Introduction to green and blue infrastructure
Green and blue infrastructure is multi-functional and benefits people and nature. It makes active travel routes more attractive and helps to create social and community spaces. It also helps to enhance biodiversity and benefits the wider environment.
Green and blue infrastructure has many functions and benefits to people and biodiversity and is therefore an essential component of active places.
It improves amenity and can help with health and well-being. It can provide shade and cooling, and can reduce air and noise pollution. It can help to provide a natural separation between pedestrians, cyclists and motorised traffic. This will encourage more people to walk, wheel and cycle. It also contributes to placemaking and local character.
Providing multi-functional green and blue spaces and features can also support climate change mitigation and adaption, and help to achieve biodiversity net gain.
Green and blue infrastructure can also provide nature-based solutions to drainage. Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) help to manage water flow in an environmentally friendly way. Natural SuDS include ponds, swales and wetlands.
Green and blue infrastructure can be used to create new open spaces and improve the design of active travel routes. Green and blue infrastructure, alongside attractive active travel routes, can help to create and improve access to green spaces for people, which supports their health and well-being.
Green and blue active travel routes might include rain gardens, water features planters, trees, or soft landscaping, like wildflowers and hedges. Active travel routes might also follow the edge of existing watercourses and water bodies. New green and blue spaces can also be created, such as community gardens, or small parks called pocket parks or parklets. Green infrastructure also encompasses repurposed areas or features, like green walls, screens or roofs on bus stops.
Planning for green and blue infrastructure means thinking about individual features, but also how they can be interconnected to form a larger network. Active travel routes should incorporate green infrastructure features and provide attractive green routes to green and blue spaces.
Green spaces should be designed to be inclusive, safe, welcoming, well-managed and accessible for all. Where practicable, they should provide areas for activity, and for retreat and calmness.
