform is represents an important shift in thinking towards long term and should plan positively for the provision of shared spaces masked by urban development. positive action to improve people’s lives and the environment. and community facilities, including open space (Paragraph It views the planning system as a key mechanism for 1.15 Over the years Middlesbrough’s landscape has been 92). Regarding new development, the NPPF requires that delivering upon its ambitions. The first action of the 25 Year influenced significantly by industrial development, given the it be planned in a way that avoids increased vulnerability to Environment Plan seeks to embed an ‘environmental net significant growth experienced in the 19th century and into the range of impacts arising from climate change, particularly gain’ principle into development: the 20th century. Since iron was discovered near Eston in in vulnerable areas, and states that risks can be managed 1850 and was used to satisfy demand for the expansion of “We want to establish strategic, flexible and locally through the planning of green infrastructure (Paragraph 150). the railway, Middlesbrough became known as the ‘iron town’ tailored approaches that recognise the relationship 1.10 Paragraph 171 of the NPPF also requires that a strategic and the Tees as the ‘steel river’. This GBI Strategy now offers between the quality of the environment and development. approach is used to ensure that, within a plan area, networks the opportunity to continue, and accelerate, the process of That will enable us to achieve measurable improvements of habitats and green infrastructure are maintained, and that ‘greening the grey’, to help the GBI network become a pivotal for the environment – ‘environmental net gains’ – planning is undertaken for the enhancement of natural capital part of Middlesbrough’s identity in the 21st century. while ensuring economic growth and reducing costs, at a catchment or landscape scale across local authority complexity and delays for developers.” 1.16 Because the Borough is predominantly urban, those boundaries. areas of green space which Middlesbrough does have must 1.7 It goes on to state that the Government wants: 1.11 The full policy context which informed this Strategy (on a work harder. Expansive areas of open space are largely “to expand the net gain approaches used for biodiversity national, regional and local scale) is provided in Appendix A. limited to the narrow belt of farmland in the south of the to include wider natural capital benefits, such as flood borough. However, the Beck Valleys - flowing northward to protection, recreation and improved water and air quality. the River Tees – provide an important function as green and Middlesbrough today: a Landscape Narrative They will enable local planning authorities to target blue ‘fingers’ reaching into urbanised areas and linking them environmental enhancements that are needed most in 1.12 Middlesbrough is a town in the north east of with the open countryside to the south. There is also much their areas and give flexibility to developers in providing with a population of around 140,000 and is the principal scope to weave smaller-scale GBI assets through the built-up them.” centre of the conurbation. It lies roughly half way areas and to further enhance Middlesbrough’s park space. between the major cities of Newcastle and , as well as 1.8 The emerging landmark Environment Bill sets out to 1.17 Looking to the future, Middlesbrough Council has on the borders of the North Moors National Park. LUC | 06 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

adopted the principles of One Planet Living into the way it Residents and local businesses, to understand the plans and delivers its services and was accredited as a One principles and benefits of GBI and how the Council will Task 1 Review of policy context at national, Planet Living Region by international charity BioRegional be delivering improvements in the GBI network across regional and local level (see Appendix in 2011. One Planet Living is a sustainability framework Middlesbrough. A). created by BioRegional in 2002 and comprising of ten simple principles with detailed goals and guidance. Middlesbrough’s Approach Task 2 Desk-based analysis and analysis of GIS data sets. involvement was built on the recognition that if everyone 1.20 The steps taken to develop this Strategy are outlined in lived like the average Middlesbrough or UK resident currently Figure 1.1. does, we would need three planets to sustain our lifestyles. 1.21 The Strategy is structured around a series of six The framework responds to this by seeking to create a Task 3 Development of six tailored GBI ‘themes’, that relate to the multiple functions which GBI more sustainable community which lives within the planet’s ‘themes’. available resources. As such, there is now an ambition assets provide. Climate Change has been identified in this that sustainability considerations underpin all aspects of Strategy as a fundamental cross-cutting theme which affects and influences the various functions which the GBI network development in Middlesbrough. Description of current baseline status delivers. The six GBI themes, which provide the ‘backbone’ Task 4 of the network by theme, accompanied for this Strategy, are outlined in Figure 1.2. How does this Strategy support Middlesbrough’s Local by mapping. Plan? 1.22 However, like the regional Tees Valley GI Strategy, this Strategy places greater emphasis on the importance of multi- Task 5 Consultation with key local 1.18 The Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy serves as functional corridors - by identifying not only discrete themes stakeholders - online surveys, part of the evidence base underpinning Middlesbrough’s but focusses on the linkages between assets across various interactive mapping and series of emerging Local Plan. themes and how they work together to create green corridors. virtual GBI workshops. 1.19 Together with Middlesbrough’s emerging Green 1.23 The Strategy is also focussed around a Vision. This Revisiting baseline and drawing Strategy, this Strategy should also form the basis of Task 6 was developed during the Part 2 process, after being ‘tested’ out Key Issues and Emerging expectations and priorities for GBI investment across the through consultation. However it is included within Part 1 Opportunities. Borough. As such, it should be used by: also (Chapter 2), given its importance in guiding all proposed The Development Management Team, particularly to actions taking place under this Strategy. guide negotiations with developers over delivery of both Stakeholder Consultation Figure 1.1 Key tasks undertaken for Part 1 of the GBI Strategy on site and off site GBI and to maximise the potential of development to deliver Biodiversity Net Gain where 1.24 In order to provide a successful framework for action, possible. the GBI Strategy must accurately reflect local priorities and challenges. The delivery of GBI enhancements in The Council Green Spaces team, in informing the Middlesbrough will also be the responsibility of a wide range management of areas of open space under their control. of partners beyond the Planning department, and extends to Local community groups, to help co-ordinate initiatives Middlesbrough’s strong network of community groups. such as neighbourhood-scale projects, urban farming 1.25 As such, consultation with key stakeholders sits at the initiatives and Beck Valley improvements. heart of this Strategy. Due to restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic during the course of the development of this Strategy, the consultation process took place remotely LUC | 07 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

and consisted of the stages set out below. A range of in Part 2 (the Action Plan). This Vision is translated into, Appendix A: Policies reviewed as part of drafting the selected local stakeholders with a role in the Borough’s GBI and accompanied by, a series of theme-specific Objectives Strategy. Network were invited to take part: - these Objectives are identified in Part 2 and will guide actions for the GBI network based on identified assets and 1. An online survey, consisting of a set of questions challenges to be addressed. The Vision was tested and identifying strengths and weaknesses in the network, and Appendix B: A record of stakeholder consultation carried refined during stakeholder consultation. opportunities for improvement. out for the Strategy. 1.29 Flowing from this Vision, the remainder of Part 1 of this 2. An interactive map identifying assets within the GBI strategy will set out the baseline for Middlesbrough’s Green network, providing stakeholders with the opportunity to and Blue Infrastructure network and is structured through a leave comments. Appendix C: A ‘snapshot’ of the virtual whiteboards series of six ‘themes’: used to capture discussion during stakeholder workshops 3. A series of more targeted virtual Technical Workshops, Regeneration, heritage and ‘sense of place’ carried out as part of the Strategy. with one workshop carried out for each GBI Theme. Biodiversity and Geodiversity 1.26 The results of these workshops were used as a key input Reconnecting communities with nature 1.32 The separate Part 2 (Action Plan) document consists of into the process of identifying Priority Opportunities for the A resilient landscape a series of profiles for each identified Priority Opportunity, and network, which are outlined in Part 2 of the Strategy. The blue network and waterfronts identifies how each responds to the Emerging Opportunities Walking and cycling 1.27 The consultation process was also used to ‘test’ the identified within this Part 1 report. proposed Vision for Middlesbrough’s GBI Network, ensuring 1.30 An overview of each ‘Theme’ finishes with a Summary of 1.33 Part 2 of the Strategy also contains a Chapter detailing that it reflects a wide range of views and aspirations for the Key Issues and a set of Emerging Opportunities. various mechanisms for delivering the Priority Opportunities, future of Middlesbrough in 2037. 1.31 A series of Appendices to Part 1 are provided to give including proposed partners, funding and delivery further detail on the following parts of the Strategy process: mechanisms. How the remainder of this Strategy is structured

1.28 The Vision for Middlesbrough’s GBI network is set out in Chapter 2 and guides the opportunities identified

Regeneration, heritage and Biodiversity and Reconnecting communities A resilient landscape The blue network Walking and Cycling Cross-cutting theme: ‘sense of place’ geodiversity with nature and waterfronts Climate Change

Figure 1.2: The six GBI ‘themes’ used for this Strategy. LUC | 08 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council Chapter 2 The Vision for Middlesbrough’s GBI Network

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By 2037 Middlesbrough will be the greenest town in Tees Valley, and one where regeneration is firmly led by the ‘green and blue’ rather than the ‘grey’. The green and blue infrastructure network will be anchored by the town’s rich industrial and pre-industrial heritage assets, linked together by a mosaic of green spaces at all scales, that helps people reconnect with the natural environment on their doorstep and which tackles the root of health inequalities.

Housing set against Middlehaven Urban Park. Green routes will make walking and cycling the natural way to travel around the town, and will help to reclaim and green the town’s streets as a public space for gathering with neighbours, and for children to play and travel to school safely.

Middlesbrough will also lead the way regionally as a resilient urban landscape with significantly boosted tree cover, and which is reshaped to make a meaningful contribution to tackling climate change and bio- diversity challenges. It will be a town where urban wildlife can thrive by View down the Ormesby Beck green corridor. creating bigger, better and more joined up habitats.

Finally, local communities and their efforts will sit at the heart of efforts to shape the network, from school children to volunteer groups and local businesses. By joining up these efforts, change will go beyond isolated projects to create an integrated, landscape-scale regeneration of Mid- dlesbrough’s natural environment.

Landscape within the Borough’s swathe of southern farmland. LUC | 010 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council Chapter 3 Theme 1: Economic regeneration, heritage and ‘sense of place’

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Chapter 3 Theme 1: Economic regeneration, heritage and ‘sense of place’

Regeneration and urban living in Middlesbrough Middlesbrough continues the process of redefining itself as Middlesbrough has made the economic heart of the Tees Valley, the GBI network must significant steps in recent years 1.34 Middlesbrough’s growth as a town was driven by the be part of that reworked narrative, as it is recognised that an 19th century Industrial Revolution, with major sources enhanced environment will be central to reaching this vision to transform from a town with of employment in the iron and steel, shipbuilding, heavy and in forging a new identity for the town. engineering and petrochemical business on the bank of the a legacy of ‘grey’ industry to “We must continue to invest in place to ensure that we River Tees and surrounding areas. However the decline of continue to attract and retain the businesses and people one where the ‘green’ is now traditional industries in the late 20th century had a major we need” celebrated. Urban greening impact on the town, leaving a rich heritage but also a legacy of deprivation, particularly in the east and north of the - Tees Valley Strategy Economic Plan, 2016-2026) initiatives will be key in borough. The UK’s Index of Multiple Deprivation (2019) now 1.37 A key challenge will be creating attractive places highlights several of the borough’s wards as being among the underpinning the next stage underpinned by a flourishing environment, and which offer a most deprived in the country – notably around Middlehaven quality of life that encourages people to stay in Middlesbrough of regeneration and economic and other areas along the River Tees corridor, with further and help to create a shared ‘sense of place’. recovery, providing a setting concentrations of deprivation around and , as highlighted later in Figure 5.1 (Chapter 5). It has “There is need for joined up thinking to maximise for the town’s heritage, creating also left a landscape heavily modified by human activity along Middlehaven’s potential, with walking and cycling ‘sense of place’ and turning the Tees (see Theme 4). However recent investments in the prioritised” decontamination of the Middlehaven area, Middlehaven’s - Stakeholder comment around the stigma attached to linear park and the redevelopment of Centre Square provide some areas of the Borough. The stepping stones towards a different future for the Tees green and blue network must Corridor. Supporting regeneration 1.35 At a regional level, one of the foremost challenges facing 1.38 In order to set the scene for regeneration and renewal be maximised to shape new the wider region is the need to reduce economic and social areas in the town, the Investment Priorities highlighted in the ‘gateways’, to create greater disparities between the North East and other regions. The Middlesbrough Investment Prospectus (2017) are illustrated Strategic Plan for Middlesbrough (2020-2023) echoes this in Figure 3.1 and described in Box 3.1. resilience to climate change, ambition at a more local level, seeking to reverse years of 1.39 A GBI-led approach to development and regeneration decline by tackling challenges head on, transforming the town and deliver the kind of liveable recognises the need for a holistic approach to the planning centre and reasserting Middlesbrough as a thriving town at and design of new development to meet commercial and neighbourhoods that will attract the heart of the Tees Valley. public objectives, while also delivering resilient landscapes.1 people to live and work in 1.36 The current vision for Middlesbrough’s regeneration is Middlesbrough. set out in the towns Regeneration DPD (2009). However, as 1 Landscape Institute (2013), ‘Green Infrastructure: An integrated approach to land use’, Position Statement. LUC | 012 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy Middlesbrough Council Figure 3.1: Regeneration and placemaking priorities in the north of Middlesbrough Box 3.1: Investment priorities in Middlesbrough

a major mixed- the city region’s premier Greater Middlehaven: Centre Square: Stockton-on-Tees use educational, leisure, sport and office location and cultural/leisure hub, entertainment destination centred on the centred on the refurbished Town Hall and brownfield site at the former dockland surrounding areas. and surrounding area framed by the River Tees and reaching into Middlesbrough town centre. Home to both Middlesbrough Teesside Media & Innovation Village: Football Club and the ‘Boho Zone’ a restructuring of Middlesbrough’s centre (designed as a new digital and creative to create an iconic regional destination business hub). The master plan for this for media, digital, creativity, learning and area is structured around a bold blue/ leisure. Located to the west of the town green concept which introduces the centre and incorporating the former bus use of structural landscaping and water station site. features as the environmental context for 2 regeneration. Various residential-led regeneration schemes in areas of historically high Railway Station and Historic Quarter: deprivation, including Gresham and Grove a strategic transport gateway and iconic Hill. feature which is part of Middlesbrough’s historic heart (St Hilda’s) and connects the town centre to the Greater Middlehaven regeneration zone. The station is due to launch a direct rail link to London in 2020 and holds strong potential as a ‘gateway’ to the town on arrival. 1

University Quarter: home to Teesside

0 1 2 University, with plans for a new student F km Map scale 1:15,000 @ A3 Service Layer Credits: Source: Esri, Maxar, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Community CB:KC EB:Bean_C LUC 11038_000_FIG_3_1_r0_A3P 27/10/2020 village, a key centre for the evening Source: MC, OS, Sustrans Figure 3.1: Regeneration and placemaking priorities in the north of economy and the focus of public realm Middlesbrough Middlesbrough boundary Watercourse Residential regeneration initiative improvements. The Quarter lies adjacent to Local centre Regeneration zones 1. Grove Hill site the Gresham regeneration area. Existing employment site Middlehaven 2. Gresham site Green infrastructure asset TeesAMP site Town centre National cycle network University quarter Railway Railway station/Historic quarter ! Railway station LUC | 013 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

1.40 Continuing Middlesbrough’s transformation will require Box 3.1: Mechanisms by which GBI supports economic investment not only hard infrastructure investment, but also the re- establishment of positive perceptions of the town among local Providing a vital infrastructural basis for population re-populate urban areas, in order to support brownfield people, incoming visitors and businesses, who can all play an growth: GBI should form a vital part of the overall regeneration initiatives and attract and retain ‘home important role in the town’s revival. The regeneration agenda urban functioning infrastructure system that successful, grown’ talent. This will require a strong green space must not only change the physical landscape but also foster growing cities need, just as ‘hard’ transport and utilities network that supports a high quality of life, particularly a revived sense of civic pride among local people. A GBI-led infrastructure does. for young families. Population projections for regeneration agenda offers the opportunity to pursue a more Middlesbrough from 2018- 2043 highlight a decline in Raising property values: While value calculations people-focussed transformation of the borough. all age groups under 70 under current scenarios and draw on complex evaluations of social, economic and highlight the ongoing challenge of ‘urban flight’ (see “People have bad perceptions of Middlesbrough. I will ecological influences, academic research has illustrated Theme 3). lead a campaign to make sure the towns strengths and that urban green space can have a significant impact on successes are acknowledged. We will transform how local housing and commercial markets, where it produces Boosting retail revenues on local high streets: The people view our town” more attractive and functional landscapes. This is GBI ‘audits’ being carried out by Business Improvement - Mayor’s comment in the Middlesbrough Strategic Plan particularly relevant in the light of ongoing depressed Districts (BIDs) in various town centres in London and (2020-23) property values in Middlesbrough. elsewhere point to the role of GBI in helping to reverse the crisis faced by local high streets, particularly in the Boosting resilience to extreme weather events: 1.41 Indeed, the Tees Valley Green Infrastructure wake of the Covid-19 crisis of 2020. GBI will play a Particularly given flooding events affecting the Tees Strategy “revolves around achieving closer links between central role in the ‘re-imagining’ of town centre spaces Valley in 2013 and 2016 (see Theme 5), the economic environment improvement and the major development that act not only as retail zones but as vibrant meeting costs of future flooding events, as the impacts of projects proposed in the Tees Valley” and requires that the spaces and attractive, walkable community assets. The climate change are felt, are likely to be significant. The GBI network provides an enhanced environmental context for creation of a ‘sense of place’ in which people want to Environment Agency estimated the total economic cost of new development and regeneration schemes. linger, spending more time and money, will be vital in the UK’s 2015-16 winter floods at £1.6 billion, and there the recovery and transformation of high streets. This 1.42 Particularly over the last decade, the Climate is a growing realisation that environments susceptible to will allow the town to build on the platform of success Emergency has forced us to rethink the role of landscape in flooding are less desirable places to live. regeneration. In particular, it has led us to re-evaluate what in districts such as Middlesbrough’s developing ‘urban’ looks like when we are regenerating zones such as Attracting people and families: Middlesbrough’s ‘independent quarter’ around Baker Street, the strength Middlesbrough’s emerging ‘digital clusters’. New urban areas development strategy rests on encouraging people to of which rests in large part on its ‘placemaking’ value. need to be re-imagined for the 21st century and much of this will involve ‘softening’ landscapes with GBI and encouraging buildings to engage more meaningfully with their natural intrinsic value, which makes it difficult to place a monetary economic success”. surroundings, even within the most urbanised areas. This value on, the UK’s 2011 National Ecosystem Assessment 1.45 While over Middlesbrough’s early history, investment should begin with a design process which ‘uncovers’ and estimated that the UK’s landscape delivered a minimum of £2 was firmly driven by the prioritisation of ‘grey’ infrastructure values the underlying landscapes wherever possible. billion per year to the country’s economy through social and – with chemical plants and factories lining the banks of economic benefits, and ecosystem services. the Tees – the challenges of the 21st century demand Making the business case for the GBI network 1.44 As the Tees Valley Green Infrastructure Strategy that investment is now focussed on delivery of the ‘green’ 1.43 While a flourishing natural environment arguably has highlights, “GI can clearly play a major role in improving infrastructure. Ongoing investments such as the Tees AMP

LUC | 014 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy advanced manufacturing park are part of this agenda. However, the GBI Figure 3.2: Middlesbrough’s Historic Environment and Key HeritageMiddlesbrough Assets Council network must ensure that it plays a vital role in efforts to meet these 21st century challenges.

1.46 Emerging research points to a number of ways in which GBI investment can support economic investment in the context of

Middlesbrough, which are further detailed in Box 3.1. " Û1 " Û2 1.47 In particular, Middlesbrough town centre has struggled in recent

years from competition from out-of-town centres, falling footfall and, " Û3 Cargo Fleet most recently, by the additional impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Redcar and Cleveland Middlesbrough Strategic Plan (2020-23) notes that “our once fantastic Stockton-on-Tees Newport

town centre has been allowed to decay and become a pale shadow of its " Û4 Grove Hill former self”. This has brought to the fore the need to rethink the role of " Û5

the town centre, and how the public realm and wider environment might Town Farm be rethought to support that role. There is an important role for the GBI network to play in enabling this high street revival process. Beechwood Ormesby Park End " Supporting Middlesbrough’s historic environment Û6 Acklam 1.48 The Borough’s One Planet Living framework places the Borough’s heritage at the heart of its vision of a sustainable future, seeking to

Marton increase awareness of, and participation in, Middlesbrough’s culture, Brookfield local heritage and identity.

Nunthorpe 1.49 Middlesbrough has been described as the ‘oldest new town’ in the Hemlington country, thanks to its rapid growth in the late 19th century on the back Coulby Newham Stainton of the iron and steel industries. As a result, many of the town’s heritage Thornton assets are linked to the town’s industrial history.

1.50 The Borough contains eight Conservation Areas and over 120 listed buildings, as shown in Figure 3.2. – lying within the ‘Green

Heart’ Green Wedge – is Grade I listed, and Albert Park is recognised as Hambleton a Registered Park and Garden due to its historic interest. However, the key landmark feature of Middlesbrough is arguably the Tees Transporter 0 1 2 F km Bridge, which opened in 1911 and now lies on the edge of the Greater Map scale 1:40,000 @ A3 Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2021 CB:CB EB:Chamberlain_K LUC 11038_006_FIG_3_2_r0_A3P 08/02/2021 Source: OS, HE Middlehaven regeneration zone in the northern edge of the Borough.

