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Tees Valley Green Infrastructure StrategyEnhancing the environment and achieving the

economic and sustainable vision

River Tees - Ingleby Barwick

Executive Summary 2 - 3

1. Introduction 4 - 7

2. Vision, Aims, Benefits and Key Principles 8 - 11

3. The Context and Framework for Green Infrastructure Planning 12 - 17

4. Tees Valley Development Context 18 - 23

5. Tees Valley Environmental Context 24 - 31

6. The Existing Green Infrastructure Resource 32 - 41

7. Towards a Strategic Green Infrastructure network 42 - 49

8. A Strategic Network of Green Infrastructure for the Tees Valley 50 - 57

9. Moving the Strategy Forward 58 - 60

Appendices 61 - 75

1. National, Regional and Sub-regional Policy Context 61 - 65

2. Existing/Inherited Strategic Green Infrastructure Strategies and Plans in the Tees Valley sub-region 66 - 71

3. Implementing Green Infrastructure 72 - 75

Bibliography 76 - 79

Contents

Tees Valley Green Infrastructure Strategy 20081

Pages

What is Green Infrastructure?

Green infrastructure is:

Green or open spaces that can link together tocreate an informal but planned network across awide geographical area

Parks, gardens, woodland, green corridors, wildlifesites, open spaces, watercourses, street trees,gardens and the open countryside

Spaces that can perform a number of differentfunctions - such as formal and informal recreation,nature conservation, food production enhancedsettings for existing and new development, routes forwalkways and cycle ways, areas for flood riskmanagement, an education resource.

What is the vision for Green Infrastructure TeesValley?

To develop by 2021 a network of green corridors andgreen spaces that:

Enhances the quality of place for existing and futurecommunities and potential investors;

Provides an enhanced environmental context fornew development, regeneration projects andhousing market renewal, and produces high qualitydesign and developments;

Creates and extends opportunities for access,regeneration, and enhancement of biodiversity, and

Provides a buffer against the effects of climatechange.

How will the Tees Valley benefit from GreenInfrastructure?

It will:

Create an attractive environment which encouragespeople to stay and which increases the appeal forinward investors and entrepreneurs

Be an essential ingredient in rebuilding its economyand creating sustainable and vibrant communities

Enhance major development and regenerationschemes

Create more opportunities for recreation

Encourage more wildlife

Promote better public health and create a sense ofwell-being

Help to mitigate the effects of climate change

Executive Summary


What will the Green Infrastructure network looklike?

The Strategy proposes a network of green infrastructurecorridors that link existing green infrastructure resourceswith strategic priorities such as major redevelopmentschemes, housing market renewal areas, and areas ofnew housing and business development.

How will Green Infrastructure beimplemented?

The Strategy will be implemented by local authorities andother key stakeholders. Often the most appropriate levelfor the promotion of actions will be through LocalDevelopment Frameworks and local green space orgreen infrastructure strategies. However actions andprinciples will also need to be embedded withineconomic regeneration and major developmentprojects.

Partnership working will be important, particularly insecuring funding. It is essential that key organisations co-ordinate efforts to attract funding over the long term toresource green infrastructure and deliver quality of placenecessary to achieve the vision for economic growthand regeneration throughout the Tees Valley.

The next key stage is the preparation of an ImplementationPlan that will:

Summarise the principal existing and planned greeninfrastructure projects and initiatives;

Identify gaps and new opportunities;

Provide an indicative timetable for implementation;

Identify potential funding sources, and

Set out arrangements for monitoring progress andreviewing priorities.


Photoby Mike

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Summerhill -Photo by Mike Kipling for Hartlepool Borough Council

1.1 Over the next 15 years or so the Tees Valley willimplement an ambitious but realistic vision torebuild its economy, attract new investment, andcreate sustainable and vibrant communities. Anumber of major regeneration schemes areplanned or underway bringing major mixed-usedevelopments that will transform the urbancentres and provide new opportunities for living,working and spending leisure time.

1.2 One of the greatest challenges facing the TeesValley in achieving this vision is to createattractive places and an environment that offersa quality of life that will encourage people to stayand will attract new investment and entrepreneurs.The core areas of the conurbation and main townshave experienced many years of urban flight andno longer offer an environment that meets theaspirations of residents and people looking tomove into the Tees Valley.

1.3 Green infrastructure can play a key role in helpingto achieve the economic and sustainable visionfor the Tees Valley. The scale of developmentand regeneration envisaged requires a new wayof looking at the environment, and in particularhow new development and redevelopment cancontribute to environmental quality. The conceptof green infrastructure offers a way of achievingcloser links between environmental improvementand the major development projects proposed inthe Tees Valley. It can also provide anopportunity to adapt to climate change byinfluencing development and the use of land.

What is green infrastructure?

1.4 Green infrastructure is defined as:

"The physical environment within and betweenour cities, towns and villages. It is a network ofmulti-functional open spaces, including formalparks, gardens, woodlands, green corridors,waterways, street trees and open countryside. Itcomprises all environmental resources, and thus agreen infrastructure approach also contributestowards sustainable resource management 1."

1.5 Green infrastructure planning involves theprovision of strategically planned networks thatlink existing (and proposed) green spaces withgreen corridors running through urban, suburban,urban fringe, and rural areas. Through themaintenance, enhancement and extension ofthese networks multi-functional benefits can berealised for local communities, businesses, visitorsand the environment. Appropriate strategies,plans and programmes by local partnerships andindividual organisations can help to maintainexisting green infrastructure, and promotesolutions to remedy deficiencies and create newopportunities.

Introduction


1 Green Infrastructure Planning Guide; Northumbria University, North East Community Forests, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Countryside Agency, English Nature,Forestry Commission, Groundwork, 2005

What is so different about greeninfrastructure?

1.6 Many local authorities already manage openspace and green space in a positive way forrecreation, leisure, nature conservation or otheruses, and protect such spaces from inappropriatedevelopment through policies in developmentplans and other strategies. However this has oftenbeen done very much at a local level andsometimes in an opportunistic way.

1.7 The green infrastructure concept offers a way ofviewing open space provision as a resource thatshould be planned strategically and delivered inan integrated way across regions and sub-regions. It can therefore form an integral part ofthe investment plans and strategies of agencieswith a remit for the planning and delivery ofgrowth, sustainable development, and environmentalmanagement. Planning for green infrastructureat a strategic level also facilitates cross-boundaryintegration between local authorities, and willinfluence the preparation of the Regional SpatialStrategy, Local Development Frameworks, masterplans, and site specific plans.

1.8 Development of the green infrastructure conceptalso comes at an opportune time in view of theGovernment's recent proposals for planningreform2. Green infrastructure encompasses manycross-cutting issues that will help to deliver highquality development in a high qualityenvironment. It will also help to safeguard anddeliver landscape and townscape character anddistinctiveness, biodiversity, water and coastal

considerations, health, recreation, climatechange adaptation and mitigation, and otherland use and spatial elements. The new planningsystem provides the opportunity to deliver greeninfrastructure that will provide benefits far beyondthe just allocation and provision of open space.

Green infrastructure, regeneration andeconomic growth

1.9 Environmental quality and quality of place areincreasingly seen as playing an important role inimproving economic performance and urbancompetitiveness. The recent government 'Stateof the English Cities' research study defined urbancompetitiveness as:

"the ability of cities to continually upgrade theirbusiness environment, skill bases and physical,social and cultural infrastructure, so as to attractand retain high-growth, innovative and profitablefirms, and an educated, creative andentrepreneurial workforce, thereby enablingthem to achieve a high rate of productivity, highemployment rate, high wages, high GDP percapita, and low levels of income inequality andsocial exclusion."3

1.10 The study also addresses the issue of 'liveability'which it considers to be essentially about creatingplaces where people choose to live and work,and therefore a key competitive elementbetween cities in terms of attracting both peopleand businesses:


2 Planning for a Sustainable Future - White Paper, HM Government, Cm 7120, May 20073 State of the English Cities: A Research Study; Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, March 2006

"Evidence from the core cities in the UKhighlighted that the mixture of ingredients thatimprove quality of life and make a sustainablecommunity with assets of good environment,distinctive architecture and cultural facilities,diverse housing stock and access to naturalamenities are an essential mix to the right kind oflabour force to make a city economicallycompetitive."4

1.11 A recent report by the Northern Way5

demonstrates that the quality of the residentialoffer in the North is about more than homes - it isalso about their environs. The report states thatthe North's urban open space is often of poorquality and compares unfavourably with theregion's countryside. Provision of green infrastructureis often patchy, because too often it is deliveredin a piecemeal way.

1.12 The Northern Way report notes that a morestrategic approach would add real value byproviding a properly planned network of greeninfrastructure, and considers that city-regionpartnerships and local authorities are ideallyplaced to strategically plan green infrastructure,integrating it with plans to raise quality of place.

1.13 The consultation draft North East Strategy for theEnvironment (NESE)6 recognises the importance ofdeveloping and improving the region'senvironmental infrastructure, and considers thatsustaining environmental infrastructure is essentialto economic and social well-being. NESE notesthat environmental infrastructure forms the basisfor green infrastructure which is essential for

delivering quality of place, contributing towardshealthy, safe, sustainable communities to helpattract and retain businesses and skilled peoplewithin the region.

1.14 Strategic development of green infrastructure willalso contribute towards the Tees Valley's urbanand rural tourism offer, enhancing the area'soverall image as an attractive destination.Specific benefits might include the developmentof nature-based tourism and activity-basedtourism utilising an enhanced network of highquality green routes.

1.15 Regenerating the economy and creatingsustainable communities is not only at the heart ofthe vision for Tees Valley, but also critical to thesuccess of the Northern Way initiative. Greeninfrastructure can clearly play a major role inimproving economic success, and it isessential that resources are madeavailable to do this. Just as growingcommunities need to upgrade andexpand 'grey infrastructure' (roads,sewers, utilities and so on), there isa need to invest in greeninfrastructure to deliver benefitsfor the environment andenhance quality of life for all.


4 State of the English Cities: A Research Study; Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, March 20065 Shaping the North's cities for growth: an agenda for the next decade; The Northern Way/One NorthEast, 20076 North East Strategy for the Environment - consultation draft; North East Environment Forum, December 2006


Billingham Beck - Stockton-on-TeesPhoto by Stockton-on-Tees Media Store

2.1 The vision for green infrastructure in the TeesValley is:

To develop by 2021 a network of green corridorsand green spaces in the Tees Valley that:

Enhances the quality of place and environmentfor existing and future communities andpotential investors;

Provides an enhanced environmental settingand context for new development,regeneration projects, and housing marketrenewal initiatives and produces schemes ofhigh quality design;

Creates and extends opportunities for access,recreation and enhancement of biodiversity, and

Provides a buffer against the effects of climatechange.

