News
Landscape Institute response to Housing Green Paper – Call for significant investment in landscape architecture in order to create good quality homes and public spaces
7th November 2007
The Landscape Institute today welcomed the Government’s Green Paper on Housing but called for a greater investment in landscape architecture as part of the planning process and for a comprehensive green infrastructure strategy.
President of the Landscape Institute Nigel Thorne said one of the key interests of the Institute – the professional body and regulator for landscape architecture – was upholding the landscape and design quality of new and regenerating communities.
Mr Thorne said: “The Green Paper’s pledge to build three million new homes is a superb opportunity, not only to house people but to create beautiful and sustainable places where people want to live. It is vital that landscape architects play a full part in the process of creating new communities. The housing crisis poses huge challenges to the profession, but it is only with a progressive landscape policy that success will be achieved.
He continued: “Too much recent development has marked a return to high density living with little attention paid to the quality of the landscape in which the buildings are set. Equally, we feel that the role of the landscape architect in the strategic planning process of delivering the aims and objectives set out by the Department is neglected in the Green Paper. With the Green Paper establishing a need to see substantial growth, particularly outside of existing settlements, the skills and expertise of the landscape architect are required.”
The Institute believes that all 45 New Growth Points and eco-town plans should be required to include a wide-ranging, town-wide green infrastructure proposal. Green Infrastructure has a vital role to play in creating character and a sense of place, as well as water management, flood protection, food production, biodiversity, education and employment. Green Infrastructure is therefore integral to the sustainable development of housing provision and associated land uses. High quality landscape planning and design are essential precursors to building sustainable communities.
Mr Thorne welcomed the Green Paper’s reference to the provision of greenspace but said the effective planning of large-scale development needs to consider the relationship of buildings to space at the earliest opportunity. This includes strategic considerations regarding transportation corridors, water management and flood risk alleviation and climatic effects. These wider-scale considerations provide the foundation for building good, sustainable places before allocating areas for parks, play spaces, sports grounds, gardens and other open space amenities.
The Institute believes more emphasis should be given to well informed and multi functional landscape planning at an early stage in the development plan.
