Use this page to learn what green infrastructure is and to find out about our green infrastructure programmes.
Green Infrastructure (GI) is a network of multi-functional green and blue spaces and other natural features, urban and rural, which is capable of delivering a wide range of environmental, economic, health and wellbeing benefits for nature, climate, local and wider communities and prosperity. (National Planning Policy Framework 2024).
Types of green infrastructure
Green infrastructure includes:
- parks and gardens such as urban parks, country and regional parks, formal gardens
- amenity greenspace such as informal recreation spaces, housing greenspaces, domestic gardens, village greens, urban commons, and other incidental space
- natural and semi-natural urban greenspaces like woodland and scrub, grassland, heath or moor, wetlands, open and running water, wastelands and disturbed ground
- green corridors such as rivers and canals - including their banks - road and rail corridors, green bridges, field margins, cycling routes, pedestrian paths, and rights of way
- vegetated sustainable drainage systems, Sustainable Urban Drainage schemes (SUDs) that include green roofs, blue roofs, rainwater harvesting and smart controls, downpipe disconnection planters, rain gardens and biofiltration strips, swales, ponds, detention basins
- features for species such as bird and bat boxes, swift bricks and hedgehog holes
- other green infrastructure includes street trees, allotments, community gardens and orchards, private gardens, city farms, green walls, cemeteries and churchyards
Benefits of green infrastructure
Some of the benefits provided by green infrastructure include:
- supporting resilient ecosystems and biodiversity
- mitigating and adapting the natural and built environment to climate change
- conserving and enhancing a legible network of greenspaces
- reducing and managing flood risks and drought
- improving mental and physical health, and the cohesion of local communities
- increasing the sustainability of food production
- maintaining and enhancing cultural heritage, landscapes and natural resources
- promoting economic growth, employment and skills improvement
Green infrastructure networks
The hierarchy of green infrastructure networks is based on scale, from individual sites to district wide scale and beyond.
Primary networks
The strategic green and blue corridors across Bath and North East Somerset, that connect with networks beyond the authoritative boundary are primary networks. These include connected large open spaces, waterways, Green Belt and open countryside.
Secondary networks
The secondary networks are the green and blue corridors at residential area scale, that connect with the primary network. This includes parks and local and neighbourhood centres, connected by green streets.
Tertiary networks
The tertiary network is within developments and estates, individual properties and private gardens. These connect to the primary and secondary networks.
Green infrastructure programmes
The Green Infrastructure & Nature Recovery Team is delivering and developing strategic GI programmes. These programmes are delivering a diverse range of projects, activities and events to benefit people, nature and place.
These programmes are grouped under two themes:
Landscape & Catchments
Bathscape Landscape City
You can read more about the work that our Green Infrastructure & Nature Recovery Team does in the Investing in Green Infrastructure and Nature Recovery prospectus.