The South East Green Infrastructure Framework
1 January 2010
The South East Green Infrastructure Framework is a reference tool for planners, local authorities and other interested parties. It provides guidance for implementing Green Infrastructure (GI) in the South East region.
The South East Green Infrastructure Framework
is the result of a project by The South East Green Infrastructure Partnership (SEGIP) that was formed to develop a project to deliver GI policy. The SEGIP is made up of Natural England, Environment Agency, Government Office for the South East, Forestry Commission, Wildlife Trusts in the South East, Groundwork and the South East England Partnership Board, which comprises of South East England Development Agency (SEEDA).
The South East Green Infrastructure framework will seek to:
Establish Green Infrastructure as an integral and essential component of sustainable communities;
Develop a common understanding of the role and importance of green infrastructure;
Help implement the South East Plan's green infrastructure policy; and
Will provide detailed guidance on how Green Infrastructure can be delivered through the planning system and local partnerships.
What is Green Infrastructure?
Green Infrastructure is the active planning, creation, management and protection of green multifunctional spaces in built and urban environments which includes but is not limited to parks and gardens, natural and semi natural urban green spaces, green corridors and outdoor sports facilities.
The primary functions of GI are to conserve and enhance biodiversity, create a sense of space and place and support healthy living by increasing outdoor recreational opportunities for people. GI also has an important role to play as one of many tools that can be used to mitigate the effects of climate change with scope for reducing the incidents and severity of flooding, supporting healthy eco systems and reducing energy consumption by regulating the heat in urban spaces by managing micro climates effectively.
Facts
Developments proposed for the South East region over the next 20 years have significant implications for both the environment and the people living and working within it and the framework will be a key tool for creating high quality living, working and recreational spaces in a region which already has the highest population density outside of London.
The South East Regional Minister Jonathan Shaw and leading architect and urban designer Sir Terry Farrell have endorsed the Framework and collectively agree the important role GI has in creating green multifunctional space for people to work, live and play in and that the framework is an essential piece of planning guidance for SE local authorities to help them put policy into practice.
