Green Infrastructure Survey

Overview

Whilst Hounslow is a green borough, with over 200 parks and pocket parks, many green spaces, waterways, river banks, over 1800 allotment plots in 29 sites, and over 100,000 trees (11,500 on street); there is an ambition to develop our green infrastructure further. There is a growing community purpose to tackling climate change and greening as witnessed through the wealth of protests and community activism in recent times.

High quality green infrastructure provides a wide range of valuable benefits, including: improvements to people’s physical and mental health; opportunities for people to meet friends and neighbours; opportunities for children to learn through play; mitigation of the effects of climate change; reduction in flooding; reduction in air pollution; increased biodiversity; increased economic activity; places for active transport e.g. walking and cycling.

There is now the requirement to move at great pace given the recent Covid 19 challenges and in recognition of Hounslow’s place as the lead for London on the Green Recovery and Green Economy.

In line with the emerging GLA guidance London Borough of Hounslow is developing a green infrastructure strategy which will;

• Assess the quality of green infrastructure across the borough and potential to increase and improve it
• Outline how other parts of the public realm (including street space) to become a key element of green infrastructure, particularly in areas of less open space provision, to enhance health and well-being and decrease health inequalities
• Determine how to maximise and create green and blue corridors
• Assess the likely impacts of climate change and the specific opportunities to mitigate likely impacts
• Highlight opportunities for strengthening or enhancing the network of sites of importance for nature conservation and key ecological sites and corridors to encourage the recovery of the natural environment
• Explore the value of the green infrastructure as a way to strengthen the green economy and maximise the use of open space for income generation and to increase participation and community cohesion e.g. new facitlities and local events

Why we are asking for your views

The survey will help to inform the strategy providing insight in areas including use of spaces, nature and connectivity, community engagement and Covid 19 impacts.