LI urges government to prioritise landscape in order to efficiently deliver across government agendas in housing, health and the environment
With the unveiling of its Spending Review today, the government has set out its financial plans for government departments and given a strong indication of its investment priorities for the next three years.
The Landscape Institute recognises that funding in the current economy is tight, but it is encouraging to see significant funding made available for affordable housing, and recognition of the importance of parks, high streets, and local amenity. We urge the government to prioritise a landscape-led approach to this investment: Landscape delivers multifunctional solutions, from providing access to green space and reducing crime rates for communities most in need, to boosting biodiversity, reducing urban heat island effects, and increasing flood resilience.
While we welcome the proposed investment in energy, transport and infrastructure, we again urge the government to take a strategic view and embed landscape in these projects from the outset, so that investment delivers returns for the economy, local community health and welfare, nature and climate.
None of this can be delivered without the right skills in the right places, and we welcome the proposed investment in skills, training and upskilling required for green growth. The LI will work to ensure that any opportunity to attract more people into the landscape profession is taken.
Belinda Gordon, Director of Policy & Public Affairs, said:
“The need to make every pound go further underlines the vital role taking a landscape-led approach needs to play in delivering efficiently across government agendas in housing, health and the environment.
Through landscape-led approaches to development, we can deliver economic growth and long-term value as well as benefits for the environment and local communities. Placing landscape at the heart of the planning and development process creates enhanced value. The government must recognise this to make the most of public spending.”
