Organised by the TCPA on behalf of the UK Green Infrastructure Partnership, this conference took place on 29 November 2022 and considered the following questions:
- What is Britain’s green infrastructure policy post BREXIT?
- How can ambitious national policies be translated into innovative projects on the ground?
- Are local leaders ready to do things differently?
- What skills are needed – and who needs them?
The TCPA is grateful to The Landscape Institute, Heatherwick Studio and GreenBlue Urban for making this event possible.
Session 1: Addressing the gap between strong national green infrastructure policy and weak local implementation: what can be done?
- The Good, the Weak and the Vulnerable: reflecting on green infrastructure policy and delivery across the UK
Prof Alister Scott, Northumbria University - Addressing the gap between national policy and local delivery: a personal reflection
Jon Burke, Climate Change and Decarbonisation Lead, Gloucester City Council and former Cabinet Member, Hackney Council
Discussion and questions
How can the gap between the ambitions for green infrastructure set out in policy and the sometimes disappointing practice at local level be avoided? What skills and resources are needed? What’s preventing transformative urban greening?
- Jane Findlay, Past President, Landscape Institute
- Sheena Raeburn, Raeburn Farquhar Bowen
- Prof Alister Scott, Northumbria University
- Jon Burke, Climate Change and Decarbonisation Lead, Gloucester City Council and former Cabinet Member, Hackney Council
Session 2, chaired by Fiona Howie, Chief Executive, TCPA
Improving green infrastructure at landscape and city scale for people and the environment
- Growing Ambitions: Reimagining Nottingham’s Broadmarsh + Little Island
Lisa Finlay, Partner and Group Leader, Heatherwick Studio - Birmingham Urban Forest Masterplan
Simon Needle, Principle Arboriculturist / Principal Ecologist, Birmingham City Council - Central Scotland Green Network
Emilie Wadsworth, Operations Director, Green Action Trust
Session 3, chaired by Julia Thrift, Director of Healthier Place-making, TCPA
Creating and managing urban green spaces to maximise multiple benefits
- Managing parks for health and wellbeing: lessons from Islington and Camden’s Parks for Health Strategy
Catherine Max, Health and Sustainability Consultant, and Barry Emmerson, Head of Parks, Islington Council - Adapting our grey urban spaces into climate-proof places
Howard Gray, Consultant, GreenBlue Urban - Parque Central Madrid Nuevo Norte
Alvaro Novás Filgueira, Project Leader and Architect, West 8