2.2 The vision seeks to ensure that environmentalquality and improvement is given a high prioritywithin the aim of regenerating the economy ofthe Tees Valley and creating sustainablecommunities.

2.3 There are 6 principal aims of the GreenInfrastructure Strategy:

A1 Provide a strategic context for the sustainableplanning and management of existing andproposed green space within the Tees Valley

A2 Support and reinforce initiatives and strategiesdesigned to raise the economic performanceof the Tees Valley, promote economic andsocial inclusion, create sustainable communities,and improve the environment

A3 Assist with climate change adaptations,actions and initiatives

A4 Provide a framework of high quality greencorridors and spaces that will help to improveaccess to open space for local communitiesand contribute to tackling such issues as poorhealth and quality of life

A5 Provide an enhanced environmental contextfor new development and regenerationschemes

A6 Improve access to resources through majorfunding regimes and improve the case forgreen infrastructure to be funded as aprimary public investment on a similar basis toother services and infrastructure

2.4 A well-planned and integrated greeninfrastructure network will provide a number ofsignificant benefits for the Tees Valley:

B1 An enhanced image and environmentalsetting that will promote the sub-region as ahigh quality place to live, work, invest and visit

B2 Promoting a sense of community and place

B3 Maintaining and enhancing biodiversity(including the creation of new habitats) andhelping to reverse habitat fragmentation byimproving the links between sites, contributingto the delivery of the Tees Valley BiodiversityAction Plan and helping to cope with theeffects of climate change through the creationof new and/or compensatory habitats

Vision, Aims, Benefits and Key Principles


B4 Providing better opportunities for exercise,sport, active recreation and consequentlyimproved health; also contributing to thehealth and well-being benefits of tranquillityand absence of noise, air and light pollution

B5 Improving opportunities to recreate orrehabilitate landscapes, open spaces, historicsites, and habitats damaged or lost throughdevelopment or other changes

B6 Opportunities for greater community involvement

B7 Encouraging good design and high qualitydevelopments

B8 Providing enhanced opportunities to connectnew communities with existing neighbourhoods

B9 Contributing to environmental sustainabilityand climate change adaptation throughopportunities for improved flood-riskmanagement, air and water quality

B10 Enhancing the Tees Valley's 'nature-based'and 'activity-based' tourism offer

2.5 The Green Infrastructure Strategy has beenprepared to raise the profile of the 'green'agenda and ensure that action is taken at astrategic level to meet and provide the aims andbenefits. It will increase the profile of greening inthe Tees Valley and provide a context for otherplans, strategies and programmes such as theCity Region Development Programme, LocalDevelopment Frameworks, the Tees Forest Plan,Local Biodiversity Action Plans, and local openspace strategies.

2.6 The Strategy will also provide the Tees Valley localauthorities with the vision and structure required todirect the development of individual bids andprojects to deliver the component parts of thegreen infrastructure network over the next 10 to 15years.

2.7 Although the green infrastructure network isbased on an analysis and understanding ofexisting assets and potential opportunities, it isprincipally intended as a conceptual frameworkto aid the delivery of green infrastructure on theground. Implementation of the GreenInfrastructure Strategy and network will beachieved by a number of different organisationsand stakeholders. The network actually deliveredmay vary over time depending on local issuessuch as the requirements and aspirations of localcommunities and detailed issues such as landownership.

2.8 It will be important to establish a set ofoverarching planning and delivery principles toguide green infrastructure provision throughoutthe Tees Valley sub-region. Green infrastructureprinciples can be applied:

holistically - on urban and rural land, public andprivate land, large and small sites, temporary andpermanent uses, linked to connectivity;

at different scales - regional, sub-regional, district,neighbourhood (see also paragraph 6.4);

multi-functionally - providing a number of benefitsand services, often at the same time.



Tees Valley in UK Context

Tees Valley


Albert Park - MiddlesbroughPhoto by Tees Valley Joint Strategy Unit

3.1 The development of green infrastructure issupported through a number strategies, policyand guidance documents which provide anational, regional and sub-regional context forplanning and implementation. Some of the mostrelevant are summarised in this section, and moredetail is provided in appendix 1. Figure 1 showshow the Tees Valley Green Infrastructure Strategyfits into the national, sub-regional and local policyframework.

National Context

3.2 There is much in the current planning regime thatsupports the development and implementationof green infrastructure. The requirement for a'Design and Access Statement' introduced inAugust 2006 as part of the Planning andCompulsory Purchase Act 2004 will provide anopportunity for the principles of greeninfrastructure to be incorporated right at the startof the planning process for new developmentsand major projects. The recent Planning WhitePaper: Planning for a Sustainable Future7 stressesthe importance of protecting parks and urbangreen spaces. It goes on to state:

"These places make a huge contribution to thequality of life, as well as, through encouragingactivity and sport, providing potential healthbenefits. That is why we want to see newdevelopment which positively shapes our openspaces, public parks, and sports or otherrecreation facilities……Open green spaces areessential both in towns and cities, as well as in the

countryside, to meet the diverse needs andgeneral well being of local communities.Development which has the potential toenhance the surrounding area through gooddesign, as well as improving community access toopen green space or to providing additionalrecreational facilities is to be welcomed."

3.3 The recent Housing Green Paper8 sets out howthe Government is going to meet the challengeof providing more houses. Within the Green Paperare proposals for eco-town schemes and a newround of Growth Points, including for the first timethe North. The Paper emphasises the importantrole of green spaces within the context ofproviding more homes and states "A coreelement of creating sustainable communities isthe provision of good quality parks and openspaces which provide environmental functionssuch as water management and biodiversity, aswell as access to the benefits of the naturalenvironment." The provision of moregreen spaces will be a keycomponent in plans for the NewGrowth Points programme.

The Context and Framework for Green Infrastructure Planning


7 Planning for a Sustainable Future - White Paper; HM Government, Cm 7120, May 20078 Homes for the future: more affordable, more sustainable; Department for Communities and Local Government, Cm 7191, July 2007


National Policies (including Northern Way) and Primary Legislation

Integrated Regional Framework

Tees Valley City Region Development Programme/

Investment Plan

TEES VALLEY GREENINFRASTRUCTURE STRATEGY

AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Regional Spatial Strategy

Multi Area Agreement

Community Strategies

Site Development Briefsand Masterplan

Links to other sub-regionalstrategies e.g.Biodiversity Action PlanTourismClimate ChangeTees ForestTees Valley Regeneration

Local Development Frameworks- Core Strategies- Development Plan Documents- Supplementary Planning Documents

Local Strategies e.g. - Open or Green Space Strategy- Playing Fields Strategy- Countryside Strategy

Regional Economic Strategy North East Strategy for the Environment

Green Infrastructure Strategy - Strategic Framework (Figure 1)

3.4 Recent guidance by DEFRA9 specifically refers tothe importance of incorporating greeninfrastructure into development plans to helpdeliver many of the social, economic andenvironmental benefits required for sustainablecommunities.

3.5 Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 1 'DeliveringSustainable Development'10 recognises that thecondition of our surroundings has a direct impacton the quality of life, and that the improvement ofthe natural and built environment brings socialand economic benefit for local communities.Complementing PPS1 and other PPS/PPG's 'ByDesign - Urban design in the planning system'11

sets out ways in which better design should beencouraged if better places are to be created.

3.6 PPS9 'Biodiversity and Geological Conservation'12

highlights the role that networks of habitats canplay in linking sites of biodiversity importance, andstates that such networks should be protectedfrom development, ideally as part of a widerstrategy for the protection and extension of openspace. PPS9 also highlights the role of previouslydeveloped land to host locally importantbiodiversity, and the importance of retaining orincorporating such interest into developments. Italso notes the opportunities for building-inbiodiversity features as part of the design ofdevelopment proposals.

3.7 PPG17 'Planning for Open Space, Sport andRecreation'13 advises local authorities to carry outassessments of existing and future requirementsfor open space and recreational facilities. PPG17also advises that local authorities shouldundertake an audit of quality, quantity andaccessibility of open space. PPG17 alsorecognises the role of open spaces in enhancingquality of life, and in particular the role of localnetworks of high quality and well managed openspaces in creating attractive urban environments.

3.8 Before being incorporated into Natural Englandthe former Countryside Agency issued a numberof publications supporting the important role ofgreen infrastructure. In particular both 'TheCountryside in and around towns'14 and'Delivering a new urban fringe'15 explained theimportance of urban parks, country parks andother green spaces being joined up to formcontinuous green corridors between town andcountry.


9 Guidance for Local Authorities on Implementing the Biodiversity Duty; Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, May 200710 Planning Policy Statement 1: Delivering Sustainable Development, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, February 200511 By Design - Urban design in the planning system: towards better practice; Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions/Commission for Architecture and the Built

Environment, March 200012 Planning Policy Statement 9: Biodiversity and Geological Conservation, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, August 200513 Planning Policy Guidance Note 17: Planning for Open Space, Sport and Recreation, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, July 200214 The countryside in and around towns; Countryside Agency/Groundwork, 200515 Delivering a New Urban Fringe: Bringing life back into the landscapes around our towns and cities; Countryside Agency/English Nature/Rural Development Service, April 2006

Regional Context

3.9 Raising the quality of places is firmly embeddedas a key element within the Northern Way'sGrowth Strategy16 to achieve economic success.Its recently published 'Agenda for the NextDecade'17 stresses the role of green infrastructurein improving the North's residential offer. It notesthat urban open space is often of poor qualitywhen compared with the North's countryside.Green infrastructure is often patchy because it isdelivered in a piecemeal way. The report statesthat a more strategic approach would add realvalue, by providing a properly planned networkof green infrastructure. The report also considersthat city region partnerships and local authoritiesare ideally placed to strategically plan greeninfrastructure, integrating it with their plans to raisequality of place. Further detail on the importanceof green infrastructure to city regions can befound in a report produced for the Northern Way- 'City Region Green Infrastructure Planning'18.

3.10 The Regional Economic Strategy19 recognises thepriority that must be given to providing highquality natural, heritage and cultural environmentsthat will help to retain, attract and develop skilledworkers, entrepreneurs, graduates and visitors.The Strategy notes the role of green infrastructure asa key component of sustainable communities, andthe need to maximise the benefits of greeninfrastructure through sound planning andmanagement.

