Green Infrastructure in the United Kingdom – Exploiting Lancashire

 

UNITED KINGDOM –Lancashire Economic Partnership hosted a seminar that explored how we can maximise the benefits of living and working within a stone’s throw of the outstanding countryside that is unique to Lancashire. The seminar looked at how our superb countryside can be made more accessible to Lancashire’s residents and visitors and also what the economic as well as social and environmental benefits would be from creating a more linked network of green spaces. The event was held on Monday 9th July 2007  at The Globe Centre, in Accrington.

The event involved regeneration professionals, planners, tourism partnerships and local authority economic development experts. 

The linked network of green spaces, or ‘Green Infrastructure’, is the region’s life support system – a mosaic of natural environmental components and green spaces that lie within and between the North West’s cities, towns and villages.

It may include parks and gardens, trees, woodland, farmland, canals, road and rail corridors and other green open spaces.  In a highly urbanised society such as the UK, green infrastructure might usefully be described as the essential natural life support system.

Dennis Taylor, Chief Executive of Lancashire Economic Partnership said,
“There is an increasing recognition of how the environment contributes to local and regional economies in terms of tourism, inward investment, creating a sense of place, reducing flood risks, the physical and mental well-being of individuals, community safety and air, soil and water quality.  Lancashire has substantial existing green infrastructure, which should be recognised, respected and enhanced. However, there are important opportunities to increase this by taking a strategic approach to the planning of new green infrastructure in order to improve connectivity and achieve greater integration of green space with new development.”

The event was opened and chaired by Dennis Taylor, Chief Executive of the Lancashire Economic Partnership (LEP). The Keynote speaker was Nerys Jones, Cabe Space Advisor, who presented case studies demonstrating the economic benefits of Green Infrastructure. Other speakers included David Gluck from, ECOTEC Research & Consulting and Paul Nolan, from the North West Green Infrastructure Unit who detailed the economic benefits of current GI projects in the region.

About the Lancashire Economic Partnership

The Lancashire Economic Partnership (LEP) was formed to promote economic growth and prosperity throughout Lancashire and has developed from a merger of the Lancashire West Partnership and East Lancashire Partnership.

LEP operates primarily at a strategic level, managing sub-regional projects where appropriate. The primary roles of LEP are to lead on the development, implementation and review of the Lancashire Economic Strategy which complements the Regional Economic Strategy for the North West. LEP also acts as the vehicle for the delivery of the Central Lancashire City Region Development Programme – part of the Government’s Northern Way initiative.

 

 

Source: Lancashire County Council
Published Thursday, 5 July, 2007