Greening the UK Campaign

Climate change is now regularly at the top of the political agenda. To many it is a distant issue concerning carbon reduction targets and global warming. Some already understand the contribution that their carbon footprint makes on the atmosphere and are addressing this through reducing energy use and increasing recycling. However, there has been little thinking about the benefits that increasing planting in urban areas can make to improve the environment and also creating awareness of what can be achieved through planting and in increasing green space in our towns and cities.

The objective of this campaign is create recognition within Government, local authorities and amongst local residents and the wider public for the need of increased green planting in urban developments while also securing a greater enforcement of the green planting that appears on planning documents but then never get planted. Evidence from plant producers and landscapers suggests a reduction of around 50% in the demand for trees and shrubs for planting in amenity projects by local authorities.

The campaign aims to achieve a greater level of recognition for the contribution of green space to an improved urban environment including more recognition for the contribution of the flora and fauna to be found in private gardens, as well as garnering support for more planting to be included within the traditional urban street scene. The campaign will pressure local authorities and other relevant planning authorities to widen their horizons and consider alternative planting instead of concrete and other materials for the traditional inner city street scene. It will highlight case studies of the benefits that planting can bring promoting best practice wherever it is found in the UK or beyond its borders.

In addition we will be keen to highlight the various benefits of green planting such as the economic contribution that horticulture makes to the health and well-being of people who have access to green space and planting on a regular basis. We also believe that soft landscaping can have a major contribution to reducing the impact of flash flooding in urban areas due to its ability to absorb water, thus maintaining the water table.

Greening the UK Campaign – what you can do!

Liverpool City Council Discuss Model Motion

On March 26, Liverpool City Council will become the first council to discuss the HTA’s ‘Greening the UK’ model motion. The motion is to be tabled by Councillor Bernie Turner and we hope the substantive motion will be passed.

With Liverpool currently enjoying its year as the European Capital of Culture the presentation of this motion to council highlights the cultural relevance of landscaping and green spaces within urban areas. Furthermore, with the city’s longstanding tradition of exceptional green areas, the council’s debate on the motion provides the perfect launch pad for this stage of the campaign.

Motion Responses

Earlier this year the Horticultural Trades Association distributed a ‘Greening the UK’ model motion to every unitary, district and county council in England.  The motion identifies the importance of plants, particularly in urban areas, and highlights the reductions in plantings over recent years.  It goes on to call upon the council to increase the volume of planting within new building projects and to ensure that planting schemes, approved at the planning stage, are fully implemented. In total 698 councillors at 368 councils have received the motion.

Feedback so far has been incredibly positive. The motion has not received any negative comments and its principles were regarded as critically important by everyone we have spoken to. Seven councillors have informed us that they will be putting the motion to their councils in Boston Borough Council, Canterbury City Council, Crawley Borough Council, Devon County Council, Dover District Council, North Cornwall District Council and West Sussex County Council within the next few weeks.
In addition, a number of councils have indicated that the motion’s principles may be worked into council policy through other means. These include Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council, Ipswich Borough Council, Hart District Council and Arun District Council.
 
An additional 22 councillors have stated a wish to place the motion before their council whilst the HTA has also been invited to form closer links with councils in Wealden, Salford and Chelmsford.

Early Day Motion 814 – ‘Greening the UK Campaign’

EDM 814 – ‘Greening the UK Campaign’ – was laid in Parliament on the 29 January. It highlights the chief aims of the campaign by appealing to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to call on local authorities to increase the specification of green space in planning documents. It also seeks to produce more aggressive enforcement of planting that has been specified on approved planning applications.

The motion is currently supported by 59 Members of Parliament and can be viewed in full at http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=34979&SESSION=891.

Next Steps – Your Involvement

What You Can Do!

To become more involved in the ‘Greening the UK’ campaign the HTA invites its members to write to their local councillor asking them to adopt the ‘Greening the UK’ model motion.

You can find a template here. Click here to download.

Help us monitor the campaign and feedback your actions by completing and returning this form - click here to download feedback form

Please visit http://www.writetothem.com/ to find your councillors or alternatively visit the council website.

Greening the UK Manifesto click here

First London Borough Adopts Greening the UK Motion - 9 October 2008