New Local Plan - Issues & Options (Regulation 18)
18. Blue-Green Infrastructure
18.1 Blue-green infrastructure (BGI) refers to a strategic and interconnected network of natural and semi-natural features designed to manage and enhance the environmental, social, and economic well-being of a local community or region.
18.2 This infrastructure incorporates a combination of water bodies, such as rivers, lakes, and wetlands (the "blue" elements), as well as green spaces, such as parks, forests, and green roofs (the "green" elements).
18.3 It is a multifunctional approach to urban and rural planning that aims to provide a range of benefits, including flood mitigation, improved water quality, biodiversity conservation, recreational opportunities, and enhanced urban aesthetics. Blue-green infrastructure seeks to promote sustainability, resilience, and quality of life by integrating nature-based solutions into the built environment, ultimately creating more liveable and environmentally friendly places for present and future generations.
18.4 There are several ways in which BGI can improve the health and well-being of communities and provide additional biodiversity opportunities including:
- Urban greening
- Integrating green and blue infrastructure into new developments
- Green and active travel corridors
- Green links from urban to rural areas
18.5 The adopted plan identifies the following interconnected strategic BGI assets:
- The Welland, Sence, Soar and Swift river corridors
- Grand Union Canal
- Dismantled railway lines
- Saddington, Stanford and Eyebrook reservoirs
- Traffic free cycle routes, and long-distance recreational paths and bridleways.
18.6 The Council will work with partners and stakeholders to assess and review these assets within the District and, as part of the wider BGI network, identify the best course of action for their protection and enhancement. A recently completed Open Spaces Strategy (2021) will provide a useful starting point in this BGI review process.
Blue-Green Infrastructure