3.11 The revised Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) for theNorth East will set out the spatial strategy andpriorities for growth in the Tees Valley City Region,including a high priority to improving theenvironment. Following an Examination in Publicinto the RSS in 2006, the Report of the Panelrecommended that greater emphasis be given tosupporting the establishment of strategicnetworks of green infrastructure. This has beenreflected in the Secretary of State's ProposedChanges to the RSS where policy 2 on sustainabledevelopment states:

"Planning proposals and Local DevelopmentFrameworks should support sustainable constructionand sustainable development through thedelivery of the following environmental, socialand economic objectives [including]:

To make better use of our resources, includingthe built fabric

To mitigate environmental and social costs ofdevelopments, and encourage efficientresource use

To promote the concept of green infrastructure,a network of linked, multifunctional green spacein and around the Region's towns and cities."

3.12 Significantly the Proposed Changes include areference to green infrastructure within the spatialpolicy for the Tees Valley City Region (policy 7:7.6a) as follows;


16 Moving Forward: The Northern Way - Business Plan 2005-2008, Northern Way Steering Group, June 200517 Shaping the North's cities for growth: an agenda for the next decade; The Northern Way/One NorthEast, 200718 City Region Green Infrastructure Strategic Planning: Raising the Quality of the North's City Regions; produced by ECOTEC for the Northern Way, October 200619 Regional Economic Strategy: Leading the Way, One NorthEast 200620 North East of England Regional Spatial Strategy: the Secretary of State's Proposed Changes to the draft revision submitted by the North East Assembly; Government Office for

the North East, May 2007

"Strategies, plans and programmes, and planningproposals, should support the polycentricdevelopment and redevelopment of the TeesValley City Region by:

Supporting the establishment of strategicnetworks of green infrastructure, includinggreen wedges, that link existing and proposedgreen space with green corridors runningthrough urban, suburban and urban fringeareas to the countryside and coast."

Sub-Regional Context

3.13 The Tees Valley Structure Plan21 provides a strategiccontext for future growth and development of thesub-region, and includes policies for the protectionand enhancement of the environment. TheStructure Plan recognises the importance ofsecuring improvements to the quality of theenvironment for the benefit of people who liveand work in the area, as well as helping to attractvisitors and investors. Relevant policies includethe provision of green wedges and strategicgaps, wildlife corridors and greenways. (NB. TheTees Valley Structure Plan will be replaced by therevised Regional Spatial Strategy for the NorthEast when the latter is approved by the Secretaryof State, probably early in 2008).

3.14 It should be noted that the part of the North YorkMoors National Park within Redcar and ClevelandBorough is covered by the Regional SpatialStrategy for Yorkshire and the Humber, and thesubmission draft RSS22 endorses and supports theconcept and development of green infrastructure.

3.15 The Tees Valley City Region Business Case23 andits accompanying Investment Plan24 bothrecognise that unless the legacy of a poorenvironment and poor public realm is addressedto create good quality of place, it will be difficultto attract investment and retain people. Bothalso acknowledge that a strategic open spacenetwork is a vital part of improving liveability andthe urban competitiveness of the Tees Valley.

3.16 The Tees Valley local authorities and other keypartners have submitted a bid25 outlining thecase for the Tees Valley to be identified as one ofthe Government's New Growth Points (see alsoparagraph 3.3). The bid recognises that greeninfrastructure must be an integral part of theprocess and must be created alongside newresidential and commercial development.

3.17 A more comprehensive list of current/inheritedplans, strategies and policies in the Tees Valley,together with an indication of how they link togreen infrastructure planning, is provided inappendix 2


21 Tees Valley Structure Plan; Tees Valley Joint Strategy Unit on behalf of the Borough Councils of Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland, and Stockton-on-Tees, adopted February 2004

22 Regional Spatial Strategy: The Yorkshire and Humber Plan; Yorkshire and Humber Assembly, Draft for Consultation, December 2005

23 Tees Valley City Region: A Business Case for Delivery, Tees Valley Joint Strategy Unit on behalf of the Borough Councils of Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar &Cleveland, and Stockton-on-Tees, 2006

24 An Investment Plan for the Tees Valley City Region; Shared Intelligence, September 2006

25 Tees Valley Growth Point Proposal: Why Tees Valley, Why Now? Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland, and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Councils, TeesValley Living, Tees Valley Regeneration, Tees Valley Joint Strategy Unit, November 2007


West Park - HartlepoolPhoto by James Cianciaruso

4.1 The Northern Way initiative26 sets out a vision ofhow the prosperity gap between the North andthe South can be closed. Going hand-in-handwith the creation of a strong economy is thedevelopment of a superb quality of life that offersa wide choice of communities that are desirableplaces to live and raises the quality of places.High quality of place will support the economicand social goals of the Northern Way throughproviding the physical infrastructure needed toattract and support businesses, attract and retainskilled, creative individuals, and boostcompetitive advantage in terms of quality ofplace and environment.

4.2 Implementation of the Northern Way strategy willbe achieved principally through the concept ofCity Regions and City Region Development Plans,supported by various regional strategies,especially the Regional Economic Strategy andRegional Spatial Strategy.

4.3 Quality of place, quality of life and the well-beingof communities have become central to regionaland sub-regional competitiveness and relocationand investment decisions. The RegionalEconomic Strategy recognises that the region'sgreen spaces are a vital asset, particularly in thecontext of increasing development pressures,and that green infrastructure is increasinglyacknowledged as being a key component ofsustainable communities.

4.4 Over the next 15 years the Tees Valley willundergo considerable change and growth. Thewhole economic performance of the sub-regionwill be improved by:

Building a strong diversified economy basedon the chemicals, hydrogen economy,renewable energy, and steel sectors; a world-class port at Teesport; a knowledge basedeconomy centred on the universities; and thedevelopment of Durham Tees Valley Airport asa major employment location;

Developing sustainable communities basedon the creation of attractive places and anenvironment with a quality of life that retainspeople and attracts entrepreneurs;regeneration of the inner areas of the maintowns into vibrant, socially diversecommunities; creation of a revitalised housingmarket, and an expanded business andfinancial services sector, and

Developing high quality public transport toimprove access to locations for economicgrowth from both urban and rural areas.

4.5 The mechanisms showing how the Tees Valleycan transform its economic performance andimprove the quality of life for its people are set outin the Tees Valley City Region DevelopmentProgramme (CRDP)27.

4.6 The Tees Valley CRDP sets out 5 key priorities, all ofwhich can be enhanced by a strategic greeninfrastructure network:

Creating an environment to develop thefinancial and business services sector,knowledge based industry, the growth oftourism, and diversifying the economy;

Tees Valley Development Context


26 Moving Forward: The Northern Way - Business Plan 2005-2008, Northern Way Steering Group, June 200527 Tees Valley City Region: A Business Case for Delivery, Tees Valley Joint Strategy Unit on behalf of the Borough Councils of Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar &

Cleveland, and Stockton-on-Tees, 2006

Providing jobs close to areas of deprivation;

Creating attractive places which offer a widerange of leisure, cultural, shopping andlearning opportunities;

Providing greater housing choice in thecentres of the Tees Valley communities, and

Improving the quality of the built environment.

4.7 The CRDP identifies three spatial priorities (withinthe Tees Valley sub-region) where growth andregeneration will be focussed:

The Stockton Middlesbrough Initiative (SMI)focussing on the land on both banks of theRiver Tees between Stockton town centre andMiddlesbrough town centre. Major schemesand projects include:

- Greater Middlehaven, a major mixed-usebrownfield re-development of formerdockland and surrounding area alongsidethe River Tees close to Middlesbroughtown centre;

- North Shore, a mixed-use brownfield RiverTees waterfront re-development close toStockton town centre;

- further expansion of the financial andbusiness services sectors at Teesdale,across the River Tees from North Shore;

- expansion of cultural, retail and leisureopportunities in Middlesbrough towncentre;

- further development of the University ofTeesside in Middlesbrough town centre,and the University of Durham (QueensCampus) at Teesdale, as well as therelocation of Middlesbrough College toMiddlehaven;

- high quality housing (both apartments andfamily housing) in both Stockton andMiddlesbrough town centres and alongthe River Tees corridor;

- creation of a Green-Blue Heart, a 21stcentury landscape providing a new andattractive setting for development, and

- further leisure and recreation opportunitiesat the Tees Barrage in conjunction with theGreen-Blue Heart.

Darlington Gateway, which aims to build onDarlington's locational advantages to attractnew employment. The Central Park schemewill see a major mixed-use redevelopment offormer railway and adjacent uses alongsideDarlington town centre, while other projectswill provide for office development at MortonPalms Business Park and Darlington Great Park;accommodation for the logistics anddistribution sectors at Faverdale; andexpansion of retail facilities in Darlington towncentre.


Map 1: Regeneration Projects and Areas of Major Change


Coastal Arc, which will develop assets offeredby a coastal location. Major elementsinclude:

- the Hartlepool Quays concept whichacts as a strategic driver to creating acritical mass of facilities and attractions. Itlinks together existing and emergingdevelopments, improving Hartlepool'sprofile as a place to live and work. Itcomprises the Marina, town centre, historicHeadland and Victoria Harbour;

- Victoria Harbour will see major re-development of surplus port land close tothe town centre, creating new visitor andleisure attractions, and providing newretail, commercial and residentialopportunities. A major open space concept,known as the "Wave", is to be developedwithin the Victoria Harbour scheme;

- a comprehensive programme to improveSeaton Carew's visitor offer;

- the Headland Revival programme toupgrade access and enhance key visitorattractions;

- development of an education/skills quarterin Hartlepool;

- further development of business opportunitiesand facilities in Hartlepool's SouthernIndustrial Zone;

- the Coatham Enclosure Project will help toimprove the tourism potential of Redcarand provide new housing opportunities;

- improved shopping and seafrontexperience at Redcar;

- improved attractions at Saltburn, and

- opening up and marketing of the industrialheritage of East Cleveland and itscountryside

4.8 Additionally Durham Tees Valley Airport will seefurther growth and expansion of facilities,together with new employment uses on adjacentland.

4.9 In addition to the major regeneration anddevelopment proposals outlined above, othermajor committed development will be continuingover the next few years, including:

Completion of development at InglebyBarwick, a major housing scheme betweenThornaby and Yarm ultimately providing some8,700 dwellings;

Major housing development at Middle Warrenin north west Hartlepool where some 2,250dwellings will be complete by 2016;

Significant new housing developments atRedcar, Skelton, and Darlington West Park,and

Several major business developments orregeneration projects, including Wynyard,Hartlepool Queens Meadow, and Kirkleathamvillage and estate.


4.10 Parts of the Tees Valley sub-region are affectedby poor quality and low demand housing. Thishas come about through a combination ofseveral factors including economic re-structuringleading to heavy out-migration, rapidindustrialisation in the 19th century producedmasses of high density, minimum standardterraced housing, and urban flight - movement ofpeople to more modern, better quality housesoutside and on the edges of the urban areas. Toaddress these problems, Tees Valley Living wasestablished to prepare a strategy for housingmarket renewal.