The bridge not only serves as a heritage asset but (when operational) Middlesbrough boundary " Û Key historic asset provides a route to the Saltholme Nature Reserve on the northern side of Scheduled monument Conservation area 1. Tees the River Tees. Registered park and garden 2. Old Town Hall Heritage at risk 3. Town Hall and Municipal Buildings Listed building 4. Albert Park 1.51 However, both Acklam Hall Consevation Area and the town’s Grade 5. ! I 6. Acklam Hall LUC | 015 ! II* and II Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Historic Quarter are currently on Historic England’s Heritage features that give a nod to the Borough’s industrial heritage. at Risk register – with the former being highlighted through This helps to reinforce local identity, rather than erode it, stakeholder consultation for this Strategy. The stakeholder when managing change. Preserving these landscapes consultation process carried out for this Strategy also requires equal levels of attention to that of preserving listed revealed a perception that existing heritage assets are being buildings. overlooked due to lack of attention to their setting.

1.52 Part of Middlesbrough’s regeneration trajectory will Middlesbrough’s street tree network entail the uncovering and re-valuation of the Borough’s 1.55 Trees in urban areas play a number of roles, including historic environment assets, helping to establish a sense of removing harmful greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, distinctiveness and a tangible link with local history. The GBI improving air quality, regenerating soil, providing shelter network plays a central role in this, by providing the setting for to wildlife, providing shade during summer and warm heritage assets and creating connections between them and temperatures (regulating the urban heat island effect) and other parts of the Borough. As the Tees Valley GI Strategy Regenerated public realm around Centre Square. enhancing the streetscape. They can also provide visual highlights, “many historic features are important in providing focus to an area and support high quality, navigable and informal recreation and enjoyment of open space.” inspiring urban design and streetscapes. 1.53 Work is already being done to strengthen the role 1.56 Tree cover across the borough is generally low at 11.8% of heritage assets in the town through the High Streets of total land area. There are aspirations within the Council to Heritage Action Zones programme. This work is focussing increase cover to 16%, bringing it more in line with national on reinvigorating the Historic Quarter with its handsome targets. In late 2019 Middlesbrough Council secured funding Victorian buildings and includes a significant amount of public from the Urban Tree Challenge (UTC) to plant 1,200 trees realm improvements. Efforts to improve the town centre GBI across the town, from street trees to community woodlands. network should align with work already being done through This forms part of a wider agenda to plant 10,000 trees this programme. Concerns were raised by stakeholders across Middlesbrough. These trees are to be targeted in around a need to link heritage assets more effectively (such some of the Borough’s most deprived wards, including: as Acklam Hall and Ormesby Hall, industrial features such Newport Park, North Ormesby, Brambles & Thorntree, as the Transporter Bridge and the riverside walk) into green Murals bring alive Middlesbrough’s burgeoning ‘independent quarter’. Berwick Hills & Pallister, and Longlands & Beechwood. space development.

1.54 Middlesbrough’s historic environment goes beyond Supporting the visitor economy buildings, and touches on the history of the landscape itself. The GBI strategy offers the opportunity to better understand 1.57 New green spaces or semi-natural spaces can make an historical land use patterns against a backdrop of a landscape important positive contribution to the visitor economy. heavily influenced by human activity, and where appropriate 1.58 An estimated 10 million visitors visit Middlesbrough each to start to ‘uncover’ natural landscapes and preserve them year.2 This includes both tourists and business travellers. as part of the network. This might, for example, inform There is an ambition to grow this, with the Middlesbrough interventions around the historically industrialised Tees River Town Centre Strategy (2019-2023) recommending the Corridor, and the continued enhancement of the Beck Valleys launch of a destination marketing campaign. Green routes, (see Theme 5). However, it can also seek to incorporate 2 Middlesbrough City Centre Strategy 2019-23. Acklam Hall, and the Avenue of Trees that create its setting, are LUC | 016 key heritage assets in the GBI network. Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

connections and ‘gateways’ will form a key part of this offer, in transforming perceptions of Middlesbrough as somewhere to Summary of Key Issues Emerging Opportunities both visit and invest.

1.59 The – within the Middlehaven regeneration zone – is a key destination for the Visitor Development which has taken place at Middlehaven RG1: The GBI network has a key role to play in the Economy, and forms a key destination within that zone, to date incorporates some valuable areas of next phase of Middlesbrough’s regeneration, building as well as an important node on various strategic active landscape and public realm, however, it is currently on existing interventions within Middlehaven and the travel routes, notably the Teesdale Way. Nearby, the Tees disjointed and needs to maximise the GBI network town centre to create an ambitious landscape-led Transporter Bridge, as an iconic symbol of the region’s and key green routes. regeneration agenda. engineering heritage, is a draw for tourists and will benefit from any ‘green corridors’ connecting it with the Station Area Middlesbrough’s town centre has struggled in recent RG2: A GBI-led town centre revival, whereby the and other sites to the north. years as a result of competition from out-of-town integration of green and blue features into the public centres and, most recently, by the dramatic impact realm helps create a vibrant multi-purpose town 1.60 Within the town centre area, the ambitious refurbishment of the Covid-19 pandemic. The GBI network has a centre, to boost ‘liveability’ and stem urban flight of has provided a premium event key role to play in ongoing and future efforts to revive among young people. space. However, this needs better support from a more the high street and will require collaboration between inspiring and better-connected wider public realm that various actors in both the public and private sectors to RG3: Better integration of historic environment assets reaches beyond the site itself and connects more seamlessly support its shifting role. into the GBI network to boost accessibility, as well to the regenerated Station as a ‘green gateway’. as to draw on precedent from elsewhere to integrate Middlesbrough’s historic environment, both industrial their features into wider ‘greener’ landscapes. and otherwise, sits at the heart of the borough’s Growing new jobs: GBI and employment vision for a more sustainable future, and provides an RG4: Expansion of urban tree canopy cover in order to enhance the public realm, provide attractive places 1.61 The GBI network also has the potential to directly create important sense of local identity as well as supporting to live and work, and provide functions such as flood jobs itself. There are several areas where this can be the the visitor economy. However, some of these assets resilience and urban cooling. case: are at risk and there is a sense that they are currently overlooked within the network. Ecological restoration work; RG5: Expansion and enhancement of key ‘green Wastewater management; Tree canopy cover in Middlesbrough’s urbanised corridors’ and enhanced wayfinding, in order to better Tree planting; townscape is low, and street trees will be an important link key assets and destinations, and to support the Forestry and woodland conservation; and part of the response. Borough’s visitor economy. Horticulture. There is a current perception that heritage assets RG6: There is an opportunity for investments in the 1.62 In particular, the UK government’s ambitious targets for and key destinations (such as the Riverside Stadium GBI network to create jobs, including in forestry and woodland creation across the country and the local policies and ) have great potential woodland and in ecological restoration work. which reflect those ambitions, will require skill building in to support the Borough’s visitor economy but are woodland management. It will also present an opening for currently poorly linked together. using land for tree nurseries which can supply planting efforts with local tree stock (which is currently largely imported).

LUC | 017 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council Chapter 4 Theme 2: Biodiversity and Geodiversity

LUC | 018 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Chapter 4 Theme 2: Biodiversity and Geodiversity Middlesbrough is a landscape A network-led approach minimising impacts on and providing measurable net gains for biodiversity, including by establishing coherent ecological 1.63 A network-led approach to understanding the character, heavily modified by human networks that are more resilient to current and future distribution and condition of our ecological assets underpins pressures.” activity, and today the our ability to develop a vision for its recovery. This vision landscape presents a unique is one of thriving wildlife, which is resilient to the pressures 1.67 This GBI Strategy has an important role in identifying of climate change, and which reflects local character whilst the opportunities to strengthen the nature network, ensuring mosaic ranging from industrial knitting into the wider regional network. optimal value for biodiversity and the ecosystem services this provides. and residential areas to 1.64 Key drivers include the Government’s 25 Year valuable wildlife habitats, Environment Plan (25YEP) 2018, which calls for a national 1.68 The ecological character of Middlesbrough is principally Nature Recovery Network as “an expanding and increasingly- driven by the River Tees Corridor and the tributary Beck particularly along the River connected network of wildlife-rich habitat”, with Local Nature Valleys landscape areas. Both were identified within the Tees Corridor and Beck Recovery Strategies (LNRSs) designed to deliver this at the wider Tees Valley network in 2017 (see Figure 4.1). Two sub-regional scale. The ambitions of the 25YEP include the broad opportunity areas were identified within the borough – Valleys. Against the backdrop creation or restoration of 500,000ha of wildlife-rich habitat in the industrialised north within the meander of the Tees, and of a global biodiversity crisis, outside the protected site networks by way of supporting in the rural southeast toward Langbaurgh Ridge. “thriving plants & wildlife”. In broad terms, this would roughly actions taken under this translate into the creation of an additional 113 hectares of Strategy should focus on both habitat within Middlesbrough. protecting existing habitats and 1.65 The UK’s Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) aspires for planning authorities, neighbourhood planning bodies and linking them together to form other partners to “work collaboratively with other partners to the basis for a Nature Recovery develop and deliver a strategic approach to protecting and improving the natural environment based on local priorities Network. and evidence”. It states that together “they need to consider the opportunities that individual development proposals may provide to conserve and enhance biodiversity and geodiversity and contribute to habitat connectivity in the wider area including as part of the Nature Recovery Network”, as described in the 25YEP.

1.66 The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) also states that ‘planning policies and decisions should “contribute Figure 4.1: Biodiversity Opportunity Areas within Middlesbrough as part of the wider Tees Valley network (from Tees Valley to and enhance the natural and local environment by… Nature Partnership) LUC | 019 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy 1.69 Within the national Natural England Middlesbrough’s existing network of Figure 4.2: Biodiversity assets in and around Middlesbrough Middlesbrough Council nature recovery network mapping shown in designated sites Figure 4.3: 1.71 Given its heavily urbanised nature, Both the Tees corridor north of the A66 Middlesbrough has a relatively sparse coverage and the ancient woodland corridor of of sites designated for conservation. However, Stainsby Beck in the west, are mapped as whilst some may be of local nature conservation Network Enhancement Zone 2, indicating value, their value may be elevated owing to the land which immediately joins existing scarcity of local coverage. Connections to sites

habitat patches where habitat creation beyond the Borough’s boundaries are important Middlesbrough Cargo Fleet Redcar and is likely to help reduce the impacts of to consider as part of this Strategy. Cleveland Stockton-on-Tees Newport North Ormesby fragmentation. 1.72 As shown in Figure 4.2, the River Tees, Brambles Farm

Grove Hill Extensive stretches of Network which flows along the northern boundary, is Pallister Thorntree

Enhancement Zone 1 (unlikely to be internationally recognised as a wetland, and Town Farm suitable for habitat recreation but where Marton Grove Berwick Hills for the bird assemblage it supports throughout Linthorpe other types of land management or GBI the year. At the south eastern extent, Whinney Banks Beechwood Ormesby interventions may help reduce the effects Middlesbrough abuts the Langbaurgh Ridge Park End of fragmentation) extend through the SSSI, identified as being of national geological

Easterside southern belt at Stainton/Thornton in the importance. This is separated from the town by Acklam southwest and through in the open farmland interspersed with copses and southeast. becks. Marton Brookfield Data on the potential for woodland 1.73 Within the Borough, there are nineteen connections highlights a number of designated Local Wildlife Sites (LWSs) and Nunthorpe linear areas (largely along the Beck three Local Nature Reserves (LNRs), also Hemlington Coulby Newham Valleys), which would address habitat shown on Figure 4.2. These form an important Stainton

fragmentation as well as helping to part of the wider network that supports the Thornton address flood risk. This is considered internationally designated sites along the Tees further under Theme 5. Estuary. The majority lie along the Tees but those more widespread include: 1.70 Key to the local Nature Recovery Network will be the need to bring habitats into areas Linthorpe Cemetery LNR and Berwick Hills Hambleton which are currently deficient – principally in LNR within the urban heartland, and;

Middlesbrough these areas include those 0 1 2 F km Stainton Quarry LNR on the southern rural Map scale 1:40,000 @ A3 Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2021 CB:KC EB:Chamberlain_K LUC 11038_001_FIG_4_2_r0_A3P 08/02/2021 of the built environment but also those of Source: OS, NE, MC fringe. intensively managed agriculture on the fringes. 1.74 There are no geological designations (such Middlesbrough boundary Watercourse Special Protection Area Priority Habitat Inventory as Local Geological Sites) within the Borough, Site of Special Scientific Interest Deciduous woodland Ramsar Mudflats however features alongside Stainsby Beck lie Proposed Ramsar No main habitat but additional habitats present Ancient woodland Traditional orchard Local Wildlife Site Local Nature Reserve LUC | 020 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

on the boundary with neighbouring Stockton Borough.1 surprising areas for wildlife”.2

1.75 In 2018/19 the Council reported to DEFRA that 72% of 1.79 There is one sizeable relic of saltmarsh along the old Local Wildlife Sites were under positive management. route of the River Tees adjacent to the A19. Stretches of intertidal mudflats are present along the length of the River Tees within the borough boundaries, and there is one site for River Tees Corridor open mosaic habitat on previously developed land at Maze 1.76 The River Tees Corridor is an important route for Park on the southern bank of the River Tees, lying in the west community and migrating fauna and home to locally important of the Borough. habitats and species. The river is likely to be an important fly- 1.80 The designated habitats in large part depend upon way for birds, so this is where the greatest ecological returns water quality. Middlesbrough Council has a duty to have are likely to be gained. regard to the Northumbrian River Basin Management Plan 1.77 The whole of the River Tees along the north borough and to ensure the protection and improvement in quality of The Tees Corridor viewed from the Teesdale Way. boundary forms a strategic wildlife corridor, part of the the water environment. This is also in accordance with the Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast SSSI, SPA and Ramsar overall objective of the Water Framework Directive to achieve designation which extends out to the coast and north, inland, “good ecological status” in all water bodies (including surface, to wetland habitats within the adjoining Stockton-on-Tees ground and coastal waters) and not allow any deterioration local authority area. The designation was extended in 2020 from their current status. The water quality of our rivers is now and forms part of a connected ecological network within the recognised to be a national priority. Boroughs of , Stockton and Redcar & Cleveland, 1.81 The coastline in the wider area is influenced by dynamic highlighting the need for cross-boundary cooperation in its processes of sediment movement. Protection of intertidal enhancement. habitats through managed realignment has been suggested “Intertidal habitats are really important. The Tees has in previous studies. Opportunities to reinstate and extend been modified over 100 years and much of this habitat intertidal habitats must be considered alongside the Council’s has gone. There are opportunities to expand this long-term planning for hard and soft flood defences and for habitat.”... “The River Tees used to be dead through silt management. The Beck Valleys: Marton West Beck North Middlesbrough. It has improved massively since then and 1.82 The 2007 North East Wetland Feasibility Study3 noted there is scope for more improvement in the long term.” that important wetlands had been subject to significant - Stakeholder comments. historical decline through land drainage and development pressures. The Study recognises the role of wetland habitats 1.78 With the 2020 extension, the Tees Estuary became a and soil processes in cycling materials in the aquatic single, landscape-scale designation of nearly 3,000 hectares, environment and helping to remediate poor water quality. to support its contribution to the ‘blue belt’ of marine protected The Study identifies a number of priority areas for wetland areas around England. The protections cover areas of sand restoration taking into account superficial geology, soil, flood, dune, saltmarsh, mudflat, grassland, lagoons and estuarial etc, which in Middlesbrough are largely concentrated along waters, along with the qualifying species they support. As the Beck Valleys and on the Borough’s western boundary. such, it has been described as “one of England’s most

1 Tees Valley Wildlife Trust (2018) LWS and LNR in Middlesbrough, 2 Natural England (May 2019), ‘Press release: Estuary wildlife of the references two geological features which fall within the boundary of Stainsby River Tees gets increased protection’ [Online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/ LUC | 021 Wood LWS, although these do not form part of the site description. government/news/estuary-wildlife-of-the-river-tees-gets-increased-protection The Southern Farmland: Stainton Vale. 3 Environment Agency & RSPB, 2007. Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

The Beck Valleys and Southern Farmland Swathe 1.87 A good number of remnants of both traditional orchards habitat fragmentation by improving the links between sites, and priority ponds are found scattered across the farmland as well as helping to cope with the effects of climate change 1.83 Aside from the international importance of the River in the south of the borough. The orchards vary in size and through the creation of new and/or compensatory habitats. Tees Corridor, most of the priority habitats and species are condition and are now maintained mainly for domestic use. located within the Beck Valleys, often in mosaics of different 1.91 The emergence of mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain The ponds are home to common toad, great crested newt habitats, as shown in Figure 4.2. The Becks act as green (BNG) as part of the Draft Environment Bill offers the (found in the south west of the borough) and water vole corridors, providing links from the rural hinterland into the opportunity for securing biodiversity enhancements as part (hotspots for water vole on Marton West Beck, Ormesby Beck urban area, flowing northwards into the River Tees. of future development, helping to contribute to a Nature and Middlebeck). Otters have been recorded on all becks Recovery Network. The requirement for 10% BNG and legacy 1.84 This mosaic of habitats takes in woodland, wood south of the River Tees around Middlesbrough. The dingy for 30 years management, is stipulated in the Draft Bill is pasture, meadow and species-rich grasslands. Ancient and skipper and grayling butterflies are also found in the urban anticipated to become mandatory in late 2022. The network semi-natural woodland is present in Stainsby Wood on the grassland at Maze Park. approach to support thriving wildlife, together with the need to slopes of Stainsby Beck along the western borough boundary. deliver BNG alongside development, will be a vital component Broadleaved mixed woodland is present along Marton West Habitat connectivity and the capacity for growth of the GBI Strategy. Beck at Fairy Dell, on the steep valley sides of Newham Beck, at Grey Towers Park (formerly Poole Hospital), and in 1.88 Rather than ‘islands of biodiversity’, sites across and 1.92 Local policy regarding BNG should recognise the value Thornton Wood south of Hemlington. The quality of woodland beyond the Borough boundaries should be thought of as of intertidal habitats. Acknowledging the difficulty in creating is known to be varied, which should be reflected in site- an ‘ecological network’. To be effective, this network should these locally distinct habitats, and potentially allowing these specific recommendations for positive management and be “bigger, better and more joined up”.4 This is important to score highly, should not only safeguard their protection but the extent of public access, such as Ormesby Beck which not only to support thriving wildlife now, as aspired to in the incentivise strategic enhancement of the network. in select stretches is subject to excess disturbance. Some 25YEP, but to accommodate an ecological network resilient “Scrub land often gets removed for something that is steeper valleys, for example, are more species-rich and may to climate change. This requires diverse and connected considered to be ‘better’.” best be served by maintaining low levels of disturbance. habitats to support the redistribution of species and changing assemblages in response to an increasingly extreme and - Stakeholder comment. 1.85 Lowland meadow is present within the complex of fluctuating climate. Bluebell Beck, although not necessarily managed to optimise biodiversity. Other neutral grasslands that are species-rich 1.89 Natural England highlights the need to link green Permeability – of people and places are found scattered along the Beck valleys. Reed bed is corridors in urban areas such as Middlesbrough to form a 1.93 The issue of habitat fragmentation and isolation is surprisingly uncommonly recorded; only within the Berwick strategic green infrastructure network, and to address habitat greatest within the dense urban areas of Middlesbrough. Hills and Ormesby Beck Complex. fragmentation. Figure 4.3 shows that areas of Priority Habitat This restricted permeability applies not only to wildlife within within Middlesbrough are particularly sparse and isolated 1.86 Outside of the beck valleys, woodland is relatively the built environment, but to local residents able to benefit currently in the more urbanised north of the borough, despite sparse. Planting opportunities are widespread – ranging from from access to nature. The latest draft of the evolving BNG the presence of extensive areas of important habitat and school fields to residential areas. Woodlands planted in the standard requires a social component to the valuation of green space just beyond the Borough boundaries - south 1990s (including plantation woodland in the beck valleys) biodiversity.5 This is of particular relevance to Middlesbrough toward the North Moors, north toward Hartlepool, and are now well-established and would benefit from detailed in assessing current and future social need for a proposed east toward the coastal areas. review to prescribe management, such as creation of glades, development and applies to both terrestrial and freshwater selective thinning, further expanding species diversity (to 1.90 The Tees Valley GI Strategy (Principal Benefit B3) seeks habitats. protect against new pests and diseases such as ash die- to maintain and enhance biodiversity and help to reverse back) and the delineation of recreational access (to maintain 4 The Lawton Review (2010), commissioned by the government as 5 Draft BS8683: ‘Process for Designing & Implementing BNG’. understory structure and groundcover). an independent review of the country’s wildlife sites, and which continues to underpin the approach to the design and delivery of nature networks today. LUC | 022 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy Middlesbrough Council Figure 4.3: Ecological connection opportunities in Middlesbrough Support for urban pollinators 1.94 The UK’s National Pollinator Strategy (2014) highlights the importance of the country’s pollinators in underpinning our wider ecosystems and describes their decline in numbers and diversity in recent years. It asks for the public, landowners, voluntary groups, businesses and local authorities to do their part to help halt the decline. Note that encouragement for pollinators is to support, not detract from, the pressing needs to address declining floristic diversity in grasslands Middlesbrough across the borough. Cargo Fleet Redcar and Cleveland 1.95 The 2014 Strategy seeks to achieve “more, bigger, better, joined- Stockton-on-Tees Newport North Ormesby up, diverse and high-quality flower-rich habitats (including nesting places Brambles Farm

Grove Hill and shelter) supporting our pollinators across the country.” Lower Pallister Thorntree

intensity management to encourage structural and species diversity Town Farm is also integral to encouraging pollinators. This corresponds to the Marton Grove Berwick Hills Linthorpe 6 term ’messiness’ in current guidance for developing nature networks. Whinney Banks Beechwood Ormesby Recognising that this ‘rewilding’ approach means green spaces Park End (particularly grassland and scrub) will look different throughout the

seasons, requires support through education and engagement with local Easterside communities – urban or agricultural – to foster ownership. Acklam

“Education is key - areas of bramble and overgrown look unsightly Marton for people but are great habitats. Notices explaining that areas are Brookfield left for wildlife should be put up. Scrub land is really important; mosaics of habitat are key.” Nunthorpe Hemlington

Coulby Newham

- Stakeholder comment Stainton

1.96 Given the highly urbanised nature of Middlesbrough, it will be Thornton important to identify parts of the townscape where pollinator habitats and corridors can be woven into the urban realm - to link between existing sites, such as the herb-rich, calcareous grassland at Teessaurus Park, and to support wider ecosystems. These corridors should, where Hambleton possible, provide links to the cross-boundary Buglife B-lines.7 Positive management to benefit flora and pollinators has been carried out in 0 1 2 F km cemeteries (such as Linthorpe) as well as roadside habitats (including Map scale 1:40,000 @ A3 Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2020 CB:KC EB:Bean_C LUC 11038_001_FIG_2_3_r1_A3P 27/10/2020 Source: OS, NE, EA, MC the A19 and Parkway) across Middlesbrough in recent years, targeting Figure 4.3: Ecological Connection Opportunities in Middlesbrough various species or conservation objectives. In partnership with the Middlesbrough boundary Working With Natural Processes - WWNP (Environment Agency) 6 Natural England (2020) Research Report: Nature Networks Evidence Handbook. Habitat Networks - Combined Habitats (Natural England) Riparian woodland potential NERR081. ‘Messiness’ is referred to as one of the ‘rules of thumb’ Network Enhancement Zone 1 Floodplain woodland potential 7 Buglife (n.d), Our Work: B-Lines [Online] Available at: https://www.buglife.org.uk/our- Network Enhancement Zone 2 Floodplain reconnection potential Network Expansion Zone work/b-lines/ LUC | 023 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Council, Thirteen Housing Group is delivering a programme of over 35,000m2 wildflower grassland through collaboration in providing equipment, raw materials and resourcing. Provision of 10,000 fruit trees is also in progress to complement the Borough-wide tree planting programme led by Groundwork.

