Submission Document SD20 Strategic Green and Open Spaces Review Board Final Report 2016 A city becomes magnificent when the spaces between the buildings equal the architecture they frame Contents Mayoral Preface .................................................................................................................................................................. 6 Chair’s Note ........................................................................................................................................................................ 8 1. The Strategic Green and Open Spaces Review Board ............................................................................................... 9 Board Members .................................................................................................................................................................................. 9 2. Overview and Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 13 Background and Context ................................................................................................................................................................. 13 Time of Austerity .............................................................................................................................................................................. 13 The Review ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 The Final Report ............................................................................................................................................................................... 15 3. Report Structure ........................................................................................................................................................... 19 4. Health and Wellbeing ................................................................................................................................................... 21 The contribution of green and open spaces to public health and wellbeing ................................................................................... 22 General health and wellbeing ........................................................................................................................................................... 24 Protection from harmful environmental exposures .......................................................................................................................... 24 Promoting physical activity .............................................................................................................................................................. 25 Promoting social interaction and cohesion ...................................................................................................................................... 25 Public health in Liverpool and the role of green and open spaces .................................................................................................. 27 Integrating public health care and green and open spaces ............................................................................................................. 28 1 5. Environmental Factors ................................................................................................................................................. 33 Climate change, flooding, air quality and biodiversity...................................................................................................................... 33 Climate change ................................................................................................................................................................................ 34 Hotter, drier summers ....................................................................................................................................................................... 34 The role of green spaces in hotter, drier summers ............................................................................................................... 35 Milder, wetter winters ....................................................................................................................................................................... 35 The role of green spaces in milder, wetter weather .............................................................................................................. 35 Unpredictable and extreme weather events..................................................................................................................................... 36 The role of green spaces in unpredictable and extreme weather events ......................................................................................... 36 Sea level rise .................................................................................................................................................................................... 36 The role of green spaces for future sea level rise ................................................................................................................. 36 Flooding ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 36 Surface water flooding ..................................................................................................................................................................... 37 The role of green spaces in surface water flood alleviation................................................................................................. 37 Tidal flooding .................................................................................................................................................................................... 39 The role of green and open spaces in tidal flooding ............................................................................................................ 39 Air quality .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 39 Air quality in Liverpool ...................................................................................................................................................................... 39 Air quality and the role of green spaces .............................................................................................................................. 40 Biodiversity ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 41 Biodiversity in Liverpool ................................................................................................................................................................... 41 6. Education ...................................................................................................................................................................... 45 Environmental education in Liverpool .............................................................................................................................................. 46 The importance of organised educational activities within parks ......................................................................................... 46 2 7. Finance - Balancing the Books? ................................................................................................................................. 49 Public parks finances ....................................................................................................................................................................... 50 Balancing the books ........................................................................................................................................................................ 50 Public park – alternative maintenance regimes ................................................................................................................................ 51 The Future – Public parks, nature reserves and other public spaces .............................................................................................. 51 Sport and recreation finance ............................................................................................................................................................ 55 Playing pitch strategy ....................................................................................................................................................................... 56 Other sports provision models ......................................................................................................................................................... 59 Highways and verges finances ......................................................................................................................................................... 59 Other spaces finance ......................................................................................................................................................................