4.11 One of the characteristics of low demand housingareas is a poor environment and is one of thereasons behind urban flight, - people moving tohouses with gardens, more open space andbetter access to the countryside. The Tees Valleyhousing market renewal strategy recognises thepriority that must be given to providing goodquality housing with gardens and parking, and anattractive environment, to create viable andsustainable communities. It is important to take astrategic approach. Simply demolishing housingand grassing over the gaps will result in non-functional green spaces that are expensive tomaintain, attract anti-social behaviour, andphysically isolate any significant buildings andstructures that remain. The green infrastructurestrategy will assist in the implementation of thehousing market renewal strategy by providing anenhanced environment for both new andimproved housing schemes.


Photo by James Cianciaruso

Photo by James Cianciaruso


Rossmere Park - HartlepoolPhoto by James Cianciaruso

Landscape Character

5.1 The Tees Valley sub-region contains severaldistinctive landscapes, including part of aNational Park (North York Moors) and part of aHeritage Coast (North Yorkshire and Cleveland).The Durham Heritage Coast adjoins Hartlepooland extends north towards Seaham andSunderland, and may be extended south intoHartlepool in the longer term.

5.2 Most of the Tees Valley is within the 'TeesLowlands' Countryside Character area, asdefined by the Countryside Agency (now part ofNatural England)28. The key characteristics of theTees Lowlands are:

A broad low lying plain of gently undulating,predominantly arable farmland, with somepasture, and wide views to distant hills;

Meandering, slow moving River Tees flowsthrough the heart of the area, dividing thelowlands to north and south;

Contrast of quiet rural areas with extensiveurban and industrial development, concentratedalong the lower reaches of the River Tees, theestuary and coast;

Large scale chemical and oil refining works,dock facilities and other heavy plants alongthe Tees estuary form a distinctive skyline bothday and night;

Overhead transmission lines and pylons, majorroad corridors, railway lines and otherinfrastructure elements are widespread features;

Woodland cover is generally sparse, but withlocal variations such as the steep banks of themiddle reaches of the River Tees, andparkland and managed estates;

Distinctive areas of peaty fenland flatts andcarrs within the River Skerne lowlands, andextensive areas of mud flats, saltmarsh,wetlands and dunes at the mouth of the RiverTees, which support valuable wildlife habitats,and

Minor valleys and linear strips of open landextend as 'green wedges' from rural farmlandinto the heart of the Teesside conurbation.

5.3 To the north of the Tees Lowlands is the DurhamMagnesian Limestone Plateau, which extends intothe Tees Valley sub-region in the northern parts ofDarlington and Hartlepool districts. This is a gentlyundulating low upland plateau of open, mostlyarable, farmland dipping south and east,with incised denes cut into the coastaledges.

5.4 To the south east of the TeesLowlands lie the North YorkMoors and Cleveland Hills, anupland plateau landscapedominated by heathermoorland, with a series ofdales and steep sided rivervalleys, and a dramaticlandscape of high cliffs andsmall bays.

Tees Valley Environmental Context


28 Countryside Character Vol.1: North East, CCP535, Natural England

5.5 A very small part of the Durham Coalfield PennineFringe countryside character area extends intothe extreme north west part of Darlington district.

Natural Areas and Biodiversity

5.6 Natural England's Natural Area29 boundarieslargely coincide with those of the CountrysideCharacter areas. The Tees Lowlands Natural Areacomprises the low-lying land adjacent to theestuary of the River Tees. There has beenconsiderable land reclamation for industrialdevelopment in and around the Tees estuary, butremnants remain of grazing marsh, open waterand wetlands. In addition to the losses to industry,larger areas of the lower Tees are densely built upwith the associated problem of habitat loss andalteration to natural systems. The land rises to thesouth to meet the North York Moors at an abruptescarpment that is characterised by mixedwoodland on its face and steep sided gillwoodlands. To the north and west of the TeesLowlands the land rises gradually onto theMagnesian Limestone ridge which contains areasof limestone grassland and quarries which arenationally important for their geological interest.

5.7 The Tees Estuary and associated Cleveland Coastis of international importance for wintering andmigratory birds, and comprises intertidal sand andmudflats, rocky shore, salt marsh, freshwatermarsh, and sand dunes. It has been designatedas a Special Protection Area (SPA) under the ECBirds Directive and qualifies as a Ramsar site (awetland of international importance).

All the component parts are given statutoryrecognition as Sites of Special Scientific Interest(SSSI) and part is designated as a National NatureReserve. It is also relevant to note the potential ofSaltholme International Nature Reserve within thecontext of the Tees Estuary. Currently beingdeveloped by the RSPB and TeessideEnvironmental Trust, Saltholme will be the largestwildlife visitor facility in the Tees Valley and couldcontribute £1.4m to the local economy. It willdeliver significant improvements to the quality oflife for local residents, and will show social andeconomic, as well as environmental, advantagesof high quality green infrastructure.

5.8 Away from the Tees Estuary and coast there are anumber of other SSSI's, together with a largenumber of non-statutory sites of local interest (Sitesof Nature Conservation Importance/CountyWildlife Sites) which provide a goodrepresentation of different habitats and species.Some of these sites are designated as LocalNature Reserves. Of particular importance ashabitats are the riverbank woodlands. The highlyagricultural nature of the Tees Lowlands meansthat semi-natural woodland is not widespread.Much of the woodland cover, such as that in theWynyard area, is modified by later ornamentalplanting and management. However the RiverTees, in its deeper meander bends, retainswoodland on the steep banks, as does the RiverLeven which is particularly well wooded in itscentral stretch. The incised river and beck valleysof East Cleveland also contain important semi-natural woodland habitats.


29 Natural Area Profiles; Natural England (profiles can be downloaded at www.naturalengland.org.uk)

Map 2: Countryside Character Areas And Natural Areas


Map 3: Biodiversity And Designated Areas


5.9 The open heather moorland of the North YorkMoors and Cleveland Hills is of considerableimportance for its vegetation and breeding birds.Much of the moorland of the North York MoorsNational Park within the Tees Valley is designatedas a Site of Special Scientific Interest, SpecialProtection Area and Special Area of Conservation.

5.10 The Tees Valley Biodiversity Partnership has produceda Local Biodiversity Action Plan30 and is currentlydeveloping and reviewing a number of speciesand habitat action plans in accordance withidentified sub-regional and local priorities.

Historic Environment

5.11 Certain landscapes in the Tees Valley, in particularthe Eston Hills, are of particular importance becauseof the range and quality of the archaeologicaland historic components they contain. The TeesValley contains 59 Scheduled Ancient Monuments,and a number of parks and gardens that are ofhistoric interest, together with many listed buildingsand conservation areas.

5.12 Historic features should be safeguarded and theirsettings often provide opportunities to link into thewider green infrastructure network. Many historicfeatures are important in providing informalrecreation and enjoyment of open space.

Water Management and Flood Control

5.13 River corridors are part of the Tees Valley's greeninfrastructure, and they can be used to manage

flood risk positively by making available space forwater. Woodlands and wetlands in particularhave the capacity to absorb rainwater, slowdown the rate of run-off and reduce the risk offlooding downstream. The general presumptionagainst development in flood plains can result inareas of undeveloped land that could form partof a green infrastructure network.

5.14 The Environment Agency's Corporate Strategy2006-201131 sets out the general intention of theAgency to help to create green space, conserveand enhance habitats and biodiversity, and seekrecreational opportunities where appropriatethrough flood defence schemes.

5.15 There are two Flood Risk Management Planscovering the Tees Valley:

The Tees Catchment Flood ManagementPlan (CFMP)32 is a high level planning toolthat will set policies for flood riskmanagement within the TeesCatchment, and

The Tees Tidal Flood Risk ManagementStrategy (FRMS)33 identifies preferredmanagement measures to deliver theCFMP policies for the Tees Estuary. Thestudy area for the Strategy extendsfrom the mouth of the estuary to theA66 road crossing point. It includesthe Tees Barrage which is amovable weir that limits the tidalinfluence of the estuary

29

30 Tees Valley Biodiversity Action Plan; Tees Valley Wildlife Trust/Tees Valley Biodiversity Partnership, June 199931 Corporate Strategy 2006-2011 - Creating a Better Place; Environment Agency, 200632 Tees CFMP - under development by Environment Agency; consultation draft expected April 200833 Tees Tidal Flood Risk Management Strategy Scoping Report; Environment Agency, March 2005


Photoby

Stockton-on-Tees Media Store

Map 4: Indicative Flood Plain Areas


5.16 The Tees Tidal FRMS also identifies the potential foradditional environmental gains from addressingflood risk. For example the creation of new habitatat Greatham to compensate for habitat loss dueto coastal squeeze, and flood protection /watermanagement work in the Port Clarence area thatwill support the establishment of Saltholme NatureReserve. The Environment Agency and RSPB haveundertaken a Wetland Feasibility Study for theNorth East with the aim of identifying potential areasfor the creation/ restoration of wetland BAP habitats.

Derelict, Vacant and Unused Land

5.17 The Tees Valley Baseline and Scenario Study34,prepared in advance of the Tees Valley Vision,stated that the decline in manufacturing hadgenerated over 1,000 hectares of derelict land.National Land Use Database figures for 2004confirmed the scale of the problem in Tees Valley,identifying 760 hectares of previously developedvacant land and 520 hectares of derelict land andbuildings. In addition there are substantial areasof land, particularly along the Tees Corridor, thatare held for industrial and expansion purposes,but are only likely to be developed in the long term.

5.18 The Green Infrastructure Strategy will offer newopportunities to address the problem of derelictand vacant land in the Tees Valley. Even whereland is required for development in the longerterm, solutions of a temporary nature can also makea positive contribution. Uses such as biomassenergy generation can provide an effectivetemporary function for some derelict or unused sites.As land values rise or demand for developmentincreases, sites could be developed while retaining

the main elements of the green infrastructure. Itshould be noted however that previouslydeveloped, derelict and vacant land often hasthe potential to support biodiversity of local (orgreater) importance and also features of heritagevalue. Such sites should be identified so that theyare not adversely affected by biomass planting orother environmental works, and they can beintegrated as part of the green infrastructure concept.

Tourism

5.19 The Green Infrastructure Strategy will support thedevelopment of tourism across the Tees Valley.Activity based tourism will be supported throughthe sub-region's extensive network of footpaths,bridleways and cycleways which can be furtherdeveloped through the implementation of theStrategy. This will also deliver wider economicand social benefits by targeting investment inkey locations. Considerable work has alreadybeen done in Redcar & Cleveland to developactivity based tourism and this can be used asa model for other parts of the Tees Valley.