“The highest profile green spaces are verges and shared green spaces. These should be given a high priority - to celebrate cultural heritage and as clear signal of the town’s future green agenda.” - Stakeholder comment.

“There is an issue of the ‘short back and sides’ cut. Acceptance could be improved with more public/ councillor education. Education is key - untidiness is reported and then addressed by the council.” - Stakeholder comment.

LUC | 024 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Summary of Key Issues Emerging Opportunities

The delivery of local off site Biodiversity Net The Tees Valley River Corridor has been Gain (BNG) in a geographically constrained BD1: Protection and restoration of important industrialised and modified in the past but is still borough will be challenging at larger scales. Key habitats in the Tees River Corridor, linking into the home to many important and vulnerable habitat consideration should be given to the strategic regeneration of Middlehaven. Supporting peripheral types. The protections cover areas of sand dune, delivery of net gain through the intertidal reach areas include tributary watercourses and wetland saltmarsh, mudflat, grassland, lagoons and and associated wetland habitats, and to the which may offer opportunity for habitat creation 1 estuarial waters, along with the populations they increasingly intensively farmed southern rural associated with soft engineering for flood defence. support. belt. BD2: Restoration of the Beck Valleys as green corridors with more robust supporting habit for target The Beck Valleys provide a focus for the Educational resources play an important role in species in the Borough, along with interpretation Borough’s priority habitats and species, and form gaining acceptance of changes to the landscape resources to enhance understanding of importance. important green corridors integrating urban and to improve habitat value. rural areas. BD3: Better integration of ‘stepping stone’ habitats as part of the roll out of urban greening. Across the north of the Borough, the built Opportunities remain in the regeneration of environment dominates, leaving a relatively residential areas such as Gresham and Grove Hill, impoverished ecological resource. The nature, and in association with biodiverse brownfield sites, extent and connectivity of ecological features particularly where this serves to span transport present is typically limited, so the ecosystem corridors. This might include planting of street trees function is inherently restricted to some degree. in association with traffic calming measures, urban SuDS, as well as retro fitting green architecture In the south east of the Borough, semi-natural (walls, roofs and screens). habitats are more extensive, however expansion and connectivity, both within and outside the BD4: Identification and understanding of key ‘gaps’ Borough, are still required. in habitat corridors, to inform the Nature Recovery Network, including across Borough boundaries. For Creating connections between isolated patches example, the need to relate to farm owners and of biodiversity will support the Nature Recovery managers across the southern belt, which transitions Network to provide greater resilience to the out toward the wider rural landscape. impacts of climate change. BD5: Re-invigorating the drive to redefine how Our national decline in pollinators requires action areas of urban grassland and scrub (including from Local Authorities in providing well-connected roadside verges and parkland) are managed to and high-quality pollinator habitats through both provide greater resources and connectivity for the urbanised and intensively farmed landscapes pollinators and other fauna. within Middlesbrough. 1 Note that such opportunities need to be led by discussion with the Council flood defence team to coordinate efforts between habitat creation or designation and the long-term planning of hard and soft flood defences.LUC | 025 Chapter 5 Theme 3: Reconnecting Communities with Nature Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Chapter 5 Theme 3: Reconnecting Communities with Nature The success of 1.97 Middlesbrough’s ambitious physical and economic “We will work with communities to improve local health regeneration aims are outlined under Theme 1. However, it is and wellbeing, focusing in particular on tackling obesity, Middlesbrough’s vision for the vital that there is a robust, people-focused approach to social poor mental health and substance misuse.” regeneration which is built on an agenda of transformational future relies not only on inward - Middlesbrough Strategic Plan (2020-2023) placemaking. investment, but also on creating 1.98 One of key aims of the wider Tees Valley GI Strategy Physical health ‘liveable neighbourhoods’. revolves around the links between green infrastructure and This will bring a focus on the ‘liveability’, which it describes as “essentially about creating 1.102 On the Health Deprivation and Disability sub- places where people choose to live and work”, attracting domain of the UK’s Indices of Multiple Deprivation (2019), need for access to high quality people as well as business. Middlesbrough is ranked as the 6th most deprived local authority in the country.. This deprivation is mirrored in the green spaces of various types 1.99 The GBI network should also underpin the health and health of residents. From 2016-18 life expectancy at birth in wellbeing of those already living in the Borough, particularly within urban areas, to support Middlesbrough stood at 75.3 for males (against a national given the acute challenges that Middlesbrough faces in health average of 79.3) and 80 for women (against an average of health and wellbeing. In the and wellbeing. 82.9). For males, this figure has actually been in decline since 21st century, this will mean 2011-2012.2 Health and wellbeing – narrowing the gap responding to the need for a 1.103 As can be seen from Figure 5.1, socio-economic reconnection with nature from 1.100 There is a notable gap between the health level of deprivation in Middlesbrough is concentrated in the north Middlesbrough residents and the national average, as well as and east of the Borough, where the existing green and open an early age – including where a gap between certain neighbourhoods within Middlesbrough. space network is also at its weakest. our food comes from – and for 1.101 This is a crucial challenge for the GBI network to 1.104 In terms of physical activity, Middlesbrough’s Playing rebuilding pride in place and address, given that emerging research is finding an Pitch Strategy (2019) identifies that 27.3% of residents aged increasingly robust link between environmental quality and 16+ are inactive, slightly above the national level (25.6%). In creating an open space network public health, and which identifies poverty as a health particular, it highlights spatial ‘hotspots’ of inactivity in North that serves all generations and risk.1 Particularly in areas of high deprivation, the green Ormesby, Berwick Hills and Coulby Newham. and blue network can play a vital role in regulating the core 1.105 One priority in tackling poor health is to increase communities. ‘environmental stressors’ that disproportionately fall on the opportunities for exercise and encourage more active poorest communities in the UK. lifestyles. There are some existing resources available in Middlesbrough to encourage walking for health, including

2 ONS (2019), ‘Life expectancy (LE) at birth and age 65 by sex, UK, 2001 1 Centric Lab (2020), ‘Covid-19 and Biological Inequality; a London Data to 2003 to 2016 to 2018’. Study’. [Online] Available: https://www.thecentriclab.com/covid-19-poverty-a- london-data-study LUC | 027 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy Middlesbrough Council Figure 5.1: Deprivation patterns in Middlesbrough a Heritage and Health Trail at Linthorpe Communities have turned to natural spaces cemetery and a pack of Health Walks provided and the open space network to exercise, for by the Council. solace and for stress relief, particularly where private open space is limited. Open space and “The opportunities to benefit from spending nature’s importance as a restorative influence time in the natural environment are has become starker than ever. currently not open to everyone, which can contribute to health and other inequalities” “The Covid-19 pandemic has given us a real emphasis on how to value and use outdoor - Natural England.3 spaces, for example for park walks or a book Middlesbrough Cargo Fleet Redcar and club held outside. The drive is coming from Cleveland Stockton-on-Tees Newport North Ormesby Mental health the community.” Brambles Farm

Grove Hill 1.106 A 2018 report by Public Health England - Stakeholder comment Pallister reasserts that protecting and improving our Thorntree 1.109 The existing ‘Extra Life’ initiative, managed Town Farm mental health is as important as protecting Marton Grove Berwick Hills by Middlesbrough Council, supports the Linthorpe and improving our physical health.4 There is promotion of health and wellbeing within various Whinney Banks also a growing body of evidence finding strong Beechwood Ormesby organisations, and is an important platform for Park End links between access to nature and both our future activity. physical and mental wellbeing, particularly in 5 Easterside largely urbanised societies like that of the UK. Air quality Acklam

1.107 The PHE report highlights some 1.110 Evidence from Public Health England

challenges which apply in particular to the (PHE) has highlighted poor air quality as the Marton Brookfield north east, including: the mental health largest environmental risk to public health in the of pregnant women and new mothers; UK, which also highlights interventions such as Nunthorpe vulnerabilities among children; and higher active travel routes and well-designed urban Hemlington levels of substance misuse and self-harm greening schemes as key ways to mitigate Coulby Newham Stainton than average. It calls for a “more integrated the impact.6 Historically, poor air quality was approach to population health, tackling the a legacy of Middlesbrough’s industrial activity. Thornton determinants of poor physical and mental However, today the key source of air pollution is health.” traffic related.

1.108 Most recently, the global Covid-19 crisis 1.111 There are no designated Air Quality beginning in 2020 highlighted the importance Management Areas (AQMAs) currently in Hambleton of both access to nature and resilient Middlesbrough and PM10 concentrations do not 7 currently exceed legal limits for the UK or EU. 0 1 2 communities in overcoming challenging times. F km Map scale 1:40,000 @ A3 Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2020 CB:KC EB:Bean_C LUC 11038_002_FIG_5_1_r0_A3P 27/10/2020 3 Natural England (2017), ‘Good practice in social 6 Public Health England (2019), Review of interventions Source: OS, ONS, MC prescribing for mental health: the role of nature-based to improve outdoor air quality and public health. - Figure 5.1: Deprivation patterns in Middlesbrough interventions”. 7 Current limits for PM10 (particulate matter) in the UK 4 PHE (2018) ‘State of the North East 2018: Public are an annual mean of 40µg/m3. See: https://uk-air.defra.gov. Middlesbrough boundary Mental Health and Wellbeing’. uk/assets/documents/Air_Quality_Objectives_Update.pdf Green infrastructure asset 0-10% most deprived (IMD) 5 White et al (2019), ‘Spending at least 120 minutes a LUC | 028 week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing’, Nature Journal: Scientific Reports, 9. Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

However Figure 5.3 highlights a number of air pollution varying condition of those spaces is also highlighted. One ‘hotspots’ across the Borough, largely concentrated around: of the key considerations of Middlesbrough’s green space network is not necessarily the quantitative provision but the The A19 and networks in the west of the quality and condition of those green spaces. While a number Borough (and to a lesser extent the A172 in the south); of parks are in good condition and highly valued by the local The denser north of the Borough, surrounding the town community, the Open Space Needs Assessment shows that centre and residential/industrial areas such as North some areas of green space are currently under-valued, poor Ormesby. in quality and in many cases used for fly-tipping and a focus of anti-social behaviour.

The state of Middlesbrough’s green space network 1.116 More specifically, the assessment indicates that whilst more formal parks and gardens are kept in good condition Overview and highly valued, there is an urgent need for greater 1.112 The health and wellbeing of communities is underpinned attention to the more dispersed areas of amenity green space Lake area within Albert Park, a highly valued formal green space by the green space network they have access to and whether which are woven into the urban fabric of the town, supporting there are any barriers in place to accessing that network. All the Parks and Gardens as part of the wider network. communities should be able to gain easy access to areas of “We have a legacy of ‘landscape planting’ that is not open space on their doorstep. performing for wellbeing.” 1.113 Middlesbrough benefits from some highly valued and - Stakeholder comment. successful green spaces – particularly the Borough’s historic Parks and Gardens and the Beck Valleys, which act as 1.117 The Housing Local Plan (2014) outlines a planned linear green spaces. However, given the urbanised nature network of multi-functional green space and inter-connecting of the landscape within the Borough’s boundaries, there is links. These are illustrated on Figure 5.2 and broadly consist a need to maximise benefits from existing green spaces. In of: particular, Figure 5.1 illustrates the fragmented nature of the The Green Wedges (including Middlesbrough’s ‘green GBI network running northwest to southeast and the lack of Hemlington Lake in the south of the Borough provides a recreational lung’ dividing the east and west of the borough); connectivity linking the southeast to the northeast. resource, but there is room for enhancement. A series of high-quality public parks in urban areas 1.114 The Borough’s 2017 Open Space Needs Assessment (including Stewart Park, Albert Park); highlights some areas of decline in the quality of green spaces since 2012, with the exception of parks and public The Beck Valleys; gardens (such as Albert Park and Stewart Park) and the Beck The River Tees Frontage (including the Teesdale Way Valleys. The quality deficit is largely found in the ‘in between’ walking route and series of parks including Teessaurus spaces which are generally amenity and natural green Park and Maze Park); and spaces, play areas and youth activity areas. The “country park” to be delivered around the Stainsby 1.115 The Middlesbrough Open Space Needs Assessment development on the borough’s western boundary. (2017) highlights that there is a total of 998 hectares of Open Space in the Borough, of which 77% is publicly accessible.

This network of spaces is shown in Figure 5.2, where the Entrance to Middlehaven Urban Park - an example of high quality green space within an urbanised area. LUC | 029 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy Strategy Middlesbrough Council Middlesbrough Council Figure 5.2: Middlesbrough’s green space network and condition Figure 5.3: Air pollution hotspots in Middlesbrough

" Û1

Middlesbrough " Middlesbrough Cargo Fleet Û11 Redcar and Cargo Fleet Redcar and Cleveland Cleveland Stockton-on-Tees Newport North Ormesby Stockton-on-Tees Newport North Ormesby

" Brambles Farm Û5 Brambles Farm " " Û4 Grove Hill " Û7 Grove Hill " 10Û Pallister Û9 Thorntree Thorntree Town Farm Town Farm Marton Grove Berwick Hills Marton Grove Berwick Hills Linthorpe Linthorpe Whinney Banks Whinney Banks Beechwood Ormesby Beechwood Ormesby Park End Park End

Easterside Acklam " Easterside Û3 Acklam

Marton Brookfield " Marton Û2 Brookfield " " Û6 Nunthorpe Û8 Nunthorpe Hemlington Coulby Newham

Stainton Coulby Newham Stainton

Thornton Thornton

Hambleton

Hambleton

0 1 2 F km Map scale 1:40,000 @ A3 0 1 2 Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2020 CB:KC EB:Bean_C LUC 11038_002_FIG_5_2_r0_A3P 27/10/2020 F km Source: OS, ONS, MC Map scale 1:40,000 @ A3 Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2021 CB:KC EB:Chamberlain_K LUC 11038_002_FIG_5_3_r0_A3P 08/02/2021 Figure 5.2: Middlesbrough's green space network and condition Source: OS, ONS, MC

Middlesbrough boundary " 7. Pallister Park Û Key public spaces Green wedge 8. Hemlington Lake Middlesbrough boundary 1. Middlehaven Urban Park Condition of green space 9. Linthorpe Cemetery Air Quality PM10 (ug/m³ gravimetric) 2. Newham Grange Farm 1. Exceptional 10. Thorntree Park 10.3 - 11.4 (low PM10 = better air quality) 3. Stewart Park 2. Very good / Excellent 11. Centre Square 11.4 - 11.8 4. Albert Park 3. Fair / Good 11.8 - 12.2 5. Ayresome Gardens 4. Poor / Very poor 12.2 - 12.9 6. Fairy Dell Nature Reserve No data 12.9 - 14.9 (high PM10 = poorer air quality) LUC | 030 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy Middlesbrough Council Figure 5.4: Deprivation and access to green space in Middlesbrough Green wedges

Stockton-on-Tees Stockton-on-Tees 1.118 Middlesbrough contains a network of designated Green Wedges, which act as ‘green fingers’ reaching from the countryside into urban areas, providing recreational space.

Middlesbrough Redcar and Middlesbrough Redcar and Cargo Fleet Cleveland Cargo Fleet Cleveland

Newport North Ormesby Newport North Ormesby 1.119 The Green Wedges Assessments (2017-18) highlights in particular the ‘Green Heart’ Brambles Farm Brambles Farm wedge as an interconnected network of open space in the centre of the built-up area, and as Grove Hill Grove Hill Pallister Pallister Thorntree Thorntree Town Farm Town Farm an important part of the ‘green link network’ running along Bluebell Beck. Figure 5.3 illustrates Marton Grove Berwick Hills Marton Grove Berwick Hills Linthorpe Linthorpe Whinney Banks Whinney Banks the impact this space has on managing local levels of air pollution. Beechwood Ormesby Beechwood Ormesby Park End Park End

Easterside Easterside 1.120 These areas may be important target locations for the delivery of community woodlands Acklam Acklam and an associated range of sustainable leisure opportunities for urban dwellers and tourists,

Marton Marton Brookfield Brookfield including environmental education.

Nunthorpe Nunthorpe Hemlington Hemlington

Coulby Newham Coulby Newham Stainton Stainton

Thornton Thornton Provision by type of open space

1.121 Table 5.1 outlines the quantitative provision of the major types of open space in Hambleton Hambleton Middlesbrough.

