Minister launches groundbreaking work highlighting the importance of green and blue spaces to the North West's economic future

The Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, has launched the results of groundbreaking work of crucial importance to the economic future of the North West and that of communities nationwide, at a major regeneration event in Manchester.

A summary of the pioneering work launched by the Minister - 'The Economic Value of Green Infrastructure', was made public at a Green Infrastructure (GI) seminar for Manchester partners, arranged to drive the GI agenda forward, to help create conditions for sustainable growth and regeneration within Greater Manchester and the City region.

A large number of local authorities and agencies within Greater Manchester are working in harmony to secure the benefits of GI through planning and action at the local level. The Green Infrastructure seminar was held to review what has been achieved, by a partnership led by the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities and Natural England, to build on these foundations. The aim is now to bring many more partners on board, to have positive impacts on the health, wellbeing and prosperity of Greater Manchester.

The pioneering work is summarised by 'The Economic Value of Green Infrastructure' publication, jointly produced by the North West Development Agency (NWDA) and Natural Economy Northwest (NENW) with the support of key partners*. This work is hugely beneficial for GI planning and can enable GI to play a full role in underpinning Manchester's ambition to be a World Class City by 2025.

The new publication is revolutionary because it highlights and validates 11 tangible economic and social benefits that are provided by natural assets such as parks, woodlands, fields, rivers, lakes and canals, when planned to work together as a system.

It focuses on the economic argument for investment in green infrastructure (GI), defined as 'the region's life support system - the network of natural environmental components and green and blue spaces that lies within and between the Northwest's cities, towns, villages, which provides multiple social, economic and environmental benefits.

The pioneering work behind 'The Economic Value of Green Infrastructure' summary was funded by the NWDA and Natural England, commissioned by Natural Economy Northwest (NENW) and the NWDA and carried out by consultants ECOTEC and AMION. The summary publication draws on the findings of three reports** and powerfully demonstrates how GI can be a dynamic force that underpins economic success and social wellbeing, when properly planned.

NENW is co-ordinating and leading a partnership of public, private and voluntary agencies and businesses on Action 113 of the Regional Economic Strategy*** in the North West, to develop the economic benefits of the Region's natural environment. The summary publication is based on just one of the initiatives it is undertaking as a pioneering, innovative three-year partnership programme aimed at maximising the economic benefits from existing and new investment in the North West's natural economy.

The 11 identified economic benefits of GI are: economic growth and investment, land and property values, labour productivity, tourism, products from the land, health and wellbeing, recreation and leisure, quality of place, land and biodiversity, flood alleviation and water management and climate change mitigation and adaptation.

The publication demonstrates how the natural environment contributes to Gross Value Added (GVA) and also shows how it contributes to the conditions for growth, economic stability and the vital ecosystem services that underpin sustainable economic development.

It inextricably links the environment to the economic success of both urban and rural communities. It delivers compelling evidence upon which investment in the environment can be based, to help increase economic prosperity and quality of life.

It also includes a proviso that green infrastructure must be planned at all levels, invested in, managed and co-ordinated correctly, with co-operation across political and administrative boundaries.

Modern society has to plan and manage its impacts and interventions on nature in the same way that it manages important infrastructure for transport, water, waste and power. If it does not, the message of this groundbreaking work is that it cannot expect nature to sustain development.

The research summary, full research report, and Green Infrastructure seminar will together provide the catalyst for a drive to put green infrastructure forward as a fundamental approach to a sustainable future within Greater Manchester and beyond.

Whilst investors and those seeking investment, in both public and private sectors, have long sought to justify investment in green infrastructure, it has never been possible to refer back to an authoritative source that highlights the impact GI can have on our economic, social and environmental welfare. The important work underpinning the new publication changes this, providing the first definitive review of the evidence base of GI.

Mark Atherton, NWDA Head of Sustainability and Climate Change comments: "The 'Economic Value of Green Infrastructure' publication places the region in the driving seat, at a national level, when it comes to being able to maximise the benefits of green infrastructure going forward.

"Each of the benefits identified reaches deep into the heart of economic, social and health agendas within the North West region. The publication's evidence will be a huge asset when it comes to making cases for investment in environmental projects that are in line with Government targets and spending priorities.

"The work that has been undertaken stresses the need for a quality approach and provides guidelines on how planners can seek to measure and evaluate the value of investment in green infrastructure. A number of case studies also illustrate the benefits of green infrastructure at a grass roots level, within living, breathing communities."

Natural Economy Northwest's Programme Director, Dr Will Williams, says: "We can now point to economic benefits that will enable project directors and planners to make a solid case for the funding of green infrastructure. We believe that the strategic planning and delivery of green infrastructure projects will now become a standard element in planning for the future of our communities, taking its proper place alongside the planning of all other forms of infrastructure, as a result of this groundbreaking work.

"What we have achieved in publishing the 11 economic benefits is of huge importance to the North West. GI can contribute dynamically to the prosperity of the region and change perceptions about it. This in turn can help attract and retain investment, whilst ensuring that new development maintains the network of green and blue spaces that acts as the link between our urban centres and an underlying force within our economy."

The 'Economic Value of Green Infrastructure' report can be downloaded at

www.naturaleconomynorthwest.co.uk <http://www.naturaleconomynorthwest.co.uk/>

ENDS

Press calls: Jane Hunt, Catapult PR, 01253 595558 - jane@catapultpr.co.uk

Notes to Editors

The key partners who have supported the Economic Value of Green Infrastructure work are: The NWDA, Natural England, Government Office North West (GONW), Northwest Community Forests including the Mersey Forest and Red Rose Forests and 4NW.

** The three reports upon which the Economic Value of Green Infrastructure' summary report is based are:

ECOTEC's 'The Economic Benefits of Green Infrastructure' - The public and business case for investing in Green Infrastructure and a review of the underpinning evidence.
ECOTEC's 'The Economic Benefits of Green Infrastructure - Developing key tests for evaluating the benefits of Green Infrastructure'.
AMION's 'The Economic Benefits of Green Infrastructure - An assessment framework for the NWDA'

*** The Northwest's Regional Economic Strategy, published in 2006, sets out a vision for the region over the next two decades, identifying priorities and objectives for economic growth. RES Action 113 aims to develop the economic benefit of the region's natural environment through better alignment of environmental activities and economic gain, incorporating green infrastructure into mainstream economic planning.

Alongside this publication, Natural Economy Northwest (NENW) is continuing its work with the NWDA, and the five sub-regional economic partnerships, to communicate the added value of green infrastructure and embed the environment within strategies for sustainable, economic growth at a the sub-regional level.

Interviews

Interviews with Dr Will Williams and Mark Atherton can be arranged on request. Please contact Jane Hunt, at Catapult PR - 01253 595558 (jane@catapultpr.co.uk) to arrange. 

Case Studies

Media wishing to have details of GI case studies within the North West, or wanting to visit sites in which initiatives have been implemented, should contact Jane Hunt to discuss. Please call 01253 595558 or e-mail jane@catapultpr.co.uk

Northwest Regional Development Agency
PO Box 37
Renaissance House
Centre Park
Warrington
Cheshire
WA1 1XB

Postcode for SatNav WA1 1QN