5.20 Nature based tourism can also benefitfrom the Green Infrastructure Strategy.The new nature reserve currently beingdeveloped at Saltholme can act as ahub for this type of activity and thedevelopment of a green infrastructurenetwork will help to link the site withother areas, particularly those aroundthe Tees Estuary such as TeesmouthNational Nature Reserve, Seaton Commonand Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park.


34 Regeneration for the Tees Valley: Baseline and Scenario Study; GHK, July 2001

Photoby

Stockton-on-Tees Media Store


River Skerne - DarlingtonPhoto by Tees Valley Joint Strategy Unit

6.1 This section summarises the existing elements thatmake up the baseline green infrastructureresource in the Tees Valley sub-region. It brieflydescribes the methodology used to identify theexisting green infrastructure resource, andconsiders the significance and opportunities ofthe resource in the context of the Tees Valley.

Methodology

6.2 The identification of existing green infrastructureelements has been achieved principally throughthe use of Geographical Information Systems(GIS) mapping. The mapping work was carriedout by the North East Community Forest (NECF),mainly using their existing database. The NECFdatabase contains a large number of potentialgreen infrastructure classes, but many of theseare only appropriate or useful at a more locallevel. Focussing at the strategic/sub-regionallevel suggested that the following elementsshould be identified and mapped:

Landscape designations, including CountrysideCharacter Areas, Natural Areas, HeritageCoast, National Park, and Historic Landscapes

Biodiversity features, including NationalNature Reserve, Local Nature Reserves, Sites ofSpecial Scientific Interest, and StrategicWildlife Corridors

Natural Processes, such as principal watercourses, including Indicative Tidal and FluvialFlood Plains

Major areas of derelict, vacant and unusedland

Strategic Open Space, Open Areas, andRecreational Areas, including green wedges,principal parks and gardens, country parks/countryside gateway sites, areas of woodland,and the North York Moors National Park

Connectivity, including strategic footpathroutes and cycle routes.

Levels of Green Infrastructure Planning

6.3 Green infrastructure planning can be applied at anumber of levels and scales. At a fundamentallevel green infrastructure is not really different atvarying spatial scales. Ultimately it is somethingthat exists at a local scale, yet locally specificelements and links interact to create synergiesand higher level effects that have significance ata scale greater than the local.

6.4 Examples of green infrastructure at different levelsand scales include:

Regional scale - principally through theRegional Spatial Strategy, where the emphasisis on the highest priority elements andnetworks, for example nationally designatedsites and major river corridors

Sub-regional scale - at a County or City Regionlevel where the emphasis is on identifyingelements which have the potential toqualitatively enhance the sub-region'senvironment and where the infrastructuremay be significantly strengthened by higherlevel initiatives that span local authorityboundaries.

The Existing Green Infrastructure Resource


Examples include extensive parks andgardens, local nature reserves and SSSI's, andareas of woodland

District scale - through Local DevelopmentFrameworks and local green space strategies,where the emphasis is on providing suitableand sufficient green spaces for recreation,amenity and conservation, and providingroutes and pathways for multiple purposes

Neighbourhood scale - where the emphasis ison the cumulative effect of many localfeatures, such as street trees, private gardens,allotments, small water bodies and streams,and small pockets of unused land

6.5 The elements identified in paragraph 6.2 aboveare considered to be the strategic , sub-regionalelements of green infrastructure. Other morelocal elements such as smaller parks and gardens,local wildlife sites (Sites of Nature ConservationImportance), and recreational areas also form animportant part of the green infrastructureresource. Many of these elements will beincorporated within the strategic networkcomponents identified in section 7 and can beintegrated within the green infrastructureframework. However it is important that other sitesare not left in isolation and proposals should bedeveloped at a more local level to provide anappropriate level of linkage and connectivity.

Landscape Issues and Opportunities

6.6 The landscape of the Tees Valley sub-region hasbeen influenced by many factors, both physicaland human. During the 19th and 20th centuriesrapid urban and industrial development tookplace. Valuable mineral deposits were thehistorical basis for the establishment of thechemical, iron and steel industries. The River Teesand its estuary offered opportunities for thetransport and export of minerals and finishedproducts produced in the Tees Valley area andbeyond. Urban development over the last 150years or so has had a dominant influence on themain settlements of Darlington, Hartlepool,Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough and Redcar,and many parts of the urban areas have limitedor poor quality open space. Many smaller townsand villages outside the main urban areas haveonly seen limited development, and have retainedmuch of their vernacular and historic character.

6.7 The quality of much post-war urban developmentis often considered to be poor, and because it isusually evident on the urban fringe and fromprincipal road and rail routes it can lead to aperception that the Tees Valley has a poorcharacter, image and environmental quality.

6.8 There are however features within the urbanfabric of the Tees Valley that offer opportunitiesfor integration within a green infrastructurenetwork. These include landmarks such as theTransporter Bridge and Newport Bridge, featuresassociated with the area's industrial past such aschemical and steel structures and railway artefacts


as well as large urban parks and gardens. A goodexample of the way in which former industrialstructures and sites have been incorporated intogreen infrastructure can be found in theRuhrgebiet area of Germany, through theEmscher Landschaft Park.

6.9 Upland areas, such as the Eston Hills, North YorkMoors, and Magnesian Limestone Ridge, provideopportunities for views across the countryside andurban development.

Biodiversity Issues and Opportunities

6.10 Despite substantial reclamation of inter-tidalareas for industrial and port development, theTees Estuary and adjacent coastline remains ofinternational importance for wildlife. Parts of themarine environment also contain importantarchaeological remains. While the protectionand enhancement of key wildlife sites mustcontinue to be a priority, the Green InfrastructureStrategy can provide a number of opportunitiesto increase and enhance biodiversity, including:

Addressing the issue of fragmentation throughopportunities for habitat restoration andcreation, with priority to areas that wouldbenefit most. While this can includeaddressing gaps in existing wildlife corridors,there is also a need to address connectivity inthe wider landscape through expandinghabitats or creating 'stepping stones' ofhabitat as well as corridors

Opportunities for restoration and bettermanagement of woodland

Opportunities associated with newdevelopment to help deliver natureconservation enhancement

Natural Processes Issues and Opportunities

6.11 The Tees Valley sub-region is dominated by theRiver Tees, its estuary, and its main tributariesincluding the River Skerne, River Leven, GreathamCreek, and Billingham Beck. This river systemcontributes to the landscape character of thesub-region, and is reflected in the pattern of landuse and settlement.

6.12 Flood Risk Management measures can make acontribution to the aims of green infrastructure ina number of ways at both whole river catchmentlevel and local level. Examples include:

Wetland creation through the provision offlood storage capacity

Potential to incorporate additional conservationand recreation benefits into flood defenceschemes, for example, general habitatcreation to enhance biodiversity, provision offootpaths and cycle ways along watercourses, incorporating public art into flooddefence structures, and provision ofinterpretative information

Potential for removal of flood defences incertain circumstances to reconnect rivers totheir flood plains, i.e. re-establishing naturalsystems


Creation of compensatory habitat in responseto rising sea levels

Naturalisation of modified/artificial river channels

Habitat protection through sensitivemaintenance regimes

Water level management to protect wetlandhabitats

Potential for routine maintenance of Flood RiskManagement areas to contribute to greeninfrastructure maintenance

6.13 Realisation of many of the above potentialbenefits is dependant on funding availability.Many flood defence schemes that could havewider benefits for green infrastructure may not beable to be funded under current flood defenceprioritisation arrangements, and alternativesources of funding will need to be investigated.

6.14 New developments have the potential toincorporate opportunities for the minimisation ofsurface water run-off through the adoption ofsustainable drainage systems, and other featuressuch as green roofs.

6.15 Access to rivers and watercourses for recreationprovides the potential for closer association with'natural systems' and the green infrastructurenetwork should support this opportunity, offeringfurther educational, cultural and recreationalbenefits. However it is also important thatenhanced access does not adversely affectsensitive riparian habitats and ecological assets.

Climate Change Issues and Opportunities

6.16 All parts of the country will experience the affectsof climate change. The government has recentlypublished for consultation a Planning PolicyStatement on Planning and Climate Change.35

This places climate change much more at theforefront of planning processes and decisionmaking. The consultation statement contains anumber of key objectives that a GreenInfrastructure Strategy can help to meet. Theseinclude:

Securing the highest viable standards ofresource and energy efficiency in shapingplaces where people live and work

Reducing the need to travel and encouragingcycling and walking

Shaping places so that they are resilient to theeffects of climate change

Sustaining biodiversity and recognising thathabitats and species will be affected byclimate change

A recent report by the North East Assembly36

demonstrated how the North East could beaffected by climate change. These affects couldinclude:

Loss of important habitats particularly in theuplands and on the coast

Changing agriculture and forestry practices andincreased risk of soil erosion and forest fires


35 Planning Policy Statement: Planning and Climate Change - Supplement to PPS1; Consultation, Department for Communities and Local Government, December 200636 And The Weather Today Is……….Climate Change in the North East, North East Assembly on behalf of Sustainability North East

Increased risk of flooding, erosion of riverbanks and construction and maintenance ofsea defences

Disruption to transport networks through weatherevents

6.17 The low-lying nature of much of the Tees Valleymeans that it could be particularly susceptible tothe affects of climate change. The Tees ValleyClimate Change Partnership has produced aClimate Change Strategy for the sub-region37.The Strategy describes some of the expectedimpacts of climate change on the Tees Valley.These include, for example:

Business and Tourism, such as rising insuranceand energy costs and more stringent planningregulations. However there may also beopportunities such as growth of the biofuelsindustry and an increase in biomass planting

Risks to health, such as heat waves and floods

Changes in agricultural practices, increasedsoil erosion and the possible need foradditional drainage to deal with watershortages

Problems on the transport network, such assubsidence, flooding, landslips

Additional strain on the water drainage andflood defences of buildings and urban areas -more frequent and intense events result inflood defence and water run-off systemsoperating outside their design criteria;damage to building foundations through

ground shrinkage; wind damage leading tostructural failure; increased demand for air-conditioning in buildings

Reduced water levels resulting in poorer waterquality and changes in wetland habitats.

6.18 Action taken now could help to ameliorate someof the affects, and the Green InfrastructureStrategy provides a significant opportunity torespond to and mitigate the potential impacts ofclimate change in conjunction with the ClimateChange Strategy. Opportunities could include forexample:

More trees and woodland, particularly inurban areas, to provide shade and coolingamong developments and open spaces -green refuges to lessen the effect of an 'urbanheat island'

New water-bodies and areas to cope withincreased storm-water run-off

Encouragement of the principles ofsustainable drainage systems (SUDS) toameliorate flood risk

Extending the walking and cycling networkalong green corridors, helping to reducereliance on private transport

Promoting action at the landscape scale tolink, buffer and extend existing semi-naturalhabitats to help wildlife adapt to the impact ofclimate change.


