GreenArc Strategic Green Infrastructure Plan (with Hertfordshire) Final Report Therfield Heath Prepared for the GreenArc Partnership Letchworth River Quin Hitchin Buntingford Chilterns AONB Stevenage Luton by Bish Knebworth Park Stor River Beane River Ash River Rib Luton Rive Hoo Harpenden Ware Sawbridg River Lee Welwyn Hertford Land Use Consultants Redbourn Heartwood Garden City Panshanger Forest Park Hoddesdon Harlow Hatfield St AlbansEllenbrook Fields Hatfield Broxbourne Hemel Hempstead Country Park Park Woods Grand Union Canal Trees Northaw Against Great Wood March 2011 Pollution Kings Langley Cheshunt Epping Potters Bar Watling Chase Radlett Community Forest Epping River Colne Forest Watford Cassiobury Park Borehamwood River Lee Aldenham Loughton rleywood Country Park Enfield ckmansworth Bushey Hainault F Lee Valley South Oxhey Country www.landuse.co.uk LUC SERVICES Environmental Planning Landscape Design Landscape Management Masterplanning Landscape Planning Ecology Environmental Assessment Rural Futures Digital Design Urban Regeneration Urban Design 43 Chalton Street 14 Great George Street 37 Otago Street 28 Stafford Street London NW1 1JD Bristol BS1 5RH Glasgow G12 8JJ Edinburgh EH3 7BD Tel: 020 7383 5784 Tel: 0117 929 1997 Tel: 0141 334 9595 Tel: 0131 202 1616 Fax: 020 7383 4798 Fax: 0117 929 1998 Fax: 0141 334 7789 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] DOCUMENT CONTROL SHEET Version Issued by: Approved by: Andrew Tempany Kate Ahern Senior Landscape FINAL Principal-in-Charge Architect 31st March 2011 31st March 2011 CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................................... 1 What is green infrastructure?..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2 Benefits and relevance of the green infrastructure approach to the GreenArc .............................................................................................................................. 3 The green infrastructure of the GreenArc .................................................................................................................................................................................. 3 Varied landscapes and habitats ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Historic legacy .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Existing Strategic GI Initiatives ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 What this Strategic GI Plan will do ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 4 The strategic green infrastructure planning process – a summary ................................................................................................................................................. 5 Structure of this Strategic Highlights Green Infrastructure Plan .................................................................................................................................................... 8 2 GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE DEMAND AND OPPORTUNITY IN THE GREENARC BY FUNCTION ............................ 9 Green infrastructure functions................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 The functions – summary of need, supply and opportunity in the GreenArc................................................................................................................................13 Access to recreation ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 Prestige on settlement approach corridors ............................................................................................................................................................................... 17 Health.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 18 Sound ecosystems................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 20 Productive green environments ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 21 Conserving historic landscape character ................................................................................................................................................................................... 23 Sustainability and responding to climate change......................................................................................................................................................................... 24 Land remediation .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 25 Nature conservation ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 26 Experience ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 27 Flood attenuation and water management ................................................................................................................................................................................ 28 3 PROPOSED GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORK AND PROJECTS .......................................................................... 31 Green infrastructure vision...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 31 Delivering the vision – the network.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 32 Rationale, key messages........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 32 i Green infrastructure types in the GreenArc ............................................................................................................................................................................. 33 Proposed green infrastructure projects .................................................................................................................................................................................... 33 GI projects and cross county connections ................................................................................................................................................................................ 59 4 LINKING THE STRATEGIC GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PROPOSALS TO LOCAL SPATIAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT ......................................................................................................................................... 61 Evidence Base ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 62 Core strategy ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 62 Development Management ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 63 Next steps.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 66 Potential future work .............................................................................................................................................................................................................