Glasgow and the Clyde Valley Strategic Development Plan Background Report 08 Glasgow and Clyde Valley Green Network Prioritising Delivery September 2010
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Context and aim of the Glasgow and the Clyde Valley Green Network The need for a strategic Green Network across the Glasgow and the Clyde Valley area was established in the Glasgow and the Clyde Valley Structure Plan. The GCV Green Network Partnership aims to make the Glasgow city region one of Europe’s most attractive places to live, work and play through the creation of a large functional Green Network. The Programme The Green Network Programme is the range of activities (consisting of projects, promotions and management activities etc) delivered by the GCV Green Network Partnership. Programme Aims The overall aims of the Green Network Programme are to: • improve the competitive position of the Glasgow metropolitan area as a place in which to live, work and invest; • promote the Government’s environmental justice agenda and encourage social inclusion; • help secure improved health and quality of life - especially for people experiencing disadvantage; • reinforce and enhance the biodiversity value of green and open space across the Glasgow metropolitan area; and, • contribute to the development of a more sustainable metropolitan infrastructure and encourage more sustainable lifestyles. Programme Objectives The Green Network Programme aims will be achieved by: • creating a cohesive and accessible network of well managed greenspace for the use of residents and visitors to the Glasgow metropolitan area; • improving the quality of the living environment for communities; • actively engaging communities in projects to improve their local greenspace; • creating a network of linked habitats; and, • utilising unused and underused land Scope The creation of the Green Network Programme will add value to the work of those organisations already acting to improve the quality of greenspace within their area. Over recent years a wide range of project work has been undertaken. There are many examples of good practice, much has been achieved and many lessons learned. It is, however, clear that greater and more concerted and prioritised action is required if we are to achieve the full potential of greenspace resources across the city region, delivering maximum public benefits, addressing some of the more difficult sites and realising the major opportunities that are developing. The Green Network will improve significantly the quality of green and open space across the city region, enhancing the image and perceptions of the area amongst all sections of the community. The Green Network Programme will also raise awareness and promote
understanding of the value of high quality urban greenspace and will seek to achieve greater direct engagement by individuals, communities and other stakeholders in the design, management and use of their local greenspace. In view of the visionary and generational nature of the Green Network Programme , it is anticipated that it will require twenty-five years to complete, although resources will continue to be sought in an effort to increase the pace of change. Programme Activities The Green Network Programme has several areas of activity including project development and management. This includes the identification of projects where the Green Network Partnership can add value to the delivery of the product. This involves scoping of the project aims, identification of project partners, brief preparation, securing of funding and management of project through to satisfactory completion. Projects fall into a number of types: • • •
• •
Green Network Strategies: studies that develop a strategy for the development of the Green Network in particular project areas e.g. Clyde Gateway Green Network Strategy; Thematic Strategies: studies that develop a strategy for the development of a particular issue related to one of the Partnership’s four themes e.g. Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems and the Green Network; Demonstrations of Good Practice: studies that demonstrate principles or delivery of the Green Network and can be used to inform Green Network delivery partners in other areas of the region e.g. barriers to accessing the Green Network in Auchenback; Planning Tools or Guidance: studies that assist those who work for Green Network delivery partner organisations and support the decision making process e.g. GCV Green Network Planning Guidance; Organisational Studies: studies that support the management of the Green Network infrastructure e.g. Green Network Data Management.
Policy Framework The Green Network programme is well placed to contribute to the Scottish Government’s Economic Strategy and its central purpose of increasing sustainable economic growth. In working towards the aims and objectives set out in its business plan, the Green Network programme will support the Scottish Government in delivering national objectives and priorities, in particular infrastructure development and place, effective government and equity;. •
• •
Infrastructure development and place - It is now widely recognised that high quality environment is increasingly important in people's decisions to invest, work, study and live in an area. This is one of the driving principles behind the Green Network programme. Effective government - As a multi-agency partnership between Local Authorities and other public sector bodies, the Green Network Partnership embodies the principle of joined up governance in working towards shared objectives. Equity - The Green Network Partnership is a regional partnership and as such, can make a significant impact on the Scottish Government's objective of developing
competitive city regions with the scale and quality of assets that can compete on an international stage.
