Making Up Ground - The Role of Green Infrastructure in Urban Regeneration.

This report by Groundwork looks at the place of green infrastructure in urban regeneration policy and spending, from the early 1980s to the present day.

Their analysis of recent funding for place-based regeneration allocated through the Levelling Up Fund and the UK Community Renewal Fund found that:

• Less than 5% of funding has been used to support green infrastructure regeneration projects

• Less than a quarter of funding distributed to local authority areas through the Levelling Up Fund has gone to the half of areas where the average distance to green space is the longest

They argue that green infrastructure is essential to both economic growth and community wellbeing. To truly ‘level up’ local areas, much greater emphasis should be placed on natural solutions in the upcoming UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

“UK communities experience stark inequalities in access to nature. Almost three million people in the UK do not live within a 10-minute walk of publicly accessible green space.“

Why does it matter?

Communities experience stark inequalities in access to nature. Almost three million people in the UK do not live within a 10-minute walk of publicly accessible green space. Groundwork’s Out of Bounds report, published in 2021, found that people on lower incomes, ethnic minorities, disabled people and other minoritized groups experience complex barriers to nature connection. As well as lack of provision, these barriers often relate to accessibility, relevance and feelings of safety.

There is strong evidence that the presence of green infrastructure in a community brings a wide range of benefits, including:

• Boosting business and the local economy including through the creation of green jobs.

• Improving individuals’ health and wellbeing.

• Tackling climate change and protecting the environment.

• Supporting social connections and cohesion.

  Therefore, green infrastructure has the potential to contribute significantly to place-based regeneration, whether through the ‘levelling up’ agenda or whatever takes its place.