Manchester Green Infrastructure Strategy Technical Report Manchester Green Infrastructure Strategy Technical Report March 2015 1 Manchester Green Infrastructure Strategy Technical Report Contents List of figures ............................................................................................................................... 3 List of tables ................................................................................................................................ 4 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 5 Green infrastructure across Manchester ...................................................................................... 6 Background to the Green Infrastructure Strategy ......................................................................... 9 Purpose of this Technical Report ............................................................................................... 10 Building on existing work ........................................................................................................... 11 2. Policy Context ........................................................................................................................... 13 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 13 Part One: Green Infrastructure Context ..................................................................................... 14 Part Two: Planning and Development Context .......................................................................... 16 3. Benefits of Green Infrastructure ................................................................................................ 19 Economic growth and investment .............................................................................................. 19 Land and property values .......................................................................................................... 20 Labour productivity .................................................................................................................... 21 Tourism ..................................................................................................................................... 22 Products from the land .............................................................................................................. 23 Health and Wellbeing ................................................................................................................ 24 Recreation and leisure ............................................................................................................... 25 Quality of place.......................................................................................................................... 26 Land and biodiversity................................................................................................................. 27 Flood alleviation and management ............................................................................................ 28 Climate change mitigation and management ............................................................................. 30 4. Green Infrastructure in Manchester ........................................................................................... 31 Manchester landscape context .................................................................................................. 31 Bedrock geology ........................................................................................................................ 31 Superficial geology .................................................................................................................... 31 Landform ................................................................................................................................... 31 Green Infrastructure Typology ................................................................................................... 35 Mapping Typology.................................................................................................................. 35 Open Spaces Assessment ........................................................................................................ 39 Mapping Typology.................................................................................................................. 39 Greater Manchester Tree Audit ................................................................................................. 42 Blue infrastructure ..................................................................................................................... 42 5. Spatial Analysis ......................................................................................................................... 45 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 45 Analysis unit .............................................................................................................................. 45 6. Economic Analysis .................................................................................................................... 59 2 Manchester Green Infrastructure Strategy Technical Report Introduction – scope of economic benefits and caveats ............................................................. 59 Caveats ................................................................................................................................. 65 Economic growth and investment .............................................................................................. 65 Increased jobs and wider multiplier effects ............................................................................. 66 Land and Property values .......................................................................................................... 67 Commercial and industrial property ........................................................................................ 67 Residential property ............................................................................................................... 71 Visitor attraction and tourism ..................................................................................................... 73 Health and wellbeing ................................................................................................................. 75 Physical activity ..................................................................................................................... 76 Mental health ......................................................................................................................... 80 Summary ................................................................................................................................... 82 Further research ........................................................................................................................ 86 Appendix 1 – Policy Context ......................................................................................................... 90 Part One: Green Infrastructure Context ..................................................................................... 90 Part Two: Planning and Development Context ........................................................................ 111 List of figures Figure 1. Incised valleys like Boggart Hole Clough are an important focus for green infrastructure in Manchester. © Tricia Neal (CC BY-SA 2.0) .............................................................................. 6 Figure 2. Bedrock Geology ........................................................................................................... 32 Figure 3. Superficial geology ......................................................................................................... 33 Figure 4. Landform and relief ........................................................................................................ 34 Figure 5. Green Infrastructure Typology ........................................................................................ 38 Figure 6. Open Space Assessment ............................................................................................... 41 Figure 7. Greater Manchester Tree Audit ...................................................................................... 43 Figure 8. Blue infrastructure and flood zones. ............................................................................... 44 Figure 9 Possible analysis units from left to right: Strategic Regeneration Framework Areas; Electoral Wards; and Lower Super Output Areas ................................................................... 45 Figure 10. Percentage green infrastructure including all categories of Manchester green infrastructure typology ............................................................................................................ 49 Figure 11. Percentage tree canopy cover ..................................................................................... 51 Figure 12. Buffer of 720m width around natural and semi-natural open space. ............................. 52 Figure 13. Proportion of land surface classified as water body or watercourse. ............................ 52 Figure 14. Index of Multiple Deprivation 10% bands (deciles).