37 Tees Valley Climate Change Strategy - Reporting Period 2006-2012; Tees Valley Climate Change Partnership, 2007

Derelict, Vacant and Unused Land Issuesand Opportunities

6.19 The legacy of the decline of heavy industry hasbeen a physical environment marred by derelict,vacant and unused land and buildings. Recentestimates have put the amount of derelict andunder-used land in the Tees Valley at over 1,000hectares.

6.20 Although much of this land is identified fordevelopment in local plans/local developmentframeworks, in many instances development ismore likely in the long term rather than the shortterm. In some cases land is held for possible futuredevelopment by major industrial concerns andthey are often unwilling to release it for alternativeuses or users. Nevertheless there are/could beopportunities for greening derelict, vacant andunused land to deliver green infrastructurebenefits, even if on a short or medium term basis.

Strategic Open Space and RecreationAreas Issues and Opportunities

6.21 The countryside around the Teesside conurbation,the main towns of Darlington and Hartlepool, anda number of the smaller settlements, is includedwithin The Tees Forest boundary. The Tees Foresttherefore represents a major element of the TeesValley green infrastructure resource. The aim ofthe Forest is to retain the best landscapes, restorethose in decline, and create new landscapes inareas of degradation.

6.22 A number of 'Gateways' have been establishedto provide access points to the Tees Forest for thecommunity. Primary gateway sites provide arange of high level facilities, including a visitorcentre, with open access areas for recreationand locations for woodland planting. Secondarygateway sites have similar characteristics butgenerally offer fewer facilities.

6.23 Accessible woodland, nature reserves andcountry parks provide a valuable green spaceresource that should be promoted, andopportunities taken to improve access to existingand new development areas.

6.24 Green wedges - areas of open space extendingfrom the countryside into the built up areas - are afeature of the Tees Valley sub-region and havebeen protected through planning policies formany years. Most of the green wedges areincluded within the boundary of the Tees Forest.The green wedges provide excellent opportunitiesfor further enhancement of existing greeninfrastructure elements, along with accessibilityimprovements.

6.25 The proximity of the North YorkMoors National Park providesa large number ofrecreation opportunitiesclose to the main urbanareas of the Tees Valley.


Connectivity Issues and Opportunities

6.26 There is already a well developed footpath andcycle way network that can provide opportunitiesfor integration into a green infrastructure network.These include the Teesdale Way running virtuallythe whole length of the River Tees within the TeesValley sub-region, and SUSTRANS cycle routesproviding links from East Cleveland and Redcarthrough to Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees,Hartlepool, and, via Wynyard, into CountyDurham.

6.27 Opportunities should be explored to provideroutes and links into the strategic network fromnew and existing developments.

Strategic Green Infrastructure

6.28 Map 5 shows the strategic elements of greeninfrastructure in the Tees Valley sub-region. Thekey features are considered to be:

Tees Forest - surrounding the Teesside conurbationand the main towns of Darlington and Hartlepool,and penetrating the urban areas along the greenwedges

Gateway sites - both primary and secondarygateways provide easy access into the TeesForest and the surrounding countryside

Major Parks and Gardens - including urban parkssuch as Albert Park and Stewart Park inMiddlesbrough, South Park in Darlington, RopnerPark in Stockton, Saltburn Valley Gardens in

Redcar & Cleveland, and Ward Jackson Park inHartlepool that provide a major resource forpeople living in the main urban areas

Nature Reserves/Protected Wildlife Sites - as wellas being of critical importance in representing arange of habitats and their associated species,nature reserves and protected wildlife sites offer avaluable opportunity for people to experienceand learn about wildlife on their own doorstep. Aswell as the Teesmouth National Nature Reserveand the Saltholme International Nature Reservecurrently under development in the Tees Estuary,there are many local nature reserves. Some ofthese local nature reserves are within or very closeto residential areas and provide excellentopportunities for local communities to gainaccess to the open space network

National Park and Heritage Coast -these nationally designated areasmust be integrated within a greeninfrastructure network

Rivers and Watercourses - the RiverTees is now acting as a focus forregeneration, and improvingaccess to the river corridor is akey element. The River Teesand its tributaries offerexcellent opportunitiesfor environmentalenhancement andenhancement oflocal biodiversity


Map 5: Green Infrastructure Resouce


6.29 In addition the following provide for strategicaccess and movement within and between theurban areas and the countryside:

Major footpaths and cycle ways - long distancefootpaths such as the Cleveland Way, TeesdaleWay, and Tees Link, along with the strategic cycleroutes provided by SUSTRANS and the localauthorities, provide links from the urban areas intothe countryside and often utilise corridors thatcould form a basis for a green infrastructurenetwork

Major roads and railways - roads and, to a verylimited extent in the Tees Valley, railways presentopportunities to link urban and countryside areas.However roads and railways can also present abarrier to access to the countryside particularlywhere they cut across footpaths and cycle ways

6.30 The corridor concept is central to the developmentof a strategic green infrastructure network.Networks of parks, woodland and other greenspaces are linked to the urban areas and thewider countryside by footpaths, bridleways andcycle ways. Urban parks, country parks and othergreen spaces are joined up to form continuousgreen corridors between town and country.

6.31 The corridor concept fits well with the physicalstructure of much of the Tees Valley sub-region.Green wedges form corridors of open space fromthe countryside and urban fringe running into theheart of the built up areas of the Teessideconurbation and main towns of Darlington andHartlepool. Strategic wildlife corridors provideopportunities for enhancing and connecting sitesof wildlife interest and increasing their accessibility

to local residents. A network of footpaths,bridleways and cycleways, often making use ofgreen wedges and wildlife corridors, provide linksboth within the urban areas and between theurban areas and surrounding countryside.

Existing Plans and Strategies

6.32 It is clearly important that taking forward anddeveloping the green infrastructure conceptbuilds on existing data, strategies and plans anddoes not cover old ground and duplicate effort.There are already a large number of plans andstrategies in place that contain policies andinitiatives that are closely linked to the concept ofgreen infrastructure planning and will help formthe basis of a Tees Valley green infrastructurenetwork. The green infrastructure initiative isabout adopting an holistic approach toexisting strategies and resources toprovide mulit-functional benefits.

6.33 A summary of the main existingand inherited strategies andinitiatives in the Tees Valley,and their link with greeninfrastructure planning, isgiven in appendix 2.


Photo by Stockton-on-Tees MediaSt

ore


Cycling in Billingham Beck - Stockton-on-TeesPhoto by stockton-on-Tees Media Store

Identification of Priorities

7.1 There are two principal (over-arching) prioritiesthat the strategic Green Infrastructure Strategy forthe Tees Valley is seeking to achieve:

The first is the protection and, whereappropriate, enhancement of the criticalelements of the existing green infrastructureresource within the conurbation and maintowns and settlements

The second is developing and extendingwhere necessary the existing elements ofgreen infrastructure into a multi-functionalnetwork that links existing and proposed greenspaces. This would also address the issue ofgaps in the network

7.2 The priorities for green infrastructure also need tobe defined in terms of the wider priorities foreconomic growth, development andregeneration. These strategic priorities are:

Flagship Regeneration Projects - Central Park,Darlington; Victoria Harbour, Hartlepool; NorthShore, Stockton-on-Tees; Greater Middlehaven,Middlesbrough; Durham Tees Valley Airport

Tees Valley Vision/City Region DevelopmentProgramme Spatial Priorities - Stockton-Middlesbrough Initiative; Darlington Gateway;Coastal Arc

Housing Market Renewal/Intervention Areas -North Central Hartlepool and West CentralHartlepool; Middlesbrough, including WhinneyBanks, West Lane, Gresham, North Ormesby and

St. Hilda's (Greater Middlehaven); Redcar andCleveland including South Bank in the GreaterEston area and parts of Redcar; Stockton-on-Teesfocussing particularly on areas close to Stocktontown centre, and north Thornaby

Other Strategic Growth Areas - includingresidential developments at Middle Warren(Hartlepool), Ingleby Barwick (Stockton-on-Tees)and West Park (Darlington); businessdevelopments at Faverdale (Darlington),Wynyard (Stockton-on-Tees/Hartlepool); majoremployment site at South Tees (Redcar andCleveland)

Strategic Environmental Initiatives - Green-BlueHeart; Saltholme Nature Reserve; the "Wave"within Victoria Harbour; Hartlepool Rail Corridor;The Tees Forest and Primary Gateway Sites;Middlesbrough Beck Valleys project

Strategic Access Routes - SUSTRANS routes; longdistance footpaths (Cleveland Way, TeesdaleWay, Tees Link); strategic equestrian routes

7.3 The above priorities represent sites and areaswhere their implementation and developmentcan be aided and enhanced by their integrationwithin the green infrastructure network, andwhere greening should be included as a key partof their development.

7.4 In addition the green infrastructure networkshould also be integrated with initiatives toaddress issues of improving water quality andmanaging flood risk, and projects to restorevacant and derelict land for both temporary andlonger term greening. The network should also

Towards a Strategic Green Infrastructure Network


support and reinforce strategic planning prioritiesto protect the countryside and open spacethrough green wedges and strategic gaps.

7.5 Green infrastructure should also address theneeds of local people and local communities,and in particular those communities that do nothave the means or ability to gain easy access tothe countryside and major areas of open space.The Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) providesan indication of the worst performing 'SuperOutput Areas' where, for example, levels of carownership will generally be low and health maybe poorer than more affluent areas. Map 7shows the existing green infrastructure resource inthe Tees Valley in relation to the overall IMDranking and demonstrates the need for the GreenInfrastructure Strategy to address open spaceprovision within the inner urban areas of theconurbation and main towns.

Green space standards

7.6 Standards are one way of ensuring that greenspace is within easy reach of local communitiesand residential areas. There are a number ofstandards available covering different types ofgreen space, for example accessibility to openspace, playing fields, woodland, natureconservation sites etc. Local planning authoritiesoften include open space standards in their localplans/local development frameworks.

7.7 The Green Infrastructure Planning Guide38

considers Natural England's Green Spacestandard to be useful for green infrastructure

planning, and includes it in a modified formknown as ANGST+ (Accessible NaturalGreenspace Standard plus).ANGST+ is included in thisstrategy as a standard thatlocal authorities and othersin the Tees Valley couldwork towards achieving,although it is recognisedthat there may benecessary variations tomeet particular localcircumstances and toensure consistency with alocal authority's own standards:

No person should live morethan 300m from their nearest areaof natural green space of at least 2 hectaresin size;

There is provision of at least 2 hectares ofnatural green space per 1,000 population;

That there should be at least one accessible20 hectare site within 2km from home;

That there should be one accessible 100hectare site within 5km;

That there should be one accessible 500hectare site within 10km; and

That adjacent green spaces are interconnected,the priority and extent being determined bylocal decision making informed bystakeholder involvement.


