Table of Contents 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 2 Project overview................................................................................................................ 2 What is Green Infrastructure? ........................................................................................... 2 Study Aim .......................................................................................................................... 3 Report Structure................................................................................................................ 4 2 Coventry Study Area....................................................................................................... 6 Chapter Overview. ............................................................................................................ 6 Environmental Context of Coventry City ........................................................................... 6 3 Approach to Green Infrastructure Study ...................................................................... 8 Chapter Overview ............................................................................................................. 8 Methodology...................................................................................................................... 8 4 Strategic Context Review ............................................................................................. 14 Chapter Overview ........................................................................................................... 14 National Policy................................................................................................................. 14 Regional Policy................................................................................................................ 15 Local Policy ..................................................................................................................... 15 5 Review of Existing Green Infrastructure .................................................................... 18 Chapter Overview ........................................................................................................... 18 Review Approach ............................................................................................................ 18 LANDSCAPE CHARACTER ........................................................................................... 19 BIODIVERSITY ............................................................................................................... 35 HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................... 43 NATURAL PROCESSES AND ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS..................................... 47 RECREATION AND TOURISM ...................................................................................... 50 ACCESS AND MOVEMENT........................................................................................... 54 6 Baseline Interpretation and Analysis.......................................................................... 56 Chapter Overview ........................................................................................................... 56 Physical Green Infrastructure Summary......................................................................... 56 Green Infrastructure Analysis.......................................................................................... 56 7 Existing GI Initiatives.................................................................................................... 60 Chapter Overview ........................................................................................................... 60 8 Needs Assessment ....................................................................................................... 74 9 Opportunities Assessment .......................................................................................... 80 Chapter Overview ........................................................................................................... 80 10 A Green Infrastructure Vision for Coventry ............................................................... 86 11 Green Infrastructure Standards for Sustainable Development................................ 89 12 Implementation Plan ..................................................................................................... 93 Practical Implications of Green Infrastructure Delivery................................................... 93 Practical Implications of Green Infrastructure Funding................................................... 95 Appendix 1: Detailed Description of Green Infrastructure.................................................. 105 Appendix 2: Green Infrastructure Policy and Guidance ..................................................... 107 Appendix 3: Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation................................................. 142 Appendix 4: Summary of Habitat Biodiversity Audit Data.................................................. 145 Appendix 5: Scheduled Monuments ..................................................................................... 147 Appendix 6: Baseline Data Analysis ..................................................................................... 149 Appendix 7: Glossary.............................................................................................................. 183 Faber Maunsell Coventry Green Infrastructure Study 2 1 Introduction Project overview Background 1.1 Coventry has been identified by Central Government as a New Growth Point in their 2006 announcements of the New Growth Point Programme. This initiative should bring significant benefits to the city in terms of strategic growth and associated infrastructure investment from Central Government. 1.2 The allocation of New Growth Point funding is conditional upon the establishment of an appropriate evidence base for considering the overall effects of strategic growth on the City and the selection of suitable growth locations. This evidence base comprises an understanding of the likely interaction of growth with (but not exclusively to) transport, flood risk, water cycle and green infrastructure. 1.3 This Study forms the component outputs for the Green Infrastructure evidence base providing evidence to help inform the selection of potential locations for growth of the city. It identifies and addresses existing and anticipated future Green Infrastructure deficits and provides a vision and opportunities to achieve a significant net gain in green infrastructure value across the city. This will be achieved through the creation, enhancement and sustainable management of new and existing resources. 1.4 This Study will also inform the preparation of the Local Development Framework for Coventry and in particular, spatial planning aspects as defined within the emerging Core Strategy. Strategic Growth and Regeneration 1.5 The strategic growth aspirations of Coventry as a New Growth Point are expressed within the emerging Core Strategy for the City. The Core Strategy is a key element of the LDF and is an important mechanism for delivering the Council's ‘vision’ for Coventry by setting out long-term objectives for the City, as well as providing policies for steering and shaping development. 1.6 The Council’s outline vision for Coventry is "a growing, accessible city where people choose to live, work and be educated and where businesses chose to invest". The Core Strategy will provide the overall strategy for the development of Coventry to achieve this vision. 1.7 The Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) Preferred Options sets out a requirement for Coventry to provide at least 33,500 additional dwellings during the period 2006-2026. Within these ambitions remain a clear expression of improvements to existing Green Infrastructure, preservation and enhancement of natural environment, green spaces, canals and rivers. What is Green Infrastructure? At its simplest, it can be defined as 'a strategic network of green spaces and the links between them'. The function and values of Green Infrastructure are, however, complex and a more detailed definition, as described by Coventry City Council in the Study Brief is reproduced at Appendix 1. 1.8 The term “Green Infrastructure” is relatively new, having been developed in the USA and been initially adopted in the UK during the planning stage of the Thames Gateway Growth Area. However, it is very similar to the concept of 'Green Networks' which have been used by local authorities in this country, particularly for New Towns, for decades. It therefore represents a continuation and development of this thinking, in particular bringing multi-functionality to the fore. 1.9 The fundamental principles of Green Infrastructure are multi-functionality and connectivity. The multi-functionality of Green Infrastructure is important to ensure the maximisation of public Faber Maunsell Coventry Green Infrastructure Study 3 benefit, while the connectivity aspect ensures that the network functions on a large scale and that its overall public benefit is greater than the sum of its parts. 1.10 'Green Infrastructure' encompasses all open space elements at all scales within rural, urban and transition landscapes. Examples include: Woodland Watercourses Playing fields Nature reserves Cemeteries Footpaths Hedgerows Amenity landscaping