1.122 Box 5.1 on the following pages gives a brief overview and assessment of the major

Stockton-on-Tees Stockton-on-Tees

Middlesbrough Redcar and Middlesbrough Cargo Fleet Cleveland Cargo Fleet

Newport North Ormesby Newport North Ormesby

Brambles Farm Brambles Farm

Grove Hill Grove Hill Pallister Pallister Thorntree Thorntree Town Farm Town Farm Marton Grove Berwick Hills Marton Grove Berwick Hills Linthorpe Linthorpe Whinney Banks Whinney Banks Beechwood Ormesby Beechwood Ormesby Park End Park End

Easterside Easterside Redcar and Acklam Acklam Cleveland

Marton Marton Brookfield Brookfield

Nunthorpe Nunthorpe Hemlington Hemlington

Coulby Newham Coulby Newham Stainton Stainton

Thornton Thornton

Hambleton Hambleton

0 1 2 F km Map scale 1:75,000 @ A3 Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2020 CB:KC EB:Bean_C LUC 11038_002_FIG_5_4_r0_A3P 27/10/2020 Source: OS, ONS, MC Figure 5.4: Deprivation and access to green space in Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough boundary 0-10% most deprived (IMD) Areas of inaccessibility to green spaces Parks and public gardens deficit A bench in the Fairy Dell nature reserve not only provides an opportunity to rest for less mobile members of the Amenity and natural green space deficit community, but also an opportunity for public art. Play areas deficit Youth activity deficit LUC | 031 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

types of green space present in Middlesbrough. behaviour in public spaces and the green space network. In to ‘positive activities’. This Strategy argues that opportunities Middlesbrough, the Landscape and Heritage Assessment for nature-based, self-led play have a central part in achieving (2016) also highlights several areas of the network which these objectives. The complex barriers to accessing green space in appear to be vulnerable to anti-social behaviour, representing Middlesbrough 1.130 A further opportunity will be through strengthening the a key barrier to access. This concern was echoed by key role of schools in providing opportunities to engage with the 1.123 While accessibility mapping is important, the distance stakeholders consulted. However, despite these challenges, natural environment. from one’s home is only one way of assessing opportunities it does not naturally follow that the response should be for what is known as ‘nature exposure’. True accessibility to remodel without features – such as seating, shade or 2. ‘Teenspace’ involves a complex set of interrelated factors, which Natural other amenities – which might attract disruption. Despite 1.131 Around 12% of Middlesbrough’s population are currently England seeks to address through its ‘Outdoors for All ‘fear factors’, the methods to counter the problem do not between the ages of 10-19 (slightly higher than the national programme’. necessarily have to result in sterile, alienating places, but average). instead might benefit from greater public involvement in “The green spaces are there, but the question is the design and planning of spaces.9 1.132 While many of the challenges faced by young people in quality and how comfortable people feel” Middlesbrough are mirrored throughout the country, the levels “The Beck Valleys are well used, however there is some - Stakeholder comment. of deprivation in Middlesbrough make these challenges more misuse such as littering and motorbikes… I would like to 1.124 Evidence suggests that opportunities to benefits from see beck clean ups led by communities… help them to spending time in the natural environment are currently not understand it so they protect it.” Space type Target Performance open to everyone, which can contribute to health and other - Stakeholder comment. provision (per against target inequalities. Surveys have highlighted significantly lower person) (2017) engagement among BAME groups, the ‘urban deprived’ 1.127 In order to encourage use of the town’s GBI network, the population and unskilled workers and the long-term positive promotion of the network among a diverse range of Parks and Public 13.5 sqm/capital -0.5 sqm/capital unemployed. The first two of these groups held the least communities, and through various channels, will be crucial. Gardens positive views toward the natural environment. Barriers highlighted included: A ‘whole community’ approach Amenity and 29.91 sqm/capita -4.91 sqm/capita Being too busy at work or home. 1.128 There is an identified need in Middlesbrough to improve natural green Limited access to cars and expense of travel. health and social inclusion and to offer opportunities for all space to take part in exercise outdoors, particularly those from low Poor health.8 Youth activity 351.0 sqm/1,000 -51 sqm/capita income families. However, a key part of this challenge will be areas 1.125 In areas such as Middlesbrough, with high levels of ensuring that the green space network, and the GBI network socio-economic deprivation, this further highlights the need more generally, caters to all age and socio-economic groups for high quality green space within walking distance and and their diverse needs. Allotments 19.7 -5.7 creating habits of engagement in nature from an early age, allotments/1,000 allotments/1,000 1. Space for young children potentially with the collaboration of local schools. 1.129 The One Planet Living framework includes as a ‘priority 1.126 Existing studies consistently highlight concerns Play areas 0.34 sqm/capita N/A action’ initiatives to improve the emotional resilience of over abuse of public spaces and problems of anti-social children and young people, in part through improving access 8 Natural England (2012), ‘Monitor of engagement with the natural 9 Project for Public Spaces (December 2007), ‘Safety and security in environment survey (2009-12), [Online] Available at: http://publications. Table 5.1: Open space provision by typology in Middlesbrough public space’ [Online] Available at: https://www.pps.org/article/safetysecurity LUC | 032 naturalengland.org.uk/publication/4646400?category=6502695238107136 (from 2017 OSN assessment) Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Box 5.1: Types of open spaces in the Borough

Flagship spaces: Parks, gardens and civic green spaces

The Borough’s Open Spaces assessment found 34 parks and gardens of varying sizes and quality, with 7 awarded Green Flag status for 2020. The majority of spaces are considered to be of high quality and good value. Urban parks like Albert Park and Stewart Park are highly valued assets. Both are municipal parks of the late 19th century and have been identified as key nodes within Middlesbrough’s GBI network

Runners in Stewart Park

Wilder spaces: semi-natural green spaces The provision of natural and semi-natural green spaces within urban areas are importantFootpaths as along a supplement the Beck Valley to networkmore formal parks and as an opportunity for communities to experience wildlife and natural environments ‘on their own doorstep’. The Beck Valleys are an important part of this network, with 14 becks across the Borough. They are considered to offer good/excellent value, but only fair/good quality. In addition, there are three Local Nature Reserves (LNR): Berwick Hills, Linthorpe Cemetery and Stainton Quarry. These sites are considered to be of high quality and high value.

Footpaths along Middlesbrough’s Beck Valley network.

'On your doorstep' spaces: amenity green spaces There are 32 amenity spaces in the Borough, the majority of which are within a 750m catchment area of residential areas. The majority are considered excellent or very good for quality and value. However the Borough’s Open Space assessment found that these more dispersed areas of amenity green space require greater attention as part of the network, supporting the role of the more prominent Parks and Gardens, such as Albert Park and Stewart Park, in providing space for recreation closer to home.

Landscaped amenity space within the University Quarter LUC | 033 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Space for play There are a total of 27 play areas in the Borough, however the Open Spaces Assessment notes that the quality and value of them are declining over time. Building on emerging evidence of the value of self-led, nature-based play opportunities, there is also potential to ‘rethink’ play provision to conceive of play areas as multifunctional GBI assets. This would require a new, more ambitious approach to play provision, that goes beyond minimum standards, looks beyond the boundaries of the playground itself, and helps to increase children’s’ understanding of nature through play, as advocated by Play England. Similar declines in quality and value is identified for sports and recreation centres, and various types of sport pitches.

Logs near Hemlington Lake provide opportunities for natural play.

Cemeteries and crematoriums Cemeteries and crematoriums are a distinctive typology of green space which are valued as places for quiet reflection, as green spaces, for their wildlife interest and for their heritage value. There are a total of 12 sites across the Borough, the majority of which are considered to be in very good or excellent and improving quality.

Linthorpe Cemetery has been listed as a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) since 2003 and has great value for its recreational, biodiversity and heritage functions.

difficult to address. 3. Young people and young families: supporting the Quarter. ‘urban living’ agenda 1.133 Research has shown that, while teenagers have 1.135 In order to meaningfully encourage young people and great need for access to natural landscapes (at a time when 1.134 There is a desire to focus more of future home- families to choose to settle in central Middlesbrough, there they are actively establishing their values, attitudes and building in the central areas of the Borough as part of an will need to be a significant and ambitious push to weave behaviours), they are often actively excluded from those ‘urban living’ agenda, in order to safeguard green space in GBI assets into a revived town centre (and surroundings), places through design, policy and society’s ambivalence the south. However, it has been recognised that the current which will underpin the ‘liveability’ of these neighbourhoods. toward them. Open spaces designed specifically for teens are green space offer for people wishing to live in the centre of This is considered further through Theme 1. uncommon. Addressing the challenge of teen-centric design Middlesbrough is limited, and does not fulfil the needs of 4. Adapting for those growing older is likely to revolve around engagement as an alternative to younger, aspirational people. This also detracts from the the inclusion/exclusion framework.10 ability to attract inward investment, particularly around central 1.136 The most recent population projections for 10 Burssoni, M et al (2018), ‘Teens in public spaces and natural regeneration zones such as Middlehaven and the University Middlesbrough predict an overall population decline of landscapes: Issues of access and design’, in Handbook of Adolescent Development Research and its Impact on Global Policy (Chapter 18). Oxford LUC | 034 University Press. Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

just over 1% by 2043. However, that stability in population Community groups are frequently masks a dramatic shift in the demographic makeup of involved in enhancing and maintaining the GBI network. Here, a group gathers Middlesbrough’s residents, with an 86% rise in those aged following apple picking at the orchards over 90, and significant growth in all those over 70. within the Nature’s World site. Photo source: Friends of Nature’s World. “We need evenly space benches on these routes where older people can take a rest, particularly in the south of the Borough.” - Stakeholder comment.

1.137 Evidence from Natural England illustrate that those aged 65 and over are less likely to visit green spaces than the rest of the population, despite enjoyment in doing so, largely because of physical disabilities. They are also less likely to have access to a car.11

1.138 These shifts must be catered for in how the Borough provides green spaces and networks for local communities. Further evidence from Natural England identifies particular barriers to accessing green space for those suffering from dementia – including cost of access, risk aversion and lack of seeks to increase the involvement of residents in the local 1.141 Against a backdrop of pressure on public resources awareness of needs.12 environment, in part by supporting the Green Spaces and funding, councils and other organisations can draw on Community Forum and in the development of future schemes. community resources, where appropriate, to ‘multiply’ the impacts of limited resources. Local communities will play an 1.140 The stakeholder consultation process carried out Building on the strength of communities increasingly important role in the delivery of GBI projects. for this Strategy highlighted the strength and breadth of 1.139 The GBI network can be a significant source of community groups contributing to expanding and maintaining opportunity for community cohesion, and the Tees Valley the GBI network, as well as a desire for a greater joining up of GI Strategy urges “opportunities for greater community the “patchwork of groups” through improved communication involvement”. Where people take an active part in their of projects and a healthier working relationship with the community, they can raise community value and ‘buy authorities. It was felt that a greater level of trust and in’, improve safety and provide reassurance, with the autonomy to “get on with it” would be a positive. It was also community then better able to tackle crime and anti- highlighted that the less affluent areas of town have relatively social behaviour. As such, GBI assets tend to be at their little input into green strategies. most successful where local communities are engaged in their design, implementation and management from “Could these things be done on a bigger scale? the outset. Middlesbrough’s One Planet Living framework More joined up efforts for funding and sharing of knowledge?”... “when funding finishes, agencies walk 11 Natural England (2012), ‘Monitor of engagement with the natural away. We need to build resilience into the community to environment survey (2009-12), [Online] Available at: http://publications. naturalengland.org.uk/publication/4646400?category=6502695238107136 keep going.” 12 Natural England (2013), ‘Greening Dementia: A literature review of the benefits and barriers facing individuals living with dementia in accessing the - Stakeholder comments. natural environment and local greenspace. LUC | 035 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Summary of Key Issues Emerging Opportunities

Middlesbrough suffers from high levels of health varies significantly. While public parks and gardens deprivation compared to the national average, and are in relatively good condition, quality is often poor RC1: Enhancement, expansion and improved disparities in life expectancy and health measures and in decline at local amenity spaces, play areas and connectivity of the town’s green space network as a across the Borough largely mirror patterns of socio- youth activity areas. Fly-tipping has been highlighted physical/mental health and wellbeing resource. economic deprivation. as a local problem. RC2: Expansion of ‘urban greening’ features to Middlesbrough’s place in the national ‘mental There are complex barriers to accessing the green combat air pollution, including street trees, hedging health crisis’ calls for a more integrated approach space network in Middlesbrough, which go beyond and other features. to tackling the determinants, particularly among mere distance from home and means of transport. low-income families, and the GBI network has RC3: Creation and expansion of attractive ‘green There is a need for the green space network to be an important and positive role to play based on routes’ through the town in order to reduce thoughtfully designed to cater for the diverse needs of emerging research. dependence on the private car, enable active travel Middlesbrough residents at all ‘life stages’, including modes and combat localised air pollution. High levels of traffic-related air pollution from the children, teenagers, and the elderly (particularly given transport network represent a threat to health projections of an ageing population). RC4: Experiments in ‘social’ and ‘green’ prescribing and wellbeing, particularly at localised ‘hotspots’ can be built upon, and greater partnership with which are largely concentrated around major road public health authorities would help to form a more infrastructure. integrated approach to addressing health challenges through the GBI network. Middlesbrough is heavily urbanised and as such must maximise the benefits from each area of green RC5: Green space and/or urban greening features space. Historic loss of green space to development provided as an integral part of Middlehaven has left gaps in the town’s ‘green lung’. regeneration plans, as well as other residential areas such as Gresham. This will improve the ‘liveability’ of While there is relatively strong provision of public these areas and support the ‘Urban Living’ agenda. parks and gardens per capita in Middlesbrough, there are shortfalls in the provision per capita of RC6: Making use of local communities in co- amenity and natural green space, youth activity designing and managing the GBI network in order to areas and allotments, when considered against local boost ‘community ownership’. Concerns over safety benchmarks. and anti-social behaviour within the GBI network should, wherever possible, be addressed through Most parts of the Borough lie within acceptable engagement and inclusion rather than alienation. distance of the various types of green space. However, deficits are concentrated around Greater RC7: Careful and collaborative design of green Middlehaven which will need to be addressed as the spaces and corridors to ensure they are age- area becomes more residential in character. friendly and cater for the varying needs of different generations. The condition of green spaces across the Borough

LUC | 036 Chapter 6 Theme 4: A Resilient Landscape Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Chapter 6 Theme 4: A Resilient Landscape

Thinking on a landscape scale A contrast between quiet rural areas with extensive Middlesbrough is a urban and industrial development concentrated along GBI is an integrated approach to land use. As such it predominantly urban landscape, 1.142 the lower reaches of the River Tees. is not characterised by a series of discrete interventions, but and one which, like many, has rather as a landscape-scale and joined up ‘rethinking’ of the 1.147 On a more localised scale, two of the five character future of an area. areas outlined by the Tees Valley Nature Partnership also fall been heavily influenced by within the Borough, both of which can be seen on Figure 6.1: human activity. However, the 1.143 GBI will play a vital role in unlocking the potential of Middlesbrough’s landscape and to strengthen its ability The Middlesbrough Beck Valleys – a mosaic of habitats ‘green lungs’ and becks which to respond to various demands on it – from recreational that is home to most of the priority habitats and species. weave through the urban form pressure, climate change and protecting vulnerable habitats, There are some remnants of traditional orchards and to boosting economic growth. ponds, which provide important habitats, scattered are essential to its character. across the farmland in the south. 1.144 One of the Principal Benefits (B2) of the Tees The urgencies of climate change Valley GI Strategy is concerned with “promoting a sense of The River Tees Corridor – stretching out east-west along action will require the landscape community and place”’ and another (B5) is about improving the river and characterised by a dramatic industrial opportunities to recreate or rehabilitate landscapes, skyline but also expansive intertidal mudflats, sand to play a central role in open spaces and historic sites damaged or lost through dunes and salt marshes. development or other changes. shaping the future sustainable 1.148 Open space within Middlesbrough’s boundaries is development of Middlesbrough. 1.145 However, as well as providing setting and character limited to a southern fringe of agricultural land and a series to the town of Middlesbrough, the quality of the landscape of ‘green wedges’, parks and open spaces within the urban is fundamental to the town’s resilience, particularly to the area. The Green Wedges are landscape features with a role impacts of the climate emergency. in integrating open space into more urbanised parts of the Borough (see Theme 3).

Landscape character 1.149 The National Park lies roughly 1km to the south east of the boundaries at its closest point and is 1.146 Middlesbrough falls entirely within the Tees an important factor in the Borough’s wider context. Lowland’s Character area outlined by Natural England and is characterised by: The role of Middlesbrough’s landscape in the context of A broad low lying plain of undulating farmland with the the climate emergency meandering River Tees flowing through the heart, and low woodland cover. This provides the blue and green 1.150 As discussed in Middlesbrough’s Climate Change context for this Strategy. Community Action Plan (2010-2020), the Borough’s role in

LUC | 038 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy Middlesbrough Council combating climate change will rest in part on 1.154 It is now widely understood that any Figure 6.1: Landscape features and woodland cover in Middlesbrough behavioural change and using technological ‘net zero’ target will require a huge increase in advances to decarbonise industry. However, tree planting (amongst other measures) across

there is now an increasing amount of the UK, in order to ‘draw down’ carbon from Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast

attention being paid to how our landscapes the atmosphere in an attempt to reach a point D can be better shaped and managed to play where ‘capture’ is greater than ‘release’ over an important role in adapting to climate the same period . The Committee for Climate change. Change (CCC) has recommended an objective of increasing UK forestry cover from 13% to at Actions to address the climate 1.151 Redcar and least 17% by 2050 by planting around 30,000 Cleveland emergency tend to fall into one of two Stockton-on-Tees hectares of woodland per year. 1 categories – mitigation and adaptation. The implications of each of these for 1.155 Currently tree cover across the Middlesbrough’s landscape is outlined below. Council area stands at 11.8%, which means that cover is just below the English average (!3 (!1 of 13% and significantly below CCC targets. Mitigating against climate change through (!2 The tree cover which does currently exist is carbon sequestration largely concentrated along the Beck Valleys (!5 1.152 Just as industry is facing up to the and within parks and managed estates, as challenge of decarbonising its operations, so shown in Figure 6.1, with particularly sparse too can the landscape of the Tees Valley be coverage in the north of the Borough. (!6

reconfigured to help provide natural solutions (!4 “Middlesbrough has only 11% canopy to the climate emergency. Middlesbrough’s (!7 cover. Increasing this will ensure joined-up emerging Green Strategy (2020) aims for net GI for the benefit of flora and fauna, but also carbon neutrality by 2030 and for the town of residents will derive the benefits.” Middlesbrough to be net carbon neutral by 2040. - The Woodland Trust.

1.153 It is also important to note that 1.156 Large-scale tree planting will, as such, Middlesbrough is a pilot area for a Natural be central to building the Borough’s ‘carbon Capital Accounting study being undertaken sink’. In order to achieve the Borough’s target

by the Tees Valley Nature Partnership. This of 16% tree cover, a total of 227.8 hectares Hambleton study is designed to provide baseline data on (roughly 335 football pitches) will need to be D

North Yorkshire National Park the region’s nature and the associated costs planted. 0 1 2 F km Map scale 1:40,000 @ A3 and benefits it brings. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2020 CB:KC EB:Bean_C LUC 11038_003_FIG_6_1_r0_A3P 27/10/2020 Source: OS 1.157 However, it is important that any Figure 6.1: Landscape features and woodland cover in Middlesbrough “Tees Valley is a net exporter of carbon woodland expansion and/or large scale street Middlesbrough boundary 5. Marton West Beck – the natural balance needs to be tree planting within Middlesbrough is targeted Green wedge 6. Blue Bell Beck addressed.” to link up with broader initiatives beyond Woodland cover (National forest inventory) 7. Newham Beck The Beck Valleys 1. Ormesby Beck 1 CCC (2020), ‘Land use: Policies for a Net Zero UK’ - Stakeholder comment 2. Middlebeck [Online] Available at: https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/ 3. Spencer Beck LUC | 039 land-use-policies-for-a-net-zero-uk/ 4. Cypress Road Beck Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Middlesbrough’s boundaries, in order to help build a ‘mosaic’ floodplain can be important in building this store. of connected woodlands across the region, as is called for by the Tees Valley GI Strategy. This will also help to achieve Boosting the landscape’s resilience to climate change the nature recovery goals outlined under Theme 2. This may involve exploring the re-launch of a community forest, as a 1.162 The Tees Valley Climate Change Strategy outlines revival of the Tees Forest initiative which has now lapsed. the need for the wider landscape around Middlesbrough to adapt to the impacts of climate change. The major risks for 1.158 An expansion of urban tree cover is already Middlesbrough are: underway as part of the Urban Tree Challenge (UTC) funding granted to the town, an initiative described in more detail Increased flood risk: As a result of more frequent under Theme 1. extreme weather events, combined with an increase in impermeable surfaces in urbanised areas. The low-lying “All developments should have to have tree lined nature of much of the Tees Valley makes it susceptible to as part of planning permission.” rising sea levels and flooding. Outlined in greater detail Trees and complex vegetation around the . - Stakeholder comment. under Theme 5.

1.159 It is important that any new woodland in the Borough The ‘Urban Heat Island’ effect: As an urbanised is managed to produce multiple benefits. This might include Borough, Middlesbrough is vulnerable to this effect, recreation (see Theme 3), biodiversity (see Theme 2) and, whereby surfaces such as bitumen in roads and building where possible, for the production of high-quality timber that materials can accumulate and store heat during the can lock up carbon. Fruiting trees can also be a valuable day and later release it, warming the local environment. community resource for food growing – as evidenced by This has significant implications for public health and the Middlesbrough ‘Patchwork Orchard’ project run by exacerbation of air pollution. Measures to temper the Middlesbrough Environment City (MEC). effect range include: street tree expansion for shade; expanding natural surfaces through delivery of more 1.160 Diversity of planting will be important for resilience, green and blue spaces, green roofs, green walls and given that the Climate Change Action Plan for the Tees Valley other urban greening features; re-painting surfaces with The River Tees corridor is an important part of Middlesbrough’s ‘carbon identifies increased numbers of pests as a climate change- white paint to reflect more light. sink’ related threat to the region. Dealing with ‘water stress’: Water shortages are likely 1.161 Importantly, despite the policy attention to trees, to be one of the key environmental challenges in the carbon sequestration opportunities are not limited to UK and globally over the period of this Strategy. While woodland cover. Other land uses – notably peatland, coastal Middlesbrough is not one of the most seriously stressed margins, river floodplains and healthy soils – are central to regions (in a 2013 study, the Northumbrian Water the UK’s carbon sink. In Middlesbrough in particular, the Company Area was identified as being at Moderate mudflats and salt marshes along the River Tees Corridor Stress ),2 there needs to be greater attention paid to how can act as important ‘carbon sinks’ if restored, as can the water moves through the landscape. See Theme 5 for Borough’s Beck Valleys. This is because a diversity of plants more detail. and animals are associated with river corridors and the terrestrial zones they connect with act as an important carbon 2 Environment Agency (2013), Water stressed areas – final classification [Online] Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/ store. As such, any opportunities to reconnect the river to its Urban tree planting provides visual interest as well as shade to uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/244333/water-stressed- LUC | 040 classification-2013.pdf combat the ‘urban heat island’ effect. Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Summary of Key Issues “We need a mosaic of green walls and roof top gardens, Emerging Opportunities like those at .” - Stakeholder comment. Alongside behavioural change and decarbonisation RL1: Expansion of woodland network, and improved 1.163 Where possible, nature-based solutions for all these of industry, Middlesbrough’s landscape has a crucial management of existing trees, in order to meet challenges should always be explored, alongside engineered role to play in both mitigating against climate change national targets. solutions where necessary. For example, while engineered and adapting to its effects. The Borough’s various RL2: Improved management and restoration of flood defences are sometimes appropriate, ‘upstream’ landscape areas should be shaped with this in mind. waterways to maximise carbon storage potential, in solutions can be more effective in the long term. This could Middlesbrough’s tree cover is slightly below national addition to biodiversity benefits. include, for example, bolstering riparian woodland along the average and required to increase by over 40% in banks of the River Tees which can significantly increase RL3: Promotion of nature-based solutions to risk order to build the Borough’s ‘carbon sink’ and meet resilience to flooding. of flooding, including high quality multi-functional national targets set by the Committee for Climate SuDS installations. In order to deal with future water Change (CCC). stresses, there will need to be a shift in perception Boosting the landscape’s resilience social and economic New woodland areas following expansion should regarding the way that water is stored in, and moved change be managed for multiple benefits, including carbon through, the Borough’s landscape, with more detail 1.164 Aside from resilience to climate change, it is also sequestration, recreation, biodiversity and, where provided under Theme 5. important that Middlesbrough’s landscape and townscape appropriate, sustainable timber production. RL4: Expansion of the street tree network and proves resilience to social change and economic change. The threat of increased pests as a result of climate integration of other ‘urban greening features in order This includes a consideration of how the GBI network can change are likely to be an obstacle to woodland to provide urban cooling in the most urbanised areas. help bolster a Borough against an economic downturn, for expansion. example through GBI interventions to support local high streets. Carbon sequestration opportunities are not limited to woodland expansion, and restoration activities on 1.165 The Covid-19 pandemic of 2020 has highlighted the the River Tees corridor can play an important role in ­ importance of green spaces, and future planning of the GBI bolstering carbon stores. network should take account of this form of resilience also. Middlesbrough is likely to experience increased climate-change related flooding and nature-based solutions should be prioritised wherever possible, with further detail provided under Theme 5. As an urbanised area, Middlesbrough will need to adapt its urbanised landscape to deal with the impacts of the Urban Heat Island effect.

LUC | 041 Chapter 7 Theme 5: The Blue Network and Waterfronts Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Chapter 7 Theme 5: The Blue Network and Waterfronts The River Tees and the Middlesbrough’s blue corridors the Tees. The banks of the Tees have been artificially raised over the years to provide flood protection to the adjacent 1.166 The wider landscape in which Middlesbrough sits low-lying areas, but the bank levels are not consistent and becks form the ‘spines’ of is dominated by the River Tees, its Estuary and the main therefore the standard of flood protection is currently variable. Middlesbrough’s blue network. tributaries, which forms Middlesbrough’s northern boundary. In addition, the effects of climate change and sea level rise The stretch of the Tees which runs through Middlesbrough is will degrade this degree of protection with time. Making the most of these tidal and passes through a largely urban and industrialised ‘blue corridors’ will require a landscape. The Beck Valleys, running south-north, also form 1.170 Most recently, Middlesbrough has suffered damage reconfiguration of how we think an important back bone for the Borough’s GBI network. to homes and infrastructure during severe flooding events in 2013 and 2016 in particular. The major areas of current 1.167 In many ways the River Tees has provided the flood risk are illustrated in and are concentrated about water in the landscape, framework for the growth of Middlesbrough and the town’s Figure 7.1 in the north of Middlesbrough and around the Tees Estuary, celebrating it rather than landscape character over the years. Indeed the ‘father of particularly where Ormesby Beck meets the Tees, and with Middlesbrough’ Joseph Pease developed ‘Port ’ further areas of risk along the Beck Valleys and in residential flushing it out of sight down (now Middlesbrough) on the banks of the Tees specifically to areas of Pallister. Flooding in these areas is exacerbated by drains. Storing water in the use this blue corridor to supply labour to the new coal port. high tides and the series of urban tributaries that drain into landscape can provide multiple 1.168 Today the Tees has again become a key catalyst the Estuary. This allows for a mixture of fluvial flooding (along for regeneration in the wider region, with efforts to improve the tributaries) and tidal (in the north). benefits including creation of access to the river corridor and help restore it following Surface water flooding can also contribute to valuable habitats, recreational historic periods of industrial degradation, supporting 1.171 Middlesbrough’s overall flood burden, highlighting the sustainable forms of leisure, living and travel. The health of importance of maximising permeable surfaces through the opportunities and nature-based these waterways stood out as both a key point of concern, use of SuDS and other mechanisms. flood risk management. and a highly valued part of the Borough’s network, during stakeholder consultation carried out for this Strategy Rethinking the flood plain – taking a multi-functional “Local rivers and waterways are an asset, for numerous approach to managing flood risk reasons - health, wellbeing and recreation, as well as traditional uses.” 1.172 Healthy floodplains have a key role to play in reducing the negative impacts of flooding, however these - Stakeholder comment. floodplains have been widely degraded nationally through the pressures of human development. Urban and agricultural Flood risk development, together with structural flood protection, has disconnected rivers from their floodplains. 1.169 Middlesbrough’s northern boundary is historically low lying, forming part of the natural fluvial and tidal floodplain of LUC | 043 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy Middlesbrough Council 1.173 The opportunity for the GBI network Naturalisation of modified river channels. Figure 7.1: Waterways and flood risk in Middlesbrough lies in the fact that, well as mitigating against 1.176 The and Greatham the impact of flooding, rethinking floodplain South Flood Alleviation Scheme, completed management can also achieve important in 2018, is a good local example of a scheme positive environmental benefits, which should that can both protect homes from flooding and be maximised. simultaneously create almost 50 hectares of 1.174 There is an opportunity to pursue new intertidal habitat for local wildlife which a more ecosystem-based approach to the flood at heavy tide. As such it forms an management of floodplains in Middlesbrough, important precedent for the expansion of this Redcar and an approach supported by the government’s approach. Cleveland Stockton-on-Tees 25 Year Environment Plan (25YEP). The “There are opportunities to daylight buried potential biodiversity dividends of this becks and gills.” approach in Middlesbrough are discussed in more detail under Theme 2. - Stakeholder comment. (!3 (!1

“The River Tees has a vast number of (!2 tributaries and becks that you can’t see. Sustainable urban drainage (SuDS) Natural areas that can be allowed to flood systems (!5 would offer great benefit.” 1.177 As a predominantly urban area, - Stakeholder comment. Middlesbrough is dominated by impermeable (!6 surfaces as part of its townscape. As such, 1.175 With multi-functionality in mind, (!4 SuDS can be a valuable way to address the the Tees Valley GI Strategy highlights that (!7 risk of surface water flooding by adapting flood defence schemes should be used, non-permeable surfaces to better ‘hold’ water where appropriate, to provide recreational in the urban landscape. SuDs should be opportunities, to help to create green space seen as part of that ‘multi-functional’ green and enhance habitats. This might take the infrastructure network, delivering multiple form of: amenity, landscape and biodiversity benefits. Wetland creation through provision of 1.178 SuDS features form an important flood storage capacity. part of ‘urban greening’ measures as part of

Additional conservation and recreation future development (also discussed under Hambleton benefits as part of flood defences. Theme 1). The Tees Valley Authorities Local

Standards for Sustainable Drainage (2017) 0 1 2 Potential for removal of flood defences in F km Map scale 1:40,000 @ A3 provide an important set of locally tailored Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2020 CB:KC EB:Bean_C LUC 11038_004_FIG_7_1_r0_A3P 27/10/2020 certain circumstances to reconnect rivers Source: OS, EA, NE guidelines and planting regimes which should Figure 7.1: Waterways and flood risk in Middlesbrough to their floodplains through re-establishing form the starting point for designing SuDS into natural systems. Middlesbrough boundary The Beck Valleys 4. Cypress Road Beck new development or retrofitting. Flood Zone 3 1. Ormesby Beck 5. Marton West Beck Flood Zone 2 2. Middlebeck 6. Blue Bell Beck Creation of compensatory habitat in Woodland cover 3. Spencer Beck 7. Newham Beck response to rising sea levels. Riparian woodland potential LUC | 044 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

“SuDS should not be restricted to areas of potential Box 7.1: Options for SuDS features “Introduction of mapping or interpretation would help flooding but all new development – we need to mitigate improve education and awareness.” surface water flooding.” ... “Surface water flooding is a big issue as a result of the clay soil.” - Stakeholder comment. - Stakeholder comments. 1.181 For example, the Borough’s One Planet Living framework encourages working with schools as part of its 1.179 Box 7.1 outlines some of the forms which SuDS ‘Sustainable Water’ pillar, in order to promote the use of can take. However, consultation with key local stakeholders improved natural habitats in beck valleys for teaching and revealed significant concerns that those SuDS installations awareness raising of the species present in these locations. which have been installed to date in the Borough are In addition, this Strategy proposes that these landscapes, and disappointing and lack multi-functionality, with some sustainable urban drainage (SuDS) interventions are used to potentially causing damage to existing habitats. There help to educate school children, among others, in how water A SuDS installation included as part of Middlesbrough’s recent is a desire for a higher benchmark for SuDS schemes in moves through a landscape and how nature-based solutions Grey Towers Village development. Middlesbrough to avoid conflict in uses and aid in the delivery to water management can work to manage those flows and of multifunctional benefits. Green roofs: designed to intercept and retain enhance local ecosystems. precipitation, reducing the volume of runoff. “SuDS developments could be made a lot more “There are lots of opportunities for small scale interesting at little cost – not rectangles of bland ‘Soakaways’: holes dug into the ground and filled with interventions, introducing small ponds in schools for openness with no marginal vegetation.” coarse stone, rubble or other material, allowing water to instance.” filter through. - Stakeholder comment. - Stakeholder comment. Filter strips: gently sloping, vegetated strips of land that “Green SuDS provide far more benefit than simple ‘end of 1.182 These opportunities also have a strong role in the alows for slow conveyance and infiltration of water from pipe’ solutions” Borough’s biodiversity strategy (see Theme 2). upstream development. - Stakeholder comment. Bioretention areas and rain gardens: small depressions “Turning back” toward the waterfront in the ground acting as infiltration points for surface water, Educational opportunities and can be planted up with appropriate vegetation. 1.183 As is the case with many towns and cities where 1.180 There is a significant educational opportunity industrial development has historically sprawled along Permeable pavements: providing a surface suitable for which should be integrated into Middlesbrough’s Flood waterways, Middlesbrough has long ‘turned away’ from pedestrian/vehicular traffic, while allowing rainwater to Risk Management Strategy, which is built on the need its waterfronts. Today, regeneration opportunities in the infiltrate through the surface and into underlying layers. to shift public perceptions of water. This entails a shift in north of the Borough provide a valuable opportunity to ‘turn Detention basins: landscape features which provide understanding from water as a ‘problem’ to be flushed back toward’ its waterfront, providing a closer association habitat creation when wet and leisure uses when dry. away, to a greater acceptance of water as a vital part of our between urban areas and natural systems. It also opens up landscape, including urban landscapes. Introducing water opportunities for leisure use on the River Tees - including Ponds: Runoff is detained and treated in the pool. into our everyday lives and environments can be delivered boating, sailing, canoeing and angling, in line with an Wetlands: shallow ponds and marshy areas, covered in through interventions such as rain gardens, ponds and other improved water environment. aquatic vegetation, able to detain flows for an extended sustainable urban drainage assets. 1.184 If achieved sympathetically, by balancing the period as well as provide significant ecological benefits. needs of nature with high quality design through an ‘urban living’ approach, it will be possible to create a thriving built LUC | 045 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

environment that celebrates and enhances the River Tees Summary of Key Issues Emerging Opportunities waterfront.

1.185 This direction is supported by the Tees Valley GI Strategy and is taken up further under Theme 1 (integrating The River Tees and other waterways lie at the heart BN1: The River Tees Corridor should form the GBI into regeneration zones) and Theme 6 (opening up and of Middlesbrough’s landscape character, however framework for future multi-functional development enhancing walking and cycling routes along the banks of the currently the town does not maximise the full potential of the GBI network and should support regeneration Tees and Beck Valleys). of its waterfront location for recreational purposes. plans. The Borough’s regeneration agenda should be guided by a process of ‘turning back’ toward “The riverside area needs some environmental The low-lying nature of the Tees Valley landscape the waterfront – both along the Tees River Corridor enhancement with trees and green spaces provided.”... makes it particularly susceptible to impacts of and the Beck Valleys – helping to repair broken “’big barriers turn people away from the water.” flooding, which will be exacerbated by the impacts of connections, while remaining mindful of the potential climate change. - Stakeholder comment. conflict between recreational and biodiversity Middlesbrough is at risk of both tidal flooding (along functions. 1.186 Local stakeholders are of the view that currently, the River Tees corridor) and fluvial flooding (along the recreational disturbance of habitats is relatively low along BN2: Alongside engineered solutions, strategies to Beck Valleys), and the large extent of impermeable the Tees Corridor (given that to a large degree the river is reduce flood risk should take maximum advantage of surfaces within the townscape. inaccessible). However caution should be exercised with any opportunities to implement nature-based solutions to opening up of the waterfront, as it would need to be mindful of Caution should be exercised with any ‘opening up’ of create healthy and multi-functional floodplains which the impact on areas of biodiversity value. Middlesbrough’s waterfront, to ensure no detrimental not only mitigate against flooding but provide co- impacts on habitats. benefits for recreation and biodiversity.

BN3: Expansion and promotion of SuDs features at all scales should be encouraged – including large installations on vacant land and ‘micro’ features such as linear rail gardens installed along cycle paths to combat flood risk. Retrofitting of existing under- performing SuDS should also be sought.

LUC | 046 Chapter 8 Theme 6: Walking and Cycling Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Chapter 8 Theme 6: Walking and Cycling

Connections in Middlesbrough pedestrians at the top of the ‘transport hierarchy’. While As a compact town, Middlesbrough’s compact urban form provides a strong It is thought that Middlesbrough’s name originally Middlesbrough lends itself to 1.187 basis for this, creating a landscape that encourages safe and comes from its position halfway between Christian centres enjoyable walking and cycling will require significant change. of Durham and Whitby, highlighting the Borough’s role as a walkability. However, there is While ‘grey’ infrastructural upgrades are beyond the scope place of connection and a meeting of routes. currently heavy dependence on of this Strategy, the GBI network has an important role in the private car. Improvements 1.188 However, the Borough today remains largely car- ‘greening’ those routes which encourage modal shift. dominated and active travel routes are too often fragmented “All future infrastructure and road improvements should and unattractive. As Middlesbrough grew, and its boundaries to the town’s public realm will include areas to add street trees or green spaces.” complement investment in expanded south of the railway line, the old town (St Hilda’s) became isolated between the railway and the river. There - Stakeholder comment. are opportunities to address these various instances of ‘hard’ infrastructure and help 1.191 The Public Right of Way (PROW) network provides fragmentation in a number of ways through this Strategy. In to encourage residents and the backbone of efforts to boost both ‘A to B’ (between turn, this has the potential to provide a number of important destinations) walking and recreational walking. The PROW benefits for health and wellbeing (see for further visitors to move in new ways. A Theme 3 system is strong in some areas and neglected in others. detail). well-connected series of ‘green 1.192 Within Middlesbrough’s wider Public Rights of Way corridors’ will also enable this “This [walking and cycling] needs framing as a public (PROW) network, there are a number of key routes that might health issue.” shift. form the prioritised framework for upgrades, as shown in - Stakeholder comment. Figure 8.1 These include: The Teesdale Way (running along most of the length of Walking and cycling opportunities the River Tees).

1.189 Open space has the ability to provide not only The Cleveland Way (National Trail). recreational destinations but also movement corridors which The Tees Link (linking the above routes, in part along can encourage pedestrians and cyclists to move around the Spencer Beck). town in different ways. 1.193 Further, the English Coastal Path – designed to be 1.190 Sustainable Transport is one of the pillars of the longest continuous coastal walking route in the world Middlesbrough’s One Planet Living framework, and the once completed – is a National Trail and runs through Integrated Transport Strategy sets ‘modal share’ targets Middlesbrough, creating a valuable connection between for 2028 which include 10% of journeys to be undertaken urban areas and coastal assets to the east. This is a by walking and cycling, an increase of 2% per year, with

LUC | 048 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy Figure 8.1: Walking and cycling network in Middlesbrough Middlesbrough Council significant asset, which allows greater access Middlesbrough must take into account the wider for Middlesbrough residents to access natural context of the Tees Valley and align with key features nearby by walking and cycling, as well strategic routes. The Tees Valley GI Strategy as passing by key heritage features such as highlights two broad corridors to focus attention the Tees Transporter Bridge. on, as indicated on Figure 8.1:

Two routes of the National Cycle 16 1.194 Strategic Route 13: Greater Middlehaven " Û1 Network run through the Borough – Route 65 - Middlesbrough town centre - South 17 from north to south, and Route 1 from east to Bank - Greater Eston – Redcar: A corridor 15 13" Cargo Fleet west and linking to the coast. The majority of linking key regeneration areas across the Û11 Redcar and Cleveland the routes are off-road, and they integrate with region. Stockton-on-Tees Newport North Ormesby

the Beck Valleys and the town’s ‘green lung’ , " Brambles Farm Û5 Strategic Route 14: Greater Middlehaven " " Û4 Grove Hill Û7 " as well as with the Tees Waterfront. " Pallister Û10 - Middlesbrough town centre – Marton - Û9 Thorntree “The Teesdale Way, England Coast Path and Nunthorpe - : This joins up Town Farm Marton Grove Berwick Hills 8 Bridges Way should be further promoted, a complex network of open spaces, beck Linthorpe Whinney Banks and their networks developed.” valleys, cycle/footpaths, parks, playing fields Beechwood Ormesby etc. It leads outwards from Middlesbrough Park End - Stakeholder comment. town centre, through the town’s “green lung” 12

Easterside 14 and joins up with long distance footpaths. Acklam " Û3 Green corridors 1.198 Building on these key routes, the

Overview Integrated Transport Strategy seeks to boost Marton Brookfield " active travel through the delivery of a series Û2 1.195 Green corridors are multifunctional of Walking and Cycling ‘Super Routes’, which " " Û6 Nunthorpe linear spaces that act not only as active travel Û8 will act as the ‘main arteries’ running through and recreational routes, but also have an Coulby Newham Middlesbrough, connecting into adjacent routes Stainton important role in providing linear connecting to the wider Tees Valley. These will be wide, habitats for wildlife. They can also play Thornton traffic-free routes, will be well maintained, lit and complementary roles in reducing flood risk by served by CCTV. They will be complimented holding water, and by cooling urban areas. by a series of ‘Superstops’, at prominent public 1.196 Green corridors in Middlesbrough transport hubs. Hambleton are largely anchored by narrow north-south 1.199 The Beck valleys provide an important valleys, which provide links between urban framework for these green corridors and can 0 1 2 F km areas and the surrounding countryside. Map scale 1:40,000 @ A3 provide multiple benefits including recreational Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2021 CB:KC EB:Chamberlain_K LUC 11038_005_FIG_8_1_r0_A3P 08/02/2021 However the Tees Valley GI Strategy Source: OS, MC, Sustrans, LUC routes, active travel corridors, flood alleviation highlights opportunities for better east-west and habitat corridors. These Valleys are Middlesbrough boundary Strategic Links " 9. Linthorpe Cemetery Tees Valley Strategic Route 13 Û Key destinations links and further connections to Ormesby Hall, Local and neighbourhood centres 10. Thorntree Park Tees Valley Strategic Route 14 11. Centre Square described in more detail in Box 8.1, based Green infrastructure asset 1. Middlehaven Urban Park Stainsby Beck and the National Park. 2. Newham Grange Farm 12. Acklam Hall National Cycle Network Public Right of Way on Middlesbrough’s Landscape and Heritage Footpath 3. Stewart Park 13. Middlesbrough Town Hall Key walking route Bridleway 4. Albert Park 14. Ormesby Hall Teesdale Way 1.197 Any more detailed plans within Assessment (2016). 5. Ayresome Gardens 15. Riverside Stadium Tees Link 6. Fairy Dell Nature Reserve 16. Tees Transporter Bridge LUC | 049 7. Pallister Park 17. Temenos and Middlesbrough Dock 8. Hemlington Lake Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Linking together key destinations Box 8.1: Key Green Corridors in Middlesbrough 1.200 When prioritising resources for green corridors Green corridors in Middlesbrough and elsewhere can and active travel provision, there must be a focus on routes provide links within the wider ‘active travel’ network as off- which link key destinations and attract significant activity. In road routes. However they cannot act as a replacement for these areas it will be important to achieve a modal shift to high-quality on-road routes which can be safely used year- walking and cycling, including as part of multi-modal journeys round, including in the dark. These routes do, however, which combine public transport and active travel. Walking provide important recreational resources which serve the an cycling should be both seamless and effortless ways of wellbeing of communities, as ‘softer’ and slower corridors moving around, both within the Borough and linking beyond for movement that allow for connection with nature. its boundaries. Marton West Beck Corridor “There are good green spaces but there needs to be more connectivity.” Middlesbrough’s Landscape and Heritage Assessment An existing off-road walking and cycling route in Middlesbrough. (LHA) highlights that this continuous ribbon of green space, - Stakeholder comment. woodland and NCN route presents a valued resource in “In the centre there is the cemetery, Albert Park and the built-up area and a key GBI linkage between the inner Ayresome Gardens. However, these green spaces are urban area to the ‘green heart’ centred on the golf course. standalone and the network is not visible.” However, there are some sections where the poor condition means the route is only accessible to able walkers. - Stakeholder comment. Middle Beck Corridor 1.201 Certain destinations lie at the heart of Middlesbrough’s regeneration ambitions, notably among them The LHA describes this route as well used and having the Riverside Stadium, Teesside University, Middlehaven and the advantage of being highly permeable with adjacent the train station and more formal parks such as Albert Park. housing, with fingers of green space reaching into These destinations are shown on Figure 8.1. The success neighbouring estates. However, the corridor’s biodiversity with which these destinations sit as key ‘nodes’ within the GBI value is limited, made up of largely amenity grassland Entrances to walking and cycling routes can act as barriers to wheelchair network and active travel routes will be crucial as to how well areas and occasional trees, with limited tranquillity or sense users than others when not thoughtfully designed. the network performs. of place.

1.202 Both the master plans for the regenerating Station Spencer Beck Corridor Area and the Middlesbrough City Centre Strategy (2019- This is the easternmost beck and forms the Borough 2023) highlight the need for improved wayfinding facilities boundary and part of a Green Wedge. The LHA notes that within the town centre which signpost both residents and there is a continuous footpath and cycleway along the visitors to key destinations and ‘gateways’. While some Beck, which carries the Tees Link long distance route, but wayfinding facilities are provided, these are inconsistent notes some signs of anti-social use. across the town centre and wider Borough. Other becks

Connecting the GBI network with public transport hubs Ormesby & Blue Bell Becks also provide key ‘green links’ through the Borough. 1.203 Middlesbrough is seen as a Strategic Public An example of some limited pedestrian-friendly LUC | 050 enhancements to the town centre public realm. Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Transport , with a focus on its railway station. To the Saltholme Nature Reserve to the north (across Theme 1 gives further information about existing plans to the Tees Transporter Bridge). regenerate the quarter surrounding Middlesbrough train To the heritage coastline and coastal nature reserves to station, and the opportunities for ‘urban greening’ which it the east. represents. 1.208 The ‘Strategic Routes’ taken from the Tees Valley 1.204 However, the redevelopment of the station Green Infrastructure Strategy and illustrated in Figure 8.1 represents an important opportunity not only to ‘create a highlight these important cross-boundary connections. sense of arrival’ but also to mend links between the station and key destinations to both the north and south. “We need to improve connections along the river to Redcar.” 1.205 The planned introduction of a direct rail service to London in 2021 will be a ‘step change’ for the station and has - Stakeholder comment.

potential to be a catalyst for the regeneration of the station Existing wayfinding in Middlesbrough is inconsistent and could be and surrounding area. The existing site is a key interchange improved by a high quality Wayfinding Strategy. Transforming the ‘school run’ and public realm focus, however there is currently significant severance created by road infrastructure and a poor 1.209 The Tees Valley Climate Change Action Plan (2010) pedestrian environment. The station lies at the intersection notes that is vital that the region supports people in making of a number of key movement corridors connecting key healthier and more sustainable travel choices, ‘locking in’ low destinations and GBI assets, as shown in Figure 8.1. In carbon healthy lifestyles by providing suitable incentives such particular, the station is the key ‘node’ where the Middlehaven as safe cycle routes to school. regeneration area and the town centre meet. Master planning 1.210 As elsewhere, in Middlesbrough the school run for the station area found that the visitor arrival experience is a key source of private car use, with the associated by rail is poor and that there is limited wayfinding to other key carbon emissions and air pollution which comes with it. The destinations. Borough’s One Planet Living Framework sets a target of 1.206 It is important that high quality green ‘links’ are reducing the number of children travelling to school by car developed between the regenerated station area and the key from 25% (2010) to 20%. Middlesbrough’s Sustainable Travel strategic routes outlined above – notably with the Teesdale Strategy also highlights the importance of promoting walking Way to the north, toward highly valued Albert Park to the and cycling on the school run – both through ‘Safer Routes south and linking to the various Beck Valley corridors. to School’ schemes and infrastructural measures which compliment ‘softer’ measures such as promotion and training.

Popular destinations beyond Middlesbrough’s boundaries 1.211 Some regeneration schemes within Middlesbrough also include pedestrian-priority zones around the local 1.207 Given the highly urbanised nature of Middlesbrough, schools that will serve the new neighbourhood, notably plans and how tightly the Borough’s boundary is drawn around the for the new neighbourhood at Grove Hill. urban edge, there is a particular need to establish ‘green connections’ to assets lying outside the Boundary. Links to “The strategy should also be underpinned by links to

the following should be taken into account: education with schools and colleges in the area. We need The Teesdale Way is an important strategic route linking Middlesbrough to get children excited about it.” with surrounding regions and key destinations such as the Tees The Eston Hills and Moors to the south. Transporter Bridge. LUC | 051 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

- Stakeholder comment. Summary of Key Issues Emerging Opportunities

Access for all

1.212 One concern which was voiced strongly during consultation with stakeholders was the need for the walking Middlesbrough is currently car-dominant and there is WC1: The creation or enhancement of ‘green and cycling network to be truly accessible to all - including a need to support objectives for a modal shift toward corridors’ along the Beck Valleys to give a boost to wheelchair users and those with lower mobility. Sometimes walking and cycling. walking and cycling uptake in the Borough. where barriers are used to block motorbike users from There is a need for better east-west links and further WC2: Identification and greening of ‘key routes’ using off-road routes, it can lead to those routes becoming connections to Ormesby Hall, Stainsby Beck and the linking important destinations, including a focus on inaccessible to parts of the community. North York Moors National Park. east-west links.

1.213 It is important that the Borough has an ambition While there are valuable strategic walking routes WC3: The regeneration of Middlesbrough Station, when planning the future GBI network of making all routes connecting Middlesbrough with surrounding areas and plans for a direct line to London, provide an ‘accessible to all’ through thoughtful use of barriers and – including parts of the national Coastal Path - opportunity to create a ‘node’ at the heart of several adequate surfacing along all key routes. walking and cycling connections within the Borough, green walking and cycling routes, both to destinations between key public transport ‘nodes’ and important within Middlesbrough (including Teesside University destinations, are currently often weak. and the Riverside Stadium) and beyond (including the coast, the North York Moors National Park and the Wayfinding provision is currently poor and requires Saltholme Nature Reserve to the north). work to better navigate between key ‘gateways’, destinations and GBI assets, as well as better WC4: Improved and more consistent wayfinding signposting to strategic walking routes from ‘points of across the entire Borough, integrated into the various arrival’. regeneration agendas in the town. The existing entrance to a school in a residential area of Middlesbrough, which could be improved by giving over more space to walking and cycling 25% of children currently travel to school by car, WC5: Opportunities to ‘green the school run’, to school. which is a significant source of traffic and air pollution including implementing small-scale and incidental and this discourages walking and cycling at a young nature-based play interventions, to bring excitement age. and educational opportunities to green corridors serving schools. Routes are not always accessible to all users, with some barriers in place blocking access to wheel chair users.

LUC | 052 Appendix A Policy Review Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Plan/Strategy Purpose Key issues for GBI Strategy

National

25 Year Environment Plan (25YEP) Sets out the Government’s support for habitat creation, multi-functional Sets the foundation for Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), to be implemented through the Environment sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDs), and natural spaces close Bill. to where people live and work. It represents an important shift in thinking towards long term positive action to improve people’s lives and the environment. It views the planning system as a key mechanism for delivering upon its ambitions.

National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) Sets the government’s economic, environmental and social planning Explicitly addresses the need for GBI networks, stating that strategic policies in plans should set policies for England, which apply to the preparation for local and out an overall strategy that makes sufficient provision for the conservation and enhancement of neighbourhood plans. green infrastructure (Paragraph 20). See Introduction for more detail.

Regional

Tees Valley Green Infrastructure Strategy (2008 Provides the GI context for the sub-region and sets out a regional vision for Proposes a network of GI corridors that link GI resources with strategic priorities (major – 2021) multifunctional open spaces that will enhance the quality of the area. development schemes such as Middlehaven, housing market renewal areas and areas of new housing and business development). The concept revolves around achieving closer links Outlines a vision, six aims, a number of benefits and key principles, all of between environment improvement and the major development projects proposed in the Tees which provide context for other plans, strategies and programmes within the Valley. Tees Valley. Key challenge is centred on ‘liveability’ - creating attractive places and environment and offer a quality of life that encourages people to stay. Emphasises the importance of partnership working.

Green Blue Heart Plan (2007) Produced by the Stockton-Middlesbrough Initiatives (SMI) and sets the The Plan sees the River Tees Corridor as part of the solution rather than the problem. goal of creating a new city-region within the Tees Valley by enabling a Defines a portfolio of mutually beneficial projects which include several which form part of a transformation in the urban structure. Designed to turn around current potential GBI network in Middlesbrough, including Maze Park (on the banks of the River Tees in perceptions of the region. the west of the Borough). Plan seeks to turn derelict sites from a problem into an opportunity. Many of the proposals set out in this Plan were hampered by the ensuring global financial crisis from 2008 onwards.

North York Moors National Park Pre-Submission Sets out planning policies in the nearby North York Moors National Park, to Its proximity means that the National Park is a major attraction for residents in Middlesbrough. Draft Local Plan (2019) be used to help decide planning applications in the future. Improving links with the Park, whether this is through better footpath and cycle networks or enhanced wildlife corridors will be beneficial and will help to strengthen the green infrastructure network.

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Plan/Strategy Purpose Key issues for GBI Strategy

Local Plan and borough-wide policy documents

Existing Middlesbrough Core Strategy (2008) The policies in this Core Strategy will be superseded by those in the Spatial objectives sought to increase biodiversity and expand the green network. emerging Local Plan, for which this GBI Strategy serves as an evidence Policy CS20 was a dedicated GI policy, which stated that the council will work with partners to base. ensure the successful creation of an integrated network of GI.

Middlesbrough Housing Local Plan (2014) Replaced the housing elements of the existing Local Development Policy CS20 relates the green space network at a strategic level in Middlesbrough outlining the Framework, outlining the context and vision for future development within key open spaces, including ‘beck valleys’, the ‘River Tees frontage’, the ‘green blue heart’ and the town up to 2029. the Borough’s Green Wedges.

Middlesbrough Council’s One Planet Action Plan The One Planet Living approach was adopted by Middlesbrough Council Middlesbrough Council recognises that without a sustained change, Earth will be unable to (2017 – 2025) in 2009 and provides a model to deliver a programme of environmental support the existing population and satisfy resource demands. sustainability across the town. Middlesbrough Council aims to tackle each of the 10 principles of One Planet Living to ensure that sustainability is embedded into the delivery of the wider vision for Middlesbrough. Several of the principles are relevant to the GBI network and the services it provides, including ‘ Two priority actions are: 1) putting allotments into self-management; and 2) supporting Volunteers and Friends Groups in the management and development of green spaces.

‘Green Strategy’ (emerging) Currently a work in progress, the Strategy looks at broad range of issues, The three broad aims of the Strategy are to: including transport, biodiversity, waste, energy etc. Will set out an ambitious 1. Make Middlesbrough Council net carbon neutral by 2030 10 year vision to develop a Green agenda to rise to the challenge of climate change and support and improve biodiversity within Middlesbrough. 2. To ensure Middlesbrough as a town net carbon neutral by 2040.

3. Middlesbrough to be a lead authority on Environmental Issues.

Grove Hill Supplementary Planning Document Represents an Area Regeneration Framework (ARF) for the neighbourhood Grove Hill is a neighbourhood in decline and the stigma around the area needs to be reversed. (March 2010) of Grove Hill, setting out a strong vision and spatial planning framework to The Eastbourne Road shops are under performing and their redevelopment/environmental kick start the regeneration activities. Can also serve as supporting evidence improvements represents an opportunity as a key gateway to the neighbourhood and nodal for the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) of property if required. point.

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Plan/Strategy Purpose Key issues for GBI Strategy

Cross-cutting theme: Climate Change

Tees Valley Climate Change Strategy (2010) The strategy represents the ‘coming together’ of the five Tees Valley local Promotes the implementation of the Tees Valley Green Infrastructure Strategy to help us deal authorities and their partners with a single aim and vision to tackle climate with the impacts of climate change, for example by increasing trees in urban areas, to provide change. Seeks to provide a sound base to embed the Low Carbon transition shade and absorb carbon emissions. within the economic regeneration of the Tees Valley. Investing in resilient infrastructure, including GI, will reduce the socio-economic and environmental costs of dealing with climate change related events such as floods and heat waves in the future. This could be through new water bodies to cope with increased storm water run-off and the principles of sustainable drainage system etc.

Middlesbrough’s Climate Change Community The Action Plan builds on the success of Middlesbrough’s Climate Change Acknowledges that there needs to be greater emphasis on adapting Middlesbrough to climate Action Plan (2010-2020) Partnership, a group of local organisations and individuals from the public, change. private, voluntary and community sectors that have come together since Tackling climate change and making Middlesbrough a healthy town are intrinsically linked goals. 2004 to identify how Middlesbrough can reduce GHG emissions whilst Highlights the importance of education and communication in order to gain the support of the preparing for the impacts of a changing climate. people of Middlesbrough. This includes educational projects including the Eco Schools Award scheme, supported since 2004. The regional GI Strategy is seen as key to climate change adaptation.

Theme 1: Economic regeneration, heritage and ‘sense of place’

Strategic Plan for Middlesbrough (2020 – 2023) Sets out how the Mayor’s agenda will be supported and delivered, following Priorities regarding ‘place’ have been included, one of which is regarding building more town the election of a new Mayor in 2019. centre homes – and protecting our green spaces.

Middlesbrough City Centre Strategy (2019 – Set out a vision and set of Priorities for a city centre that lies at the heart Highlights the importance of a vibrant city centre and visitor destination which presents 2023) of the area’s economic ambition, creating confidence for investment and Middlesbrough as an attractive place to work, live and invest. growth. Promotes the ‘urban living’ agenda and emphasises high quality public realm in various target areas, and investment in key gateways. Supports the delivery of the Rail Station master plant and Historic Quarter, emphasising the need for new signage to aid navigation in the city centre.

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Plan/Strategy Purpose Key issues for GBI Strategy

Middlesbrough LDF – Regeneration Identifies specific sites proposed for development and principal regeneration Recognises the importance of integrating green spaces that arise from development with the Development Plan Document (2009) sites, including Greater Middlehaven. existing network of GI and utilising features such as the River Tees as a focal point within development proposals This document was produced prior to the 2008-9 financial crisis, and as a . result much of what was proposed in the Greater Middlehaven regeneration area was not built out (other than the Community in a Cube building). The framework was followed by a 2012 Development Framework, which sought to set out a more flexible framework for regeneration in the Greater Middlehaven zone.

Middlesbrough’s Urban Design SPD Provides guidance for all development across Middlesbrough on urban Highlights that Urban Design is ‘not solely a visual concern’ but also has important economic, design which includes green and open space, SuDS etc social and environmental consequences. Green roofs, ponds and wetlands are recognised as a part of SuDS which should be implemented throughout the region. Highlights that all development must help to create ‘sustainable communities’ and encourage the formation of inclusive places. Trees play an important part in ‘softening’ the streetscape, creating visual focus and adding wildlife and colour to urban areas, but must create long term sustainable planting

Middlesbrough Station Action Plan (2017) Commissioned by Middlesbrough Council to outline the future development A new concourse and entrance on Bridge Street will help to provide a greater ‘sense of arrival’ of the station and surrounding area, given a renewal and a refresh and greater connectivity for pedestrians to both the Middlehaven area and to the town centre. Need for improved wayfinding for those arriving at the station.

Theme 2: Biodiversity and Geodiversity

Local Wildlife Sites and Local Nature Reserves Prepared for Middlesbrough Council by the Tees Valley Wildlife Trust as a N/A. in Middlesbrough (2018) review of natural conservation sites in the Borough (with a focus on Local Sites, which are designated by the Council) and to support the emerging Local Plan.

North East Wetland Feasibility Study (2007) The North East Wetland Feasibility Study identifies areas in North East Wetlands are a form of GI that should be capitalised upon and should form part of the GI and BI England that have the potential for wetland restoration or creation. The networks across the region, which would be supported by this study. study identifies a number of priority areas for wetland restoration. Constraints on wetland potential include urban areas, railways, and landfill and waste sites. The majority of identified potential areas lie to the north of Middlesbrough’s boundary, across the River Tees, however some less extensive north-south blue corridors along the Borough’s becks were highlighted.

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Plan/Strategy Purpose Key issues for GBI Strategy

Theme 2: Reconnecting communities with nature

Open Space Needs Assessment (2017) Provides an overview of the Borough’s open space inventory, as well as an Of around 998 ha of open space in Middlesbrough, 77% is publicly accessible and the dominant assessment of quality and value of each typology of space. typologies are: parks and public gardens; schools; and the Beck Valleys. Golf courses also make up a significant proportion (2 courses). Open space assessments take stock of the existing situation which can be Assessments of quality showed declines in quality at a large number of sites across the used to outline considerable opportunities for expanding and enhancing the Borough. GI network.

Middlesbrough Council Playing Pitch Strategy Provides a clear evidence base and set of recommendation for future Notes that areas with high levels of deprivation will typically have lower levels of health, standard (2019) outdoor sports facility development across the Borough, including an of living or car ownership, which all contribute to a lower overall level of participation. analysis of supply and demand. Identifies relatively low levels of physical activity among Middlesbrough residents, with spatial ‘hotspots’ of inactivity in the northern half of the Borough. Planning obligations under Section 106 should be used to ensure local playing pitch infrastructure is invested in, to meet the growing need. Proposes to mitigate any losses through the development of multi-sport hub sites.

Stainsby Draft Masterplan (2018) Set out the vision and illustrative masterplan for the Stainsby development, The vision for Stainsby includes a network of footpaths and cycleways cross the site linking the a significant development allocated on the western extent of the Borough. new green spaces and connecting into existing paths and spaces. A Country Park will be linked to and throughout the housing areas by green corridors.

Air Quality Annual Status Report (2019) Produced under the requirements of the Environment Act 1995, since 2000, There is no need to declare any Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) in Middlesbrough and to provide an update on the status of air quality across Middlesbrough. the Council strives to improve air quality despite economic limitations. Traffic pollution is an issue along busy commuter roads (the A66, A174 and A19 trunk roads), however fortunately housing along these routes are low rise and set back, allowing dispersal. Tackling poor air quality from traffic sources is one of the Council’s highest priorities. Two locations were highlighted as being in need of extra measures to reduce nitrogen dioxide levels: 1) along the A66 from the Marton Road junction to the Hartington junction; and 2) from the Cannon Park interchange to the junction of the A66 with the A19. The main challenge of introducing measures to reduce pollution on the road network, including the A66, is the economic cost, not only to Middlesbrough but the wider Tees Valley.

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Plan/Strategy Purpose Key issues for GBI Strategy

Theme 4: A Resilient Landscape

Landscape and Heritage Assessment (2016) Assessment of the landscape and historic environment value of selected The provision of open space within the boundary of Middlesbrough Council is limited to a areas of the Borough, to inform development planning and management southern fringe of agricultural land, and a series of green wedges, parks and open spaces within decisions. Includes a site-specific review of land to the south of Newnham the urban area. Hall. The 33 parcels assessed form important assets within the GBI network, and opportunities are identified for each one, including potential to boost biodiversity value or better link to the rest of Four themes are discussed throughout the assessment: landscape, visual the network. amenity, historic environment and green infrastructure. Each of these themes were used to assess 33 individual parcels of land.

Green Wedges Assessment 2017-2018 An assessment was conducted looking at: boundary information; separation Green wedges comprise the open areas around and between parts of settlements, which and openness; amenity value; natural environment value; historic maintain the distinction between the countryside and built up areas, prevent the coalescence environment value and flood risk. Conclusions were then made on whether (merging) of adjacent places and can also provide recreational opportunities, a great asset to the the green wedge could be improved or whether it should remain the same. GI network. 23 Green Wedges were recommended for amendment, and 14 identified as making a valuable contribution to the area. Some areas of Green Wedge we recommended by the Review for removal as they no longer meet the definition in the policy, however in many cases it was recommended that the Open Space designation remain. The ‘Green Heart’ Wedge is an interconnected network of open space in the centre of the built- up area. It forms a key part of the ‘greenlink network’ running along Blue Bell Beck.

Theme 5: The Blue Network and Waterfronts

Tees Catchment Flood Management Plan (2009) CFMPs help to understand the scale and extent of flooding now and in the GI could be a method of building resilience which could be through new water bodies to cope future, and set policies for managing flood risk within the catchment.They with increased storm water run-off and the principles of sustainable drainage system etc. inform planning and decision making by key stakeholders. Policy Option 5 addresses the high risk of flooding within the Eastern sub-area by factoring in the increasing flood risk over time due to climate change and future development.