Figure 1. Green Network Partnership Contributions to the Scottish Government's Strategic Outcomes
The Green Network’s themes reflect the range of recognised and well documented benefits that a network of well-designed, fit for purpose greenspace provides: • • • •
Enterprise Development Health Improvement Stronger Communities Biodiversity and the Environment
The benefits associated with our themes match well with the Scottish Government’s strategic objectives and national outcomes. Ultimately through the delivery of these benefits the Green Network will play its part in delivering the Government’s purpose of sustained growth. The particular value of high quality greenspace is recognised explicitly in the Scottish Government’s Sustainable Development Strategy “Choosing Our Future” which states that: “Parks and greenspaces within our communities make an important contribution to physical health by providing places for walking, play and sport, and to mental health by offering 'breathing spaces' away from the stresses of modern life. They help to make neighbourhoods attractive places where people want to live and work and provide for biodiversity and opportunities for people to learn about nature and our cultural heritage. Improving the quality of our greenspace in Scotland will be a priority for this strategy” Central Scotland Green Network At the national level the need for co-ordinated action to improve the quality of the environment in the Glasgow and Clyde Valley area is set out in the Scottish Government’s second National Planning Framework for Scotland (NPF2). NPF2 lays out the spatial development of Scotland to 2030 and recognises that Strategic Planning for the city regions: “provides the opportunity to develop extensive green networks connecting our inner urban areas with their surrounding rural environments, providing a wide range of social, health and environmental benefits”. NPF2 identifies the creation of a Central Scotland Green Network (CSGN) as a national priority (National Development 14), which will deliver: “...a step change in environmental quality, woodland cover and recreational opportunities...[and] make Central Scotland a more attractive place to live in, do business and visit; help to absorb CO²; enhance biodiversity; and promote active travel and healthier life styles”. The CSGN is included in NPF2 as one of only 14 National Developments, considered by Ministers to be essential elements of the strategy for Scotland’s long term development. The concept of ‘added value’ is at the core of the CSGN: •
Looking at existing greenspace and green networks across the region the CSGN will identify gaps in provision, where needs and pressures are greatest, and help pinpoint opportunities and priorities for improvement and investment;
•
Working with existing green initiatives (such as the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Green Network Partnership, the Central Scotland Forest Trust, the Millennium Canal Link, the Edinburgh and Lothians Forest Habitat Network and the Falkirk Helix), local authorities, landowners, NGOs and communities the CSGN will transform the environment of the region and make Central Scotland a more attractive place in which to live and do business.
The CSGN is being led by Scottish Natural Heritage and Forestry Commission Scotland and involves a wide range of partners and stakeholders, including 19 local authorities. The CSGN Partnership Board became operational in March 2010 and it is assisted by a small Support Unit provided by the Central Scotland Forest Trust. Other policy documents Other national strategic and policy documents of particular relevance to the Green Network Programme include: • • • • • • • •
People and Places : Regeneration Policy; Closing the Opportunity Gaps; Scottish Forestry Strategy; Scottish Biodiversity Strategy; Smart, Successful Scotland; Green Jobs Strategy. Equally Well Good Places, Better Health
Glasgow City Region A key regional document that provides context for the Green Network is the framework document of the Clyde Valley Community Planning Partnership between the eight Glasgow and the Clyde Valley local authorities Metropolitan Glasgow: Our Vision for the Glasgow City Region (originally published in 2003 and revised in 2008). This identifies three main strategic aims: •
• •
Competitiveness - building the region as a competitive location for business investment and economic activity of all types, but especially knowledge based industries and tourism; developing the region as a preferred location for people to live and work and one that can compete effectively against other regions across the globe; Cohesion - promoting social and economic inclusion to address pressing issues of deprivation in relation to housing, transport, education, health and employment; promoting neighbourhood action and encouraging volunteering; Sustainable Development - tackling issues of vacant and derelict land; improving environmental quality; encouraging the development and use of cleaner and greener approaches to travel and transport; promoting healthy lifestyles; improving waste management.