38 Green Infrastructure Planning Guide; Northumbria University, North East Community Forests, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Countryside Agency, English Nature,Forestry Commission, Groundwork, 2005

Map 6: Strategic Corridors And Links


Map 7: Existing Green Infrastructure Resource In Relation To Overall IMDRanking Score


Emerging Issues

7.8 The Green Infrastructure Strategy should also helpto address further emerging environmental andsocial issues and concerns. These include:

Recycling and Renewable Energy - closely linkedto the issue of climate change, the greeninfrastructure network could play an importantrole in the sustainable management of waste,water and pollution generated in urban areas,and could provide opportunities for the locationand development of recycling schemes,woodlands for biomass production, and fullyfunctional floodplains to store flood waters.

Aspirational/Changing Lifestyles - revolvingaround issues such as a desire from many peoplefor more opportunities to socialise, for examplestreet cafes and good quality open spaces closeto offices and other places of employment; moreopportunities to improve physical health and well-being - the Countryside Agency's 'Green Exercise'programme is a good example where activitiessuch as Green Gym, Greenstart, Active Woods,and Walking the way to Health can all beintegrated within a green infrastructure network.

Sustainable Transport Alternatives - manystrategies and initiatives are now in place or arebeing developed to reduce the impact of theincreasing use of the car for private and businesstravel. The green infrastructure network can playa valuable role in complementing these strategiesand initiatives by, for example, facilitating greateropportunities for cycling, walking and horse-riding, creating new multi-user routes with a focuson health, safety and accessibility.

Green Infrastructure Guidelines

7.9 The following guidelines will help to promote theaims of the green infrastructure planning withinthe Tees Valley:

Planning and Development

Proposals should promote social andeconomic regeneration through the creationof high quality open space, green space andlandscaping

Green infrastructure should be fundamental tothe planning of major new development andre-development schemes, and should help tointegrate development with surroundingtownscape and landscape, and withadjoining communities

Proposals should be designed to highstandards of quality and sustainability todeliver social, economic and environmentalbenefits

Where appropriate use should be made ofplanning conditions, planning obligations andsection 106 agreements to secure theprovision and maintenance of greeninfrastructure

Community involvement should be encouragedfrom the outset in the design, implementationand management of green infrastructure

The principle of 'net gain' should apply whenthere is a loss in green infrastructure resource


Accessibility

Enhanced access by foot, cycle and, whereappropriate, by horse is fundamental

New access routes should focus as a priorityon areas of planned growth, regenerationand redevelopment, particularly where publicaccess may be restricted at present

The development of the Tees Valley Metrooffers opportunities to improve accessibility toa number of major green infrastructureelements - for example a halt near TeessidePark will also serve the Green-Blue Heart, RiverTees Corridor and Tees Barrage; a halt in thevicinity of Cowpen Bewley could provideaccess to Saltholme Nature Reserve, the TeesEstuary and the woodland park

Any planned park and ride facilities, whether forthe Metro or as part of an enhanced bus network,should where possible be integrated within greeninfrastructure network offering, for example,links into the surrounding countryside and picnicfacilities, as well as functional parking facilities

Integrate green infrastructure with proposalsby Natural England to create a new right ofpublic access to England's coastline along acontinuous access corridor

Where possible new road construction orhighway improvement schemes should makea positive contribution to green infrastructureby, for example, incorporating features suchas ponds or wild flower meadows orcontributing to long term green infrastructuremanagement

Landscape and Historic Environment

Green infrastructure should contribute to themanagement, conservation and improvementof the local landscape and townscape andreflect the landscape character approach

Local landscape and townscape characterassessments should be undertaken whenappropriate

Green infrastructure should contribute to theprotection and enhancement of historicassets

Where possible derelict, vacant and unusedland should be restored/reclaimed for usesthat contribute to the objectives of the GreenInfrastructure Strategy. Land identified forspecific uses but where development is onlylikely in the long term (for example someemployment land) should be considered fortemporary 'greening' such as timberproduction for local renewable energyschemes, although the biodiversity value ofsuch land should also be taken into account

A mosaic pattern of woodlands should form acore component of the green infrastructurenetwork and should be planned and createdin line with the Regional Forestry Strategy andthe Tees Forest Plan

Where appropriate woodland managementand creation should include opportunities toproduce sustainable supplies for localrenewable energy projects


Biodiversity

Green infrastructure should maintain andenhance biodiversity and ensure, wherefeasible, that development and implementationresults in a net gain of Local Biodiversity ActionPlan habitats

Wildlife corridors should be managed in a waythat facilitates the movement of species andwhere appropriate provide suitable linkagesto counter existing fragmentation of habitats,particularly to and from designated wildlifesites

New development should not damageexisting wildlife sites and should enhance themwhere possible

Green infrastructure should enhance thenatural environment of the Tees Valley andretain or enhance landscape character asappropriate, particularly through the use ofnative species in planting schemes

Climate Change

Where feasible and appropriate greeninfrastructure should be compatible with andcontribute to natural processes and systems

Design of new developments should, wherefeasible, contribute to environmentalsustainability, for example by includingfeatures such as green roofs, plantingschemes that do not require large amounts ofwater, and the principles of sustainabledrainage systems (SuDS)

Watercourses and wetlands should beenhanced and managed to createmultifunctional assets capable of deliveringrecreation and biodiversity benefits as well aswater storage or flood management functions

Proposals should take account of therecommendations of the Tees CatchmentFlood Management Plan and the Tees TidalFlood Risk Management Strategy andStrategic Flood Risk Assessments

Flood Management Schemes should make apositive contribution to green infrastructuresuch as improving or creating habitats

Leisure and Recreation

Green infrastructure should create new leisureand recreational facilities, particularly wherethere are opportunities to link urban andcountryside areas

The importance of green space andgreen corridors in providing sportand recreation opportunities thatcan enhance and promotehealth and well-being should berecognised

49Tees Valley Green Infrastructure Strategy 2008

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Victoria Bridge - Stockton-on-TeesPhoto by stockton-on-Tees Media Store

8.1 The outputs of the GIS mapping exercise and ananalysis of the existing and inherited plans andstrategies, together with an assessment ofstrategic developments and priorities, haveformed the basis for the development of astrategic green infrastructure network for the TeesValley.

8.2 This section identifies the component parts of thegreen infrastructure network, and a gives a briefdescription of key elements that need to beprioritised, protected and enhanced. Althoughaction should be promoted in all parts of thenetwork, some priorities will be necessary toachieve the economic growth and regenerationvision for the Tees Valley.

Description of the Green InfrastructureNetwork at a strategic level

1 River Tees Corridor

At the heart of the Tees Valley's green network,the River Tees Corridor runs from beyond theboundary of the sub-region. Past Darlington, intothe middle of the Teesside conurbation, throughto the internationally important wetland habitatsaround the Tees Estuary. The River Tees providesa setting for a number of key regenerationprojects including North Shore and GreaterMiddlehaven, as well as employment andindustrial centres such as Teesport and the petro-chemical facilities at North Tees. The whole of theCorridor forms a strategic wildlife corridorproviding a major route through the urban areaand into the surrounding countryside.

In this Strategy the River Tees Corridor isconsidered in two distinct sections - 1a from thesub-regional boundary in the west to the TeesBarrage. This is the largely freshwater section ofthe river, passing mainly through rural/semi-rurallandscapes; 1b from the Barrage to the mouth ofthe river is tidal and passes through a mainlyurban, heavily industrialised landscape.

2 The Coast - Hartlepool to Cowbar

The whole length of the Tees Valley coastline isidentified as a strategic wildlife corridor. Thecoast also provides a setting for some majorexisting and proposed developments, includingHartlepool Quays, Hartlepool Nuclear PowerStation, Redcar Steel Complex, CoathamEnclosure in Redcar, Skinningrove Steel Works,and Boulby Potash Mine. The coastline to thenorth of Hartlepool and east of Saltburn has beendesignated as Heritage Coast.

3 River Skerne Corridor

A major green network component linkingDarlington's historic South Park with the towncentre, and extending north beyond Darlingtoninto County Durham (Aycliffe Village, PrestonCarrs, Morden and Bradbury). Parts of thecorridor have been enhanced through thesuccessful River Skerne restoration project. Thecorridor should complement proposals withinCounty Durham, particularly with regard toopportunities for wetland habitat creation andenhancement.

A Strategic Network of Green Infrastructure for the Tees Valley


4 River Skerne Corridor to West Park/Faverdale

A potential green corridor linking the River Skerneand Darlington town centre, with major residentialand employment developments in the West Parkand Faverdale areas. The corridor could followthe route of the Darlington - Bishop Aucklandbranch railway line and the disused track bedtowards Faverdale and West Park. Within thewider Darlington area there is scope fordeveloping a series of green radial routes linkingthe urban area with countryside. Such initiativeswill also work towards improving the landscape ofthe urban fringe and providing more attractiveand multi-functional countryside.

5 Darlington, Middleton St. George, A66/A67Corridor to Stockton

A potentially major corridor linking with the RiverSkerne Corridor in Darlington via the SUSTRANSroute towards Middleton St. George and DurhamTees Valley Airport, the strategic gap betweenDarlington and Stockton, and the green wedgeand River Tees Corridor in the vicinity of PrestonFarm and Bowesfield.

6 Preston-on-Tees/Hartburn/Fairfield/Bishopsgarthto Wynyard

A corridor based along the existing Castle EdenWalkway, linking residential areas of westStockton with Wynyard Woodland Park, ThorpeThewles and Wynyard. Beyond this the corridorlinks to an extensive network of cycle ways,footpaths and bridleways in Sedgefield andHartlepool.

7 Hartburn to Lustrum Beck to River Tees

A potential corridor based on Hartburn andLustrum Becks, running through a largely urbanpart of Stockton. The corridor should alsointegrate with the Green-Blue Heart proposals.

8 Stainsby Beck Valley

A major green corridor from the Tees Barrage andGreen-Blue Heart, through Teesside Park,between Thornaby and Middlesbrough, linkinginto the open countryside. A major new park isproposed along the A66/Whinney Banks housingdevelopment site.

9 Billingham Beck Valley

A strategic wildlife corridor linking the River Teeswith open countryside along the Billingham BeckValley and via Billingham Beck Country Park andGateway site. It forms an important part of thegreen network creating a setting for both Nortonand Billingham. The corridor links into the Green-Blue Heart and wildlife habitats of Portrack Marshand Maze Park at its southern end.

10 Saltholme to Cowpen Bewley, Wynyard andHartlepool

A major corridor linking internationally importantwetland habitats on the Tees Estuary with thestrategic open gap between Billingham andHartlepool, Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park, andon to Wynyard.


11 Saltholme to Hartlepool Coast

A strategic wildlife corridor between SaltholmeNature Reserve and adjacent internationallyimportant wetland habitats, Teesmouth NationalNature Reserve and the coast at Seaton Carew.The corridor provides a setting for major petro-chemical facilities at North Tees and Seal Sands.

12 Hartlepool Quays/Town Centre to Summerhill andnorth west Hartlepool and Hartlepool Western Fringe

An existing green wedge runs from urbanHartlepool into the open countryside viaSummerhill Countryside Gateway site. There ispotential for creating a continuous and highquality green link from Victoria Harbour and themarina through the town centre into Burn Valleygreen wedge and beyond Summerhill Gatewaysite into the surrounding countryside. At VictoriaHarbour the corridor should focus on the "Wave"open space concept, and at the Summerhill endthe corridor could link north towards the MiddleWarren housing development and the greenwedge running through Middle Warren, and southtowards Greatham.

13 Greater Middlehaven/Middlesbrough town centre/South Bank/Greater Eston to Redcar

Potentially a key corridor linking Middlehaven andMiddlesbrough town centre with housing renewalproposals in the South Bank/Grangetown areas,projects associated with the regeneration of GreaterEston including a new district centre, and runningthrough to Redcar and the coast via LazenbyBank and Kirkleatham. The eastern end of thecorridor will provide a landscape context for

Kirkleatham Business Park and recreation andtourism developments associated with Kirkleathamvillage, as well as recent housing developments tothe south of Redcar.

14 Greater Middlehaven/Middlesbrough town centre/Marton/Nunthorpe to Guisborough, including theopen space network through South Middlesbrough

Largely utilising existing green wedges and beckvalleys, this corridor can provide a joined-upgreen link from Middlesbrough town centre toNunthorpe and beyond, and will provide a settingfor James Cook Hospital and Prissick Scholl Base.The beck valleys collectively form north-southgreen corridors linking nature conservation sites,recreational areas and woodland and there ismuch potential to strengthen the corridors andimprove east-west links. The strategic corridor alsoincludes strategic open space at Stewart Parkand Ormesby Hall, and the network of openspace through the residential developments ofsouth Middlesbrough, providing a link with theStainsby Beck strategic corridor. Much of this areaforms part of Middlesbrough's 'Green Lung' - acomplex network of open spaces, beck valleys,cycle/footpaths, parks, recreation grounds andplaying fields with potential as a major new areafor biodiversity, recreation and other developmenteasily accessible to adjoining urban communities.To the south of Middlesbrough there is potential toimprove long-distance footpaths and bridleways,with Lingfield Countryside Visitor Centre providinga focus. Beyond Nunthorpe the corridor could linkwith the Gateway site at Pinchinthorpe andwoodland to the south of Guisborough within theNorth York Moors National Park.


15 Nunthorpe to Wilton via Eston Hills

This corridor provides a link between theMiddlesbrough to Nunthorpe corridor and theMiddlesbrough to Redcar corridor via the EstonHills. There is potential for creating a 'greenway'link from Eston towards Redcar and Saltburn.

16 Guisborough to the Coast via East Cleveland BeckValley Woodlands

Largely within the North York Moors andCleveland Hills Natural Area, this corridor is mainlyrural and includes a number of substantialwoodland areas associated with the beck valleys.The Cleveland Way long distance footpathpasses through the area and the coastline east ofSaltburn has been designated as a HeritageCoast. Much of the woodland in the beck valleysis ancient semi-natural woodland, and is asignificant resource within the Tees Valley.

17 River Leven Corridor

The River Leven runs in a steeply sided valley fromthe Stockton-on-Tees Borough boundary nearCrathorne and Hilton, to join the River Tees nearYarm and Ingleby Barwick. It is generally wellwooded but public access is rather limited. Aswell as being of considerable amenity value, thewoodland along the River Leven is also a valuablewildlife habitat.


Map 8: Tees Valley Green Infrastructure Network


9. Billingham Beck ValleyFocus on the enhancement andmanagement of existing andcreation of new habitats, anddevelopment of strategicaccessInvestigate opportunities to de-pollute contaminated soils andwater through plantsDevelopment of strategicaccess routes, particularly for thelocal community at the R Teesend and forwards Wynyard

10. Saltholme To Cowpen Bewley,Wynyard and HartlepoolProtect, enhance and createhabitats in accordance with theobjectives of Saltholme NatureReserve, SSSI/SPA objectives,and LBAP prioritiesInvestigate scope for furtherplanting between Billinghamand Hartlepool, and link withCowpen Bewley Woodland ParkDevelop strategic access routes,particularly from residential areasof north Billingham and southHartlepool and adjacentemployment areasImplement the N Gare toGreatham section of theHartlepool rural cycle way/walkwayDevelop a cycle route betweenGreatham and Cowpen BewleyInvestigate potential forestuarine woodland creation Incorporate proposals forimproving the environment ofthe Southern Industrial Zone inHartlepool

Tees Valley Green Infrastructure StrategyProposed Network Component Priorities and Actions


1. River Tees Corridor1a Darlington - Tees Barrage

Improve access and links intobusiness and housing areasPromote a 'heritage' or 'country' parkarea between Stockton and YarmResist urban encroachmentEnhance existing and create newwetland habitatsProtect and enhance strategic openspace in the Yarm, Ingleby Barwick,Preston Farm and Bowesfield areasInvestigate potential for additionalcrossing points of the R Tees forwalkers, cyclists and horse-riders

1b Tees Barrage - Tees Mouth Develop a continuous green link toprovide a high quality setting formajor regeneration projectsImprove links into Stockton andMiddlesbrough town centresIntegrate with Green-Blue HeartImprove areas of vacant, derelictand under-used landAssess extent and value of post-industrial wildlife habitatsImprove the attractiveness of theTeesdale Way and maximise potentialof Middlesbrough's 3 river parks

2. The Coast - Hartlepool to CowbarAdopt Integrated Coastal Zonemanagement principlesProtect the undeveloped coast andavoid inappropriate developmentInvestigate opportunities to enhancethe railway corridor on the northernapproach to HartlepoolDevelop a coastal cycle route withinHartlepoolIntegrate key regeneration andtourism developments throughimproved green space, access andlandscaping

Protect and enhance areas ofbiodiversity value, and avoid adverseeffects on the SPAAddress issues associated withindustrial activity and public access,particularly in the Coatham Marsh/Coatham Sands/South Gare area

3. River Skerne CorridorIdentify opportunities for enhancedaccess and landscapingImprove links with Central Park andDarlington town centreProtect and enhance riversidehabitatsIntegrate with proposals in Co.DurhamInvestigate opportunities for habitatcreation throughout the urbansections of the corridor and into thecountryside

4. River Skerne Corridor To West Park/FaverdaleDevelop core path networks intosurrounding communitiesInvestigate scope for additional treeplanting and creation of wetlandhabitatsIncorporate green infrastructureelements within new development atWest Park and Faverdale

5. Darlington, Middleton St. George,A66/A67 Corridor to StocktonMaintain open area betweenDarlington and StocktonImprove links with existing openspace, business and housing areasPrevent urban encroachment intostrategic open spaces and strategicgapsInvestigate potential for additionalwoodland and wetland creation,particularly in the Hartburn Beck areaStrengthen links with Preston Park andenhance its 'Gateway' role

Investigate potential for linking withdevelopments at Durham TeesValley AirportPromote historic heritageExtend and develop strategicaccess routes, particularly betweenMiddleton St. George and Stockton

6. Preston-on-Tees/Hartburn/Fairfield/Bishopsgarth to WynyardMaintain and extend local accessnetwork, including links intoHartlepool and SedgefieldInvestigate potential for increasedplanting/ management to increasevalue of woodland, hedgerows andopen space to the local communityand for biodiversityDevelop links with Ropner Park, theproposed West Stockton woodlandand the Darlington to StocktonCorridor

7. Hartburn to Lustrum Beck to theRiver TeesImprove access for adjoiningresidential, commercial and businessareasFocus on habitat and watercourserestoration and enhancementIntegrate with Green-Blue Heart

8. Stainsby Beck ValleyEstablish continuous green linkthrough Teesside Retail and LeisurePark along Stainsby Beck and intothe open countrysideImprove access into adjoiningresidential areasInvestigate potential for major newpark in the A66 /Whinney Bankshousing areaInvestigate scope for enhancingbiodiversity, particularly potential forenhancing or creating intertidalhabitatProtect from urban encroachment

11. Saltholme to Hartlepool CoastProtect, enhance and managestatutory nature conservation sites,and improve adjacent areas tosupport interest features of the SPADevelop a cycle route between NGare and Transporter BridgeInvestigate opportunities to enhancethe railway corridor on the southernapproach to HartlepoolComplement proposals for improvingthe visitor attraction of Seaton CarewProtect and enhance non-statutory(local) nature conservation sitesInvestigate potential for improvingaccess, particularly new cyclewaysand footpaths

12. Hartlepool Quays/Town Centre ToSummerhill, North West Hartlepooland Hartlepool Western FringeDevelop high quality green link fromVictoria Harbour and Marina throughthe town centre towards SummerhillGateway site and the surroundingcountryside


Investigate potential for exploitingthe industrial heritage of the EstonHills

16. Guisborough To The Coast ViaEast Cleveland Beck ValleyWoodlandsOpportunities to create newaccess routes and links tosurrounding areas utilising thebeck valleys and disused railwaylines should be investigatedInvestigate opportunities forpromoting activity tourism such ascycling, horse-riding, walking, andnatural historyInvestigate opportunities forcreating 'buffer zones' along theupper beck valley slopes toprotect and enhance thewoodland valueExplore opportunities forexploiting the industrial history ofthe East Cleveland area

17. River Leven CorridorImproved access opportunitiesshould be investigated,particularly into the River TeesCorridor but care is needed toavoid habitat disturbanceConsideration should be given toproviding a new river crossing forwalkers, cyclists and horse-ridersScope for additional planting andwoodland management toenhance the nature conservationinterest should be investigated

Integrate with green infrastructureelements at Middle WarrenImprove access into adjoiningresidential areas and develop cyclelinks into the proposed HartlepoolRural Cycle route, including thewestern fringe of HartlepoolInvestigate opportunities to naturaliseBurn Valley Gardens beckInvestigate opportunities for exploitingthe geo-diversity value of Hart Quarry

13. Greater Middlehaven/MiddlesbroughTown Centre/South Bank/GreaterEston to RedcarIncorporate significant greeninfrastructure elements into housingrenewal schemes and regenerationprojectsInvestigate opportