Liverpool Green Infrastructure Strategy

Green infrastructure is simply a term that is used to cover all the vegetation and open water in and around the city, whether it is rare or common, private or public, in the city centre or the city suburbs - Croxteth Park or a single street tree. However, green infrastructure planning is a new approach, going beyond business as usual, focused on the benefits that can be delivered.

The purpose of the strategy is to support the aspirations for the future sustainable development of Liverpool to ensure that it is:

"…one of the best places to live, work, invest and enjoy life¹"

The Strategy was commissioned by Liverpool City Council Planning Department. It was funded through an Area Based Grant from Liverpool First that was awarded to Liverpool City Council in partnership with Liverpool Primary Care Trust. It was produced by The Mersey Forest Team.

The work forms part of the evidence base for Liverpool's Local Development Framework and the City Council and Primary Care Trust's new Public Health Plan.

To view the strategy documents and for further information visit www.ginw.co.uk/liverpool.

The outcome from this work includes:

• Joint working between Liverpool City Council and the health sector in the development of policies that support improved public health through the planning of green infrastructure.
• Development of a robust evidence base for the Local Development Framework and other strategic plans for the city, in particular in the areas identified for housing growth.
• Development of a city-wide Green Infrastructure Strategy identifying interventions that can help address environmental and socio-economic needs and capitalise on opportunities.

Since the strategy was launched in May 2011, The Mersey Forest, Liverpool City Council and the PCT have been heavily involved in implementing it, and have already made significant progress. For example, in the months following the launch of the strategy, the Natural Choices fund was launched, supporting projects across the city that improve health and wellbeing through the use of the natural environment. Read more in this Mersey Forest newsletter story about Natural Choices.

See more examples of our consultancy work.