Both the process and the product that comprise delivery of the GCV Green Network offer opportunities to help realise these aspirations. Indeed the Green Network is identified as a prioritised initiative to achieve the sustainable development aims of the Community Planning Partnership. The document sets targets for the region and under ‘A Greener Region’ states that:
“We recognise the role our region has in meeting the Scottish Government’s national targets. The Glasgow and Clyde Valley Green Network will form a major part of our efforts.” GCV Strategic Development Plan Supporting the strategic community plan, the GCV Strategic Development Plan (GCVSDP) provides an overarching planning framework for the development of infrastructure across the region. The Structure Plan explicitly identifies the creation of the Green Network as a strategic priority, critical to enhancing the competitiveness of the region and improving the quality of life for its residents and visitors. The initial stage of delivering a Strategic Development Plan (SDP) for the GCV area is driven by producing a Main Issues Report (MIR). A MIR has a strategic focus and explores the key issues and spatial options at a strategic level. These issues and options will help feed down to respective Local Authority level in order to provide a context where local decisions can be made to in order to achieve the agreed outcomes for the region. One of the key aims on an MIR is aimed at providing a platform for discussion around the main issues involved in delivering the SDP for the GCV area, as it sets out the key issues which the region faces for the future. In addition to identifying the strategic land use planning issues, the MIR presents a vision of how the area should develop over the next 20 years. It also indicates, in general terms, development opportunities and constraints across the GCV area. However, it is important to stress that the MIR itself is not a draft plan; it is there to form the basis of a strategic discussion.
Delivering the Green Network and the SDP As part of the MIR process the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Green Network Partnership and the Glasgow and the Clyde Valley Strategic Development Planning Authority (GCVSDPA) have established a number of strategic opportunities across the GCV area that deliver on Scottish Government policy objectives and will inform the forthcoming SDP. For the metropolitan Glasgow and the Clyde Valley region to achieve its long-term vision by 2035, a number of issues or challenges need to be addressed, ranging from external economic connections to regional regeneration and economic positioning, to creating the basis of a high quality living environment to attract new highly-skilled population. The Five Primary Strategic Planning Issues in the Glasgow and the Clyde Valley CityRegion to 2035 Issue 1 - Breaking down distance to economic markets Like other city-regions the GCV area exists in a global economic context. Its location is peripheral to its main UK and European markets, whilst in terms of competitive mass, its economy is relatively small in comparison to competitor city-regions. Therefore two key challenges dominate the planning future of the city-region economy: (i)
how to improve its wider sustainable connectivity to markets; and
(ii)
how to enhance the scale of its economy and its ability to compete.
Issue 2 - Supporting a sustainable economy The city-region economy has seen fundamental transformation from its industrial past to its current service-sector base. It has proven resilient through its transformation yet continues to face a constantly changing and developing competitive context as global and governance pressures drive competitiveness through further step-change - this time, the pressure to separate the economy from carbon consumption. Two key challenges exist: (i)
(ii)
identifying key economic development locations which have the necessary quality, sectoral focus and accessibility to foster sustainable economic growth; and securing their relevant role and function in line with long-term economic growth sectors.
Issue 3 - Promoting environmental action - an economic necessity In the modern city-region economy, the environment has many roles to play, including, economic resource development and competitiveness, environmental diversity, health, living environment and quality of life. In addressing this complexity the city-region faces three key challenges: (i)
securing economic development and investment whilst achieving environmental sustainability objectives;
(ii)
developing programmes of positive action to integrate multiple economic, social, health and environmental objectives; and
(iii)
safeguarding and protecting strategic environmental resources.
Issue 4 - Promoting sustainable locations for development To support economic and demographic growth in the city-region new capacity will be required for example, new homes, retail centres and facilities as well as transport, water and drainage infrastructure. In developing future geography for this new capacity three key challenges exist: (i)
identifying development locations which meet these drivers and meet the forecast demand for new development capacity;
(ii)
maximising existing and planned transport and drainage infrastructure capacity; and
(iii)
securing, where appropriate, priority for infrastructure investment to support and enhance sustainable locations.
Issue 5 - Tackling risk - strategic development priorities In the context of severe public expenditure restraint, already committed public investment programmes and difficult trading conditions for private sector investors, there is a distinct risk to the delivery of the Strategy in the short to medium term with consequent implications for the longer-term. Therefore prioritisation of the SDP’s strategic proposals is fundamental to ensuring delivery and the best strategic return on limited resources. It will also lay the foundation for the Action Plan component of the SDP. In addressing risk through prioritisation, two key challenges arise: (i)
keeping the focus on priorities in the context of competing demands; and
(ii)
managing the phasing and sequence of priorities in line with available resources.
Given the interconnected nature of these issues the Glasgow and the Clyde Valley Green Network is essential to delivering the long term vision of the GCV area.
Identifying the Strategic Opportunities – The Methodology This section sets out a proposed methodology that will highlight the Glasgow and the Clyde Valley Green Network strategic opportunity locations that will inform the forthcoming SDP. The aim was to explore the potential multiple benefits for the Green Network across the GCV area. This work was undertaken with the support and knowledge of our partners and they helped to inform the selection of the opportunities. The process to identify the greatest strategic opportunities for the Green Network consists of analysing four separate layers and then combining them in order to sieve out the strategic opportunity locations. The four layers consist of the following: • • • •
Identification of the current Green Network by using Local Plan Proposals Maps and our partners to identify the key common features of the existing GCV Network; Analysis of the strategic biodiversity opportunities utilising integrated habitat models;. Analysis of active travel opportunities with a particular focus on accessing greenspace; Focus on economic development and regeneration priorities and areas of multiple deprivation using the existing Structure Plan regeneration locations and the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation
Please see Appendices A, B, C and D for maps of each layer of analysis. These four layers were then appropriately weighted and analysed using the GIS Spatial Analyst Extension Tool. Appendix E shows the analysis outputs. The final Strategic Opportunities identified were as follows: Green Network Strategic Opportunities
Particular focus on
Riverside Inverclyde URC
East Greenock, Port Glasgow Town centre, Woodhall and Parkhill Porterfield, Clydebank town centre, Radnor Park, Dalmuir, Scotstoun, Knightswood, Govan and Ibrox Cowcaddens and Laurieston Milton, Springburn, Cowlairs and Germiston Bridgeton, Dalmarnock, Rutherglen and Toryglen
Clyde Waterfront City Centre North Glasgow Clyde Gateway Castlemilk Greater Easterhouse Ravenscraig GCV Community Growth Areas
Ruchazie, Easterhouse, Springboig and Barlanark Bishopton, Broomhouse / Baillieston/ Carmyle Carluke Cumbernauld South Easterhouse / Gartloch East Kilbride Gartcosh / Glenboig Hamilton West Johnstone South-West Larkhall / Ferniegair
Newton Robroyston / Millerston South Wishaw A map highlighting these Green Network Strategic Opportunities can be found in Appendix F Additional information to accompany the analysis One of the objectives of the MIR is to form the basis of a strategic discussion. This methodology is a first attempt at such an analysis and will, in conjunction with our partners, be refined for the forthcoming SDP. There are a number of issues that must be considered when examining this analysis. 1. The current Structure Plan, in Diagram 8, sets out a range of Green Network priorities for the GCV area. The new planning system has shifted the focus towards identifying strategic opportunities. Therefore the Structure Plan priorities will remain important but a more likely to be identified and promoted in the respective Local Development Plans. 2. This analysis has focused on identifying locations where delivering multiple benefits could be achieved. By utilizing this approach it is hoped that these areas will not only directly benefit but that it will also start to develop a tangible network across the GCV area. 3. The Community Growth Areas (CGAs) were part of our analysis. However, the CGAs do not figure in SIMD because, by definition, there are no existing communities in the area. Therefore the analysis is biased against identifying these major new developments as important opportunities. In refining the analysis some weighting may be applied to CGAs to allow for this. In Appendix E the CGAS have been highlighted because they are seen to be key strategic vehicles for delivering the Green Network, as these developments offer an opportunity to affect change in locations where development will be undertaken over the coming years. This provides a strategic opportunity to integrate the Green Network and development opportunities at the outset.
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Appendix C
Appendix D
Appendix E
Appendix F
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