Tees Valley Authorities Local Standards for Produced by a working group from the Tees Valley local authorities and Includes design standards and examples of how urban design can be implemented. Sustainable Drainage (2017) forms local standards which strongly promote the use of SuDS, helping GI is recognised as an essential element to ensuring SuDS is successful. SuDS should be a to reduce surface water runoff and mitigate flood risk. Intended for use by part of the ‘multi-functional’ GI network, delivering multiple amenity, landscape and biodiversity architects, engineers, planners and developers in the preparation of new benefits, alongside their primary function to deliver sustainable water management. schemes.

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Plan/Strategy Purpose Key issues for GBI Strategy

Middlesbrough Level 1 Strategic Flood Risk Prepared as an update to the 2013 assessment and required by MBC Notes that GI assessments as part of the Council’s policy baseline. Also, it states that alongside Assessment (2018) to initiate the sequential risk-based approach to the allocation of land for GI should be the implementation of SuDS, specifically within potential development sites. development and to identify whether the Exception Test is likely to be GI should be designed and managed as a multifunctional resource capable of delivering a wide necessary. range of environmental and quality of life benefits for local communities and should be provided as an integral part of all new development, alongside other infrastructure such as utilities and transport networks. Developers should be required to set part of their site aside for surface water management, to contribute to flood risk management in the wider area and supplement green infrastructure networks.

Middlesbrough Local Flood Risk Management Sets out primary objectives and actions which will reduce the risk of With regard to new developments in vulnerable areas, care should be taken to ensure risks can Strategy flooding, one of which is to take a sustainable and holistic approach to flood be suitability managed through adaptation and green infrastructure. management, seeking to deliver wider environmental and social benefits, climate change mitigation and improvements under the Water Framework Directive. This aim promotes the concept of water cycle management and blue corridors/green infrastructure in master planning.

Theme 6: Walking and Cycling

Middlesbrough Integrated Transport Strategy Seeks to balance the competing demands placed upon the transport A hierarchy of highway users (with pedestrians and cyclists at the top) will be at the heart of (2018-28) network and create a network which is an integral part of the ‘package’ that everything the Highways Authority does. attracts prospective investors. This is designed not only to provide ease of Promoting and incentivising sustainable travel will reduce dependence on the private car and will access within the authority boundary but a gateway to the rest of the Tees include measures to achieve modal shift. Valley, bringing the centres closer together. Sets targets for modal share by each mode.

Middlesbrough Sustainable Travel Strategy Produced in response to changing legislation in the field of school transport, Promotes sustainable travel and transport modes on the journey to, from, and between schools this Strategy sets out how the Council will encourage travel planning and other institutions. across the Borough to meet the travel needs of those travelling to and from Requires that all schools have an authorised Travel Plan within the lifetime of the Strategy and educational institutions. seeks to reduce the level of car use on the school run. Promotes suite of ‘soft’ measures, including promotion and training, and the need to boost sustainable trips through a campaign of awareness and education. Highlights links with the ‘Healthy Schools’ agenda. Requires at least three ‘Safer Routes to School’ schemes throughout the life of the Strategy. Middlesbrough will work to reduce by 20% the volume of traffic arriving at the school gate.

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Appendix B Record of Stakeholder Consultation

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Organisations participating in virtual Organisations responding to online survey Organisations responding by e-mail workshops The Woodland Trust Hartlepool Council Middlesbrough Council The Forestry Commission (Yorkshire and North Stockton Council Tees Valley Combined Authority East Area Team) Friends of Nature’s World Historic England NHS Tees Valley Clinical Commissioning Group Forestry Commission Groundwork Historic England Groundwork Tees Valley Nature Partnership Stand With Orme: Protecting Ormesby Beck Historic England Valley Nunthorpe Parish Council Environment Agency Neighbourhood Plan MAPP/Our Greenways Group Tees Valley Wildlife Trust OurGreenways and MAPP Natural England Friends of Nature’s World Thirteen Housing Group Friends of Fairy Dell Green Stuff Middlesbrough Friends of Linthorpe Cemetery and Nature Marton West Neighbourhood Forum Reserve Middlesbrough Environment City Youth Focus North East Sport England The Friends of Stainton and Thornton Green Spaces HoggyStockton Rescue Greenstuff Middlesbrough Marton West Neighbourhood Forum Middlesbrough Environment City Middlesbrough Council (Transport and Infrastructure) 4 x local Councillors

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Appendix C Output of Stakeholder Workshops

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1.214 As part of the consultation process carried out for this Strategy, a series of six virtual workshops were held online, using video conferencing software. A selected group of stakeholder were invited based on their role in Middlesbrough’s GBI Network, and each workshop focussed on a separate GBI ‘theme’.

1.215 During the workshop, discussion points were captured by one of the facilitators on an online ‘whiteboard’, alongside a baseline map to guide the discussion.

1.216 This Appendix contains ‘snapshots’ of those whiteboards with discussion points raised by stakeholders during the workshops. Following the workshops, these comments were combined with the policy review and mapping data as a basis for the Priority Opportunities identified in Part 2 of the GBI Strategy.

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Workshop 1: Regeneration, Heritage and ‘Sense of Place’

Middlehaven links extend further east Urban farm, too. Railway station enhancing the area. to football Issues of industry ground/college and how projects route could be are laid out/ how No spatial Highway Strategy for improved Covid impact - will reduce traffic people will move MIddlehaven, pedestrian planning on a around this space. thr ough home working. But Challenges between Masterplans for Tees Valley level - and cycling prioritised. How can urban greening support challenges to town centres and road and rail use. Middlehaven - links to Council are duty bound to businesses as reduced footfall. but need to focus Town Centre - heavily revival of high streets in town Investment in roads consider individual apps as Urba n regen needs to create planned area. Will be centre post- Covid and beyond? could be directed to on links all the they come in but a need for important for GBI elements pl aces where people want to live, same. to be incorporated where rail and cycling joined up thinking to affordable and high quality envt possible. Zoe Manders - Greening features as part of maxi mise the areas safety re: routes to football Middlehaven plans? What potential. ground kind of 'dockland landscape' do we want to achieve?

Currently 38km of PRoW. But recording Rights of Way another 40Km along Improvement Plan - Beck Valleys. Links Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Green Space lots of consultation on to N Yorks and Forum - lots of wider area Strategy: See discussions re very this. PRoW will need to Project River Tees Lower Ormseby active/passionate feature strongly in the Rediscovered Welcome to our Virtual Workshop designation as groups Beck site - Adjacent GBI Strategy (important Workshop 1: Economic regeneration, heritage and 'sense of place' LWS. Lots of Project - Lucy to A66 and river. Importance of cross- issue in Nunthorpe) community (manager). England Triangular piece of boundary links: Tees valley Community land next to car park interest but and Nunthorpe. Bounded Champions - Coast Path runs stalled. by Redcar - wider context groups of along the Teesdale important. . GBI is a volunteers Town centre regen Wa y. network across could look to reduce Middlesbrough and wider surrounding areas. Groundwork is traffic - benefits air developing proposals, quality, noise. with Middlesbrough Impr ove Council, for Teessaurus What new/revamped 'green' Park. Better access, pedestrian/cycling Is there an opportunity to features need to be part of regenerated Gresham? lighting and a small access create moveable green features on vacant plots? Eg. moveable Some great work being entertainment space. planters. done there by the community Champions Nature Partnership covers (a group of volunteers) the whole valley and will footfall/car parking hel p to join up cross there has increased Gresham - recent planning boundary thinking and markedly 1.3 million passengers app approved for part of. pr ojects. Tees Valley GI through Middlesbrough strategy, Tees Valley Nature High quality scheme from Recovery Strategy st ation a year. Constrained Potential for a 'green gateway' Opportunity for 'flexible' open Thi rteen. Use of Secured By by platform size. at the regenerated station? spaces on vacant plots of land? E.g. How to combat severance by Desi gn - reducing number Under croft and entrance market space around old Town Hall. railway/flyover? of streets for peoples Lots of work being spa ce, public realm Can these spaces be 're- imagined' National context - Envt Bill will undertaken by Local and make the most of heritage movement, creating clear improvements to spin out have implications (bio net gain groups. Could the strategy features? movement corridors etc. and economic), climate change embed communication, regen potential into the (resilient landscapes), tree information hubs to show wider historic quarter delivery of projects. planting, blue network opportunities. Nature Recovery MIMA undertood lot of Ne tworks and Strategies. 25 Year community Envt Plan which all areas will consultation work for bid esp wards of North need to produce. This GBI How to better promote/link Maps could Strategy will need to help direct Ormesby / Borough's heritage assets? SuDs are a number of SuDs need to have more show other Grangetown. Sharon wider Tees Valley work on this. things. Designed to hold attention re: design and Paterson coordinated. back water, manage runoff. areas of the function. Nunthorpe has a Different array of SuDs could in new developments Borough. used and these are thought but possibly aren't out. Main purpose is to Potential to improve HE and council functioning well for wildlife prevent flooding. communication work - Heritage about the type of Acti on Zone will SuDS projects that are currently underway be able to feed Middlesbrough needs to make and boost public the most use of green space and into the GBI There is an important planning involvement issue linking suds, PRoWs, and devel opment. Old Town hall str ategy work new parks in housing areas - needs to be a focus for renewal - prior clarification about who is There can be a responsible for maintenance. ur ban farm etc. A66 and railway Otherwise they degenerate or conflict get taken over as private spaces cuts this section of the town off. by those who resent paying for Custom House, Transporter between flood upkeep for the generality of Eastern area of the Borough. Acklam Hall Conservation residents. Bridge will be enablers for alleviation and Area - at risk register. Large introducing more 'urban living' Borderland (arts council), led by other uses. New GIS system Ormesby Beck links the area of Green space. What University. £3million of funding - town centre to Stewart could be achieved to environment as a key theme in for the council is Park (Green Flag) and pr otect green spaces here - the art project. Green spaces and Ormesby Hall (National emerging - will HE in discussions with the Trust). Need to involve EA Surface Water Is there an GB elements are really important be more Council flooding - areas that in discussions about the opportunity to with some key opportunities are susceptible to BNG - interactive beck valley. Also note this. Large Green Biodiversity/acces link BNG and economic habitat for water voles. areas will be utilised s improvements - SuDs to improve to protect against much greater impact, likely flooding. biodiversity. focus on this now to be outside the Borough

LUC | 065 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Workshop 2: Biodiversity and Geodiversity

Liverpool Tees Corridor sensitivity - if access was opened up would this doc floating have a negative impact. Maze park etc. All designations in the Important to mindful of area have been confirmed. climate change. Consider Intertidal - Groundwork involvement in barge for Recreational disturbance from tida l impacts/flooding and tyne and weir estuaries. Operationally - Direct impact on ma y/may not require Important to constraints are huge, planning, licenses Could this new housing - marshlands may engineering solutions. be impacted more by this Ne ed to consider impact on (expe nsive), river bed R Tees used to be dead consider life wildlife the R Tees future engineering owne rship/permissions. Even to delivery through Middlesbrough. lead to sche mes small/modest hab improvements/bank Improved massively since wi thin the unlikely. More then and scope for more water column softeni ng is expensive. Anything that disturbance? improvement long- term. could help to ease through small projects indirect impacts Massive potential for under a certain threshold to help future. Middlehaven / regen areas. delivery/incentives on landowners to Saltsgill fields near to EA surface water mapping perhaps hospital - green lung but help would be good. Carbn seq/ envt and long term plan for large flood alleviation image for landowners water management scheme placed on it - schemes. Research and basins, ponds and mounds River Tees impacts may not modelling are important to hold back water = be so much of an issue. and therefore would need habitat creation. to consider impacts of bio Coastal sites are more projects on mapped Floating Island problematic. River itself is flooding inaccessible to a large on degree. Getting onto the river is difficult so R Tees - effectiveness How robust is the Tees Middlesbrough Intertidal habitats and re- of a strategic corridor - disturbance is lower Brasscastle and intertidal habitats - Any opportunities for alignment/tributaries (in Middlesbrough seals and sealampo. Corridor as a strategic or just outside) - old R Tees forms Stainton Way - really important. Tees habitats as part of regen Dock for Using the route from wildlife corridor and "blue boundary of Midds to the N west, this has been modified over pond creation to the sea to inland. eg. at Middlesbrough was part of proposed SPA but does not 100+ years and much belt"? common tern form part of the designation now. Salt hold water back. Species follow the river Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Docks? of this habitat has marsh, intertidal mud flats. Water quality as a corridor route. Strategy: is poor but opportunities for habitat gone. Opportunities to creation, improvement. R Edge has expand Welcome to our Virtual Workshop interntidal habs and industrial structures. Potential for river edge habs Workshop 3: Biodiversity Ormesbry beck LNR. North east of the town. Doesn't function as a habitat or nature reserve. Gets a lot of abuse, needs better management. The Beck is invisible in a lot of this area. Protects from damage/flytipping but detaches people from the Beck Valleys. How much do you allow people in? If they can't see it Habitats along Is there scope for managed do we lose support for these areas? Silt build up a key hard edges and realignment for intertidal issue. Fairy Dale - silt dock walls. How habitats? build up and reeds. will this score Opportunities to move Intertidal with BNG calcs? beck course so that the Any conversations held with Do the Beck Valley habitats South west of Town - still lake is offline and can habitats could Could intertidal habitats be some beck corridor landholding bodies re: BNG br oadly identified? Yes, calcs for require restoration or be used as an overspill flooding can include bio networks but the area is brokering for strategic offsite? buffering? Linkages - bottom end of requi rements. R Tees have vast the last hold of farming. Has been mentioned by EA as to form part of number s of tributaries and becks Middlesbrough becks. The that you can't see. Natural areas Some valleys/corridors are whether it can qualify as offsite that can be allowed to flood becks are sound and woul d offer great benefit. influenced by these BNG. However, if these the off site effective from middle and farming practices. Opps for landowners aren't the south. But last section has improvement Long term aspiration of RoW network is developers, how will they package a lot of culverts and for - Primary, Secondary Tertiary routes. benefit? Egs of brokering in barriers as you get close to National trails to the north and the Beck the Tees. valleys. Missing a southern route through Midlands and the South West the countryside linking all new developments towards the N York moors. Some untapped areas with links How to make the most of betwen the town centre and river are urbanised - perhaps not in council emerging Biodiversity Net ownership Gain opportunity?

small items that can be delivered through net gain - bat boxes, swift etc. Where is more "linking habitat" Should be doing more of this across the Tees Valley. Potential to deal with this required to form a "nature more strategically? Currently being recovery network"? North Ormesby play area (Henry delivered by developers but piecemeal street). Local group involvement and not of high quality in places. and active involvement. Hedge Potential for wildlife trust involvement and management to allow for planning Area based metric planting along park perimeter. conditions to be signed off? Takes the Grounds maintenance seen as focus away from developers to manage most developed so far - an issue, can't be left as messy consulted on and being as people may expect them to be Inca - Tees Estuary tweaked at present. cut. Partnership- Linear based metric being developed but Local Wildlife sites are the mapping of Where can green spaces be extended taking a bit longer. out into the surrounding gems in Middlesbrough. Bio net gain - net gain metrics, potential areas for landscape/townscape? multipliers = local BNG can be considered Where are urban trees or green Not many of them, distinctiveness. Ties in with as being either BNG 'footholds' in the wider scattered and small but intertidal habs and local townscape struggling? designations. Important element delivered on site or offsetting/enhance in calcs - how things tie in with give local character for local character. Opportunities to where not possible score highly if these connections ment opps Verges and parks - Yes, issue of habitat gain. We do need to are made delivery offsite through Council management of 'short back and sides' cut. make sure they get looked credits - 3rd party, Acceptance could be improved mowing.tidying of spaces with more down to council help. Are there opportunities to create could be altered to change public/councillor education. after and managed. pollinator corridors and re- mowing regimes and Education is key - untidiness is maintenance. A lighter reported and council have to Wi ldflower declining wilding road verges/parks? respond rather than saying that touch could be applied in Changes in mowing regimes? Martin West Beck - silt issue has it is being left for nature. Legal certain locations a big impact due to lack of duty to cut back around footpaths. undergrowth and tree planting. Existing woodland areas suffer Urban tree challenge fund - 1800 from a lack of management and large trees, groundwork assisted new tree planting. This lack of with bid and technical help. management can have an impact Large trees throughout/along - increase flytipping, increase silt road corridors/around playing which costs the council fields, around schools to provide local and passionate groups - barriers to roads. Planting in soft Scrubland gets comms between them or verges but would be good to monitoring? Friends of Bluebell Could reduce maintenance introduce into harder urban removed for Education is key - areas of Beck - groups are initially set up costs. However there is an areas. Albert Road street trees. bramble and overgrown for a specific purpose. To try and something that broaden scope and ensure that Example - change to mowing expectation on the Local look unsightly for people regimes in Durham. Great Nice stretches of woodland connectivity to wider areas is public to maintain verges is considered to but are great habitats. understood. Lakes/links to becks success on verges. Haven't etc as they pay council tax. along becks - now under needed to reseed but have Notices explaining that etc. How do they fit into the Perhaps communication is managed - opportunity to wider machine? changed grass cutting over a 3 Constraints in be 'better' areas are left for Wildlife. year period. Middlesbrough key improve, reconnecting rich Scrubland is really proposing to introduce hard urban sites along these corridors important, mosaics of along A19 and Park way but by improving existing held up by Covid. Great scope for Improvement of beck areas? Costs habitat are key these important corridors in woodland. Ash die back Midds valleys is key - RoW and and service could become an issue increase in recording of Middlesbrough Green constraints etc. Forum - a way for groups beck valley routes. to communicate with each These go through areas other. Self help, local level A good time to start - due comms. Some groups have to 'build back identified for potential capacity to extend what better/greener'. Research biodiversity increase. they do, look at new areas during Covid - on mental Increase discussions within their locality and the wellbeing and links to around special areas wider green network. nature. Time to make these RoW improvement plan - that should be changes and allow for opportunity to improve protected from tree greater acceptance and rationalise routes to planting etc to improve protect the environment if their habitat value if others routes could be introduced in their place to unique or important. compensate. LUC | 066 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Workshop 3: Reconnecting Communities with Nature

Who is Future management Not just - is using Got to look at ownership - A lot is down to design - important. Various models. Mappingof access - across Suprised to find that children/parents involved eg handed to LA/managed the green recreation/wildlife can Across Tees Valley - good eg.s of SuDS doesn't always Middlesbrough, some in clearing + understanding by developer/some egs. them? exist. You can channel SuDS + some less good. 2 things Some offer ecological communities have most space there? importance. If we sow the where WLT have taken over seem to work well: 1) enough benefits you might pressures/ least access to seed at child level, they people away etc. Lots of authorities put management. Maintenance space attached (developers try to imagine - about green space. Leafy suburbs But is it used? After lockdown - take home (certificates etc) info around about how to Nature Reserve in very fit into too small an area - v quality? or where is really important - do they less emphasis generate nicer places to Would like to see do. Also about community industrial area = great opp. just become a "backyard" mechanical eg. steep sided tanks sited? people have aching because lack live. beck clean ups led by involvement - getting Chemical plant, therefore to development? of water; 2) ideal scenario = joints. This is causing They can work water in drainage bodies year of benefits? communities - getting community ownership. blast zone (can't put up issues - need to get incredibly well round/water taking up capacity = We need to them involved. Help buildlings - so opens up trade off in design/functionality. them involved. Not Needs more look at this with them to understand it great opp). Backed by for wildlife, but just mental but also robus t contract so they protect it. Mayor/local ecologist on not always. green space physical health. with developers board (full survey) Urban regen agenda strategy. + engagement important for this - see with community article on 'Glasgow effect': Is there a mapping https://www.theguardian.c exercise eg. Any recreational om/cities/2019/oct/16/urba Provision of pressure? SuDS - role for n- living- makes- us- quality natural "Closing the Gap" miserable- this- city- is- trying- green spaces - to- change- that? project? Different communities/habit in areas most More like this CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other New centre in needed. access/provision of Major landowner - (recycling centre - just 3- phase program, with EA to look ats please! https://www. Becks - quality at waterway. eg. taking away Mental health services. turning vacant land landscaped). Bringing nature in stop- up at end because no flood susdrain.org/files/re component post- into allotments. Also issues/connectivity to risk. May allow seals/fish/who SITE (Schools through planting/bee and bat sources/evidence/H Covid = really knows... otters? Early days important. Influencing Their boxes. Formerly - big concreted River etc. Some are project, will be over no. of years. RW_social_impact_s Thirteen project at Increased emphasis Env) - "apple doesn't area. Want to push throughout really mown to edge. TV WLT also involved. Hopefully ummary.pdf come from TESCO". Thornsby nature site - comes off. on nature. One initiative = provision of all of estate - masses of land to Projects in past eg Boro beck from A66 to Also - orchards. Grangetown mat erials for 35k sqm of be promoted into self- feed stadium? Identified key Lots of sharing wildflower (main roads - all Becks. What more species (birds/orchids). Generations - Meeting allotments + involving children. land/ideas. eg. sprayed out for seeing Looking to applied for grant for could be done? Northumbria in ahead of Covid). Will go with Mayor development. green spaces, for eg. ahead in autumn for spring Bloom. Would like There are little Concern over meadow. re bringing Local parks seen as 'outer to push further space' - but some local groups out there. loss of EU bees in. Green spaces are parks in dreadful state. Try funding+ there - but the to keep on top, but re- utilising/get residents to buy companies quality/how in - otherwise fighting losing Berwick Hills LNR - top of relying on this. comfortable battle. Ormseby Beck = functions Why does people feel = issue Thirteen work with Work with outside Also 'You've Got partners, eg v badly. Some wildlife this site not No sustainability built This' program - neighbourhoods - Climate Action interest, but efforts seems All green spaces into projects - when using green spaces involving commts, to suffer from work as well for outdoor activity. North, MEC, vandal ism/damage. Should in Gresham funding finishes, Lots of community bringing out into Barefoot, WLT etc. as others? be better, as designated. undervalued - feedback already. world of nature for Lots going on. Promoting agencies walk away. pr oblem of health/wellbeing self- help as Need to build resilience children not going eg. Alley Makers - if Projects when funded - MEC still does a lot well as into the community to out. have restricted time. of food growing Locked alleys - community no committed keep going. projects still - Hence sometimes fall through allotments, good opp but suppor t. residents, it won't go off. These projects trial Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Local Plan areas/educational should leave a lasting How to address health Strategy: can't get funding allotments consultation DB - anywhere - How to address anti- social legacy inequalities in the Borough? Welcome to our Virtual Workshop invite all to join/give eg. Biffa. As not particularly with Is social/green prescribing behaviour in the green an option? space network? contact details. accessible all the transient population Workshop 2: Reconnecting communities with nature Quality of Useful to e- mail Comes back time. WLT - series of reports: "the Planning Policy green space again to Lockdown saw Why was nicer/more biodiverse it is - team. comms/mutual reduced this project Opportunities for food = issue the better the sense of support halted? growing? What has been wellbeing". We have legacy Changing concept mowing - lots legacy of previous of positive Unclear interventions eg. Urban of "landscape planting" - of what park can Less mowing will community allotment Farming project? not performing for be - greening feedback also save MBC Covid shutdown - some wellbeing. initiatives in park. sought in Nunthorpe - money - just a little Was Lottery funded - but Barefoot Kitchen/Alley roads closed eg. B1365 for commun ity cupboard upfront investment. there is legacy/some Pals in 5 mths - opps for Eg. small wildflower ongoing support. eg. tool for exchanging seeds Gresham/Linthorpe - What is happening with the walking/cycling/reconnecti meadow in back alleys: Nature's World site? bank operated, free of (sup plied by Barefoot ng to nature. Use of Perceived as important Nunthorpe http://www.barefootkit Various funidng levels - 1. big charge. + support through Kitchen). Grant from community asset by footpaths etc. What will MEC - doing all chencic.com/growing- Gardening opps. eg. years Middlesbrough Forum. consultees 'normal life' retain from sorts of things macro stuff Soil Association middlesbrough.html. Lots of things ago - worked in Ayresome this? eg. big health (lobbying/LEP/building back happening that better etc); 2. lower level - can be Gardens (still being used). project people don't know Newnham Grange intimidating (needs We can do this. But having about. + lots of farm as urban support/capacity). GS Forum community buy-in is key. funding sought from farm - people really good for Lots of work to be done - How to ensure that all have "softening edges" access, schools bits of funding eg. support/guidance. Nature P also won't happen overnight. "Grumpy gardeners" access to nature "on their might help - eg. visiting etc lottery funding. has small pot of funding - Ha ve to try things out. project (Nunthorpe) doorstep", including for Ayresome Mima program - 'The young and older groups? awkward little bits you can't fund Barrow'? Focussed on - orchards. Each child from elsewhere. Gardens (opps for outdoor space + commty Tees Valley Wild Green gets an apple they rewildings) food element (community Could these things Spa ces - there was grow. meal every be done on a bigger pr ogram of support. week): https://visitmima.co scale/joined up He lping groups to build m/whats- on/single/the- liveable efforts for capacity through barrow- 2/ nei ghbourhoods - In Thirteen Plan in training/support. Lots of Gresham - green spaces funding/sharing of Part of solution - this is why gr een spaces, but groups mentioned today restricted to those who live knowledge Nature Partnership set up, to aid Host of orgs can support residents not benfitted from this. there - balancing up the comms. Previously - quite schools - accessing gren comfortable. We Park walks - if neighbourhood needed strategic, but want to connect up spa ces. Primary schools need to reclaim (ref. Neighbourhood Plan) more of existing you don't take keen to get involved, but these Might seem Work with Newcastle Uni groups.communities. That is people in, they down to resourcing. Needs minor, but this architecets - one idea is fantastic. work in progress - we are wo n't go in. a level of commitment. Burnt out park - idea to turn into offering that function up/have Keenness is there... Eg. sorting out is important to Groundwork - Mens Shed project cycle park w/wild planting. So some lottery funding. There is Constitutions - at Berwick Hills (MIMA community, can space is used + handed back mechanism to build upon. community outreach small amount be built on. over to nature. So less open to of support can work): http://www.middlesbroug misuse. Need to think out of box Covid - given us real really help. handstocktonmind.org.uk/news- - don't have to look far for green emphasis on how to use Middlesbrough Green spa ces/turn into something events/blog/2017/4/new- outdoor spaces eg. park Space Forum - opp to Is there an opportunity to promote the much better. middlesbrough- mens- shed- is- walks/book club held come together = great value of nature through school open- for- business.aspx outside. The drive is You've Got This Project + /college , projects to boost interaction At top level - people opp. Good fit at coming from the Teeside Uni project on with nature? talking to each community level, but community, so they need Building new houses barriers to accessing green to know what going on. other. But not up/down comms? won't change whole spaces = whole number of filtering down. eg. things - feeling area overnight - insecure/lighting/planting. Friends of Fairy Dell - for including in Community Champions - painting need to level up That localised research dinosaurs/litter picking. Support chaired by David Everitt. Neighbourhood whole community. should be used. Through 'Stronger Communities', given is invaluable, but could Put on Summer Fair, up to Planning. there is coordinator. But if build on this? Do they need ~ 1.000 poeple. But reliant Stewart Park - expertise someone involved in one thing, material support? Training? To Teesaurus Park - during from Askham Bryan you can get them involved in on funding sources eg. Co vid. Has absolutely College. They are build on the positive vibes of others. eg. Streets Ahead - same Council/lottery/Commty "everyting green space We are losing located in park - wildlife volunteers. Can Council faces appear at everything. Need Councils. The more of this tranche of project. Anything to coordinate something? to get new people in eg. 'Bring a ne eded at time" - nature can be sustained, the offer elsewhere? Friend' initiatives. conservation, rare access vol unteers, better. to Tees, amenity grass + because they "strangely attractive don't know there di nosaur sculptures" is opp there.

LUC | 067 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Workshop 4: A Resilient Landscape

Urban tree planting spec ification requires min 2m clea r stem... most SUDS need to be thought A resilient landscape frui t trees would not at during initial stage - but responds to numerous fit this criteria they are there to mitigate factors, From a flood landscape+amenity flooding... and don't have perspective - local Middlesbrough value / biodiversity / e.g. Dixons Bank the initial 'visual' impact groundwater has carbon sequestration... scheme - a lot of "Patchwork like new tree planting risen, certain types a balance is needed trees were Orchard" of trees are Food removed to allow specifically suited to for the these conditions growing development Community Where could habitat diversity be Food + fruit orchard / alley increased e.g. providing ground trees - would regeneration / ... The Men's Shed, vegetation, mid layer and canopy allow for new create a variety of based at Berwick within the same square metre? Hills - learn new In terms of GI for tree planting to planting types and share existing sequestration - trees first... Trees of a be multi- use horti/other v little scope for salt marsh certain age can practical skills with Middlesbrough... be registered potentially introduce a with the Ancient Tees Valley Middlesbrough is highly urbanised - network of ponds and Urban and peri- Tree Inventory historically part of how to combat flood risk? eg. Natural Capital marshes the 'Tees Forest' - urban food Incredible Edible is a fantastic scheme in Albert Park/within new Account - a community If community have growing projects... opportunity for development? Any areas suitable for commi ssioned forest greater involvement of a map of this is in new trees - watering / changing The local allotments at start of year development perceptions of wetland creation/SuDS? Existing planting / general resour ce is very good community food mature trees management - allows Hedgerow planting, compa red to other growing Middlesbrough need to be greater ownership individual urban areas in country... but trees, road corridor the re are further areas is a national protected as planting, schools which would allow for pilot study well and playing fields - further food growing windbreaks

Tees Valley is a net Is there scope for carbon In a place like Gresham area... Middlesbrough, New tree planting exporter of carbon - sequestration along the Tees large gardens natural balance important urban and appropriate Corridor/elsewhere? (Thirteen) needs to be planting is tree pit spec / Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure distances from reduced to create addressed before addressed. existing / new a communal other sources are Strategy: buildings is orchard/allotment Allotment Not just about imperative MEC are targetted Welcome to our Virtual Workshop provision planting trees - working on a Tree planting - needs to be e.g. woodland food map of Workshop 4: A resilient landscape Tree planting - how to deliver doesn't have to management has addressed the Borough - a big part to play on ambitious target of 10,000 be whole new all types trees ? And where... urban? swathes of peri- urban? rural? woodland

In urban areas - how to combat the "heat island" effect? Eg. E.g. Arable Some There are sufficient Groundwork a riparian landscape can delivering planting within urban allotments now brownfield sites local partner Currently planting contribute to areas? tree 'large trees' in an urban sel f- managed = available to Urban Tree involved in carbon context, it important planting? benefits for accommodate housing sequestration Challenge tree planting they are resilient to the allocations... will also initiatives environment - Tree bi odiversity etc Fund guards and weekly be looking at urban watering talking place living Woodland management schemes in south of borough - Huge benefits improve perception of in terms of woodland which is With dry springs community Mosaic of green seen as a magnet for - becomes hard and wildlife walls and roof antisocial behaviour. work to maintain young trees If we are going to work top gardens eg. Housing with communities, at Teeside Al locations in Redcar and Stockton there needs to be are much larger University Parks tend to appropriate If arable land is 2014 Plan - boroughs... these already have good communication and a turned to housing current farmland - areas have more level of tree strategy for how this is developments - food can alternative capacity for housing planting, so not as Community is continued growing sites be located? much focus in than Middlesbrough ownership - the opportunities and these areas other GI needs to be Tree covered na ture of funding incorporated landscapes in means projects are proximity to housing a series of discretely need to be managed Integration of GI funded projects How do we to allow people to into these housing positively interact make all of schemes is also with woodland these 'Neglected spaces' and highly important - Broader thinking is and will be looked at needed! ... ensure connected and huge scope for how these Can't leave SuDS in LP process we don't miss joined- up? can be developed. SUDS + design to opportunities within public perceptions of seed developers - will end new developments mixes and how they initially up with cheapest 'look' sometimes negative rather than most Raising GI resilient solution. benchmark for Lots of recent (lockdown) Approach needs comments to RSPB re new mowing of road verges and to look beyond how positive this is... devel opment pr evious perception has Middlesbrough - been that unmown = Coulby Newham messy New developments SUDS should not be housing allocation need to fit into the focus towards site - how can this Changing public 'Green SUDS' restricted to areas network of GI and look be used to Tees Valley, and perceptions of provide far more of potential flooding to improve green benefit than enhance the how 'landscape' but all new dev - spaces / reduce need wider area simple 'end of to travel / grow+shop Crucial to ensure landscape should look pipe' solutions. need to mitigate local GI is not just surface water 'tagged-on' at end flooding - 'landscape-led design / development'

LUC | 068 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Workshop 5: The Blue Network and Waterfronts

Alternatives such as education, 'softer measures,' etc... identify specific 'safe' spots rather Important to maintain than blocking all A path runs length Groundwork - a of Tees, but there both wildlife + industry access points Teesaurus Park has lot of their along Tees... but no is no access to the 3D metal dinosaur involvement reason we can't actual river itself sculptures which revolves around Water safety - Existing initiatives: from path improves impression litter... this is a big There are groups introduce activities need to get Tees Valley Trust - of industrial areas local issue which do 'wild such as leisure cruises / balance correct... estuary edges swimming'as well as tourism opps 'big barriers' turns project... water areas where kids just Accessibility to Tees is rangers, have a people away from not widespread... small jump in regardless dock area only access scheme in place water (nr dock) point, therefore binning wet- wipes preventing recreation Marsh No current The perception of activities etc. water sports at the Tees is a big NR is a great the dock... huge local challenge... v example of a local How is water quality faring in potential to the Borough and wider slow process to wildlife area region? And the habitats it introduce more turn negative to adjacent to supports? positive industrial area Engineering constraints limit Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure type of SUDS What is Middlesbrough's Strategy: relationship to its solution used, and Welcome to our Virtual Workshop waterfronts? And the Tees Developers have a Only section without Any feature which 'quality' of the Corridor? responsibility... but there Workshop 5: The 'blue' network and waterfronts There are stretches of the path - AV Dawson will enable water application are lots of engineering Teesdale way where the UK a=industrial to be retained difficulties which prevent footpath moves away from successful implementation and slowly the river (due to industrial area... future sof SuD released to the areas etc) - can we bring potential to increase discharge point... SUDS - the path closer along extent usage hete? sustainable urban of river? drainage systems 'a mitigation measure' Needs to be a Soak- away How to combat flood risk eg. wider higher expectations of SuDS Large variety of infiltration is not appreciation and Overgrown beck = SUDS... community al lowed as a means through new development? Are But do we also want to keep good for wildlife Surface water there limitations eg. infiltration reasons for involvement v of discharge in some tidal / river areas without flooding big rates/sensitive locations? visiting the becks (to an extent) but Middlesbrough - high levels of recreational important when issue as a due to clay soil access so they may serve other poor for public creating / setting- up result of the functions (e.g. ecology). interaction and a SUDS solution clay soil connection Retrospective SUDS Important to ensure - no requirement... Introduction of SUDS solution is but if there are flood mapping / cost effective re issues, will look to Local rivers and When Council speaks inter pretation would maintenance and put solutions in waterways are an to developers - always help improve The more enhances place discuss introduction of Artificial grass used asset, for numerous education and biodiversity people that visit water butts but there locally (private - health, well- being, awareness developments + are issues re recreation, as well - the increase in engineering calcs / front gardens) and as traditional uses 'sensible' uses... Green Lung is excellent budget etc is a big issue place for SUDS re:slowing down Grey Towers an intervention... but if surface water runoff example of small Would previously was used during scale improvements flooding then the space to Martin West Beck, Introduce visitor see migratory would then not be but complex PRoW platforms in birds towards usable for recreation and private Stockton in marsh How do the beck corridors ownership issues certain locations perform in terms of water areas... can we to allow quality/biodiversity? How could connection with ext end corridor they be improved? E.g. on entrance EA website - river? pr ovides Beechwood to beck corridor information on each fields - a large rout es, introduce be ck + quality... a lot mappi ng and of the becks suffer scale 1:100yr How can we rethink the role of poor quality and int erpretations A number of community water in the landscape? And flood scheme overgrown veg educate around this? groups are v active re EA has a 6yr picking up litter around programme funded by government... the beck near Acklam Start with small covers small and scale interventions, large scale schemes e.g. household run- A lot of potential off / at for community How can we use schools,therefore group actions... Tees Valley is a very Opportunity to the wildlife as an reduce need for 40km of PRoW urban area, and some increase small asset and make it large scale along becks.... of the only only green More community interventions - not a destination / spaces are along the access is there group action, all large capital tour ism draw becks... important we responsibility and do not develop these, Any location which eng agement = more works - and focus on or on flood areas has a perimeter ownership and areas with active fence area - overall 'Friends Groups'. Recent example in Newton opportunity to improvements... Aycl iffe and 1000 Ormesby Hall - a introduce a series of st icklebacks dying - results Path to rear of larger scale golf course (the ponds/becks instead from people pouring hot flood alleviation water+chlorine from hot 'lower' path) is scheme in tubs being tipped down often flooded / Lots of not easily development drain oppor tunities for accessible... E.g. Cornwall Close small scale good example of interventions, small scale flood introducing small al leviation scheme... ponds in schools for 80cm high bund instance

LUC | 069 Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy: Part 1 Middlesbrough Council

Workshop 6: Walking and Cycling

Changing the attitude of So far efforts focus the Council. Money has DFT keep changing on eg. avoiding been invested into roads standards = difficult. tress, but can but could have been 'greening feature' Opportunites to invested in cycle paths. Council only get so integration can be enhance GI in cycle There needs to be attitude much money and and behaviour changes. Motorists need to realise looked into pathways where there are using a lot on Maintenance is an Two children in the same the more roads you have issue. Can have all of family in different year isn't with cars. Often the more cars there will be walking and cycling groups could have different these good cycle ways blue and green and the less car parking infrastructure. drop off times. Staggering available. Need to move but they need to be infrastructure has Inetgrated Transport Plan - work and school drop off away from funding from maintained and times or having car sharing multiple benefits. car parks. high level cleaned. However, this incentives - e.g. better Different challenges and needs to be funded. parking for car sharers barriers in each ward Expectations of developers need A lot of the time they are raising - if cycle pathways are infrastructure barriers not built in its hard to put them in. Planning application have given "gestures" toward cycling Looking to take out but need to go further. Need to Mixed views on whether look at a type of levy with creating cycling and parking on main routes Delivering off- road developers that goes to walking routes will have a The pandemic has brought 'gr eenways' is less however, residents or maintenance How to positive or negative effect flexible working and hours pol itical as its out business owners may to the focus. Staggering the way so you on business (this can be Need to work closely with school times could have a make changes more deliver? barrier). Covid may provide see negative economic colleagues in education to positive impact on easi ly. some case studies. congestion around schools. effects reduce congestion - if This could have a knockon 5 or 6 strategic routes it everyone car shared or effect on walking or cycling. would be easier for the walked one day a week. Council to maintain. Everyone can get to work The public that do use much quicker when the them will know where schools aren't in. Opportunities for green to go and pedestrains routes to school? How funding operates = Where It's hard for people can avoid if need. Middlesbrough Green and Blue Infrastructure there is the greatest demand there will be the greatest benefit Need to make a to see the benefits Strategy: positive case and How are the Teesdale Way so these areas get funding. until its been done. Welcome to our Virtual Workshop There is desire to put and Tees Link performing? get people on board Get a lot of infrastructure that helps people How can we better link people - using "community residents who will Workshop 6: Walking and cycling 24/7 365 days a year. But this to long distance routes? champi ons"? As sometimes misses 'greenways'. suppoort it if its not there is a lot of push in their back yard. Lots of congestion back generated by the Can only do so school run in the much with th Borough infrastructure and (including big there is only so cars) much highways land, so behvaiour change is key Are there areas of opportunity Political will now exists for active/filtered - "two mayors ago" it The NCN network - is this neighbourhoods? eg. where was all about parking. useable by different kinds of car ownership is already low You do have to work with It's about a shift By changing cyclists (including more what you've got. The area in mindset of Since then the Council Manchester have physical "nervous" cyclists)? has a grid pattern. have tried to push had a lot of infrastucture it Waltham Forest have a resindets. Will get similar layout and have sustainable transport. infrastructure can help prompt prioristed cycling = good massive public cha nges but they behavioural case study. health benefits. have also changed change their behaviour

Off roads routes How do the Beck Valleys can be great for perform as active transport GI but people links? And does recreational access affect habitat condition? need to feel safe Importance of using them. the "last mile" - poor in the Safety issues - When the Borough traffic was light and the Do barriers on cycleways This needs prevent some residents weather was good cycling fr aming as a from accessing these links? was safe. Need to make Any network for walking or publ ic sure cycling highways are cycling should be suitable health issue lit and safe in winter too. for all people. Access to it should be for everyone. Solar power lights built in Communications and PR The surfacing of the issues - show where UK the pathways. network should be safe for all users. and world examples if There are issues with pathways There is already Need evenly space schemes (secure storage) be ing used illegally by benches on these and removing parking motorbikes - barriers need to be good transport routes where older spaces etc do win hearts put every 10 metres so they can't inf rastructure people can take a get up to speed. Barriers rest, particularly in and minds of car drivers. blocking them would make but it needs to south of Borough. pathways inaccesible for wheel be strengthened chairs. Areas of need There are several Can take a ward neighbourhood approach for improving areas which have What about the older however, a active travel forums that could demographic? holistic approach provide advice on could also work ne twork where change is Train to the hospital is great BUT you have to walk the perimeter of the needed hospital to get in - there is no gate near the station. Also - why not a shuttle bus around the hospital (and link to bus stops ) that can move people especially the infirm to get around without having to drive and park? Trouble is the NHS wants the car parking fee - but use cars = obesity and health problems

The last mile or even less needs to be There are two transport aspects - Sheffield as much- suitable for cyclists or commuting and recreation. pedestrains. Is there a There are areas of Vast majority that have been Hospital takes 25% respected case Got to have somewhere to safe and visble place to corridors that work buying bikes since the pandemic plus of traffic in Needs put their bike at the end of put your bike. Is there study re have been using them to get out 'Marton crawl' - staff really well but parts their journey. Cycle centre access for buggies? that don't. Sheffield mor e bike in the bus station - looking into the countryside and green /visitors/outpatients station/university at putting another one in spaces. Links to hospital - NHS wants people can be looked at as Green space is therefore used storage - the town centre. = important. to be healthy ! links in particular. a case study. for very different reasons. Also big Can draw on this. generator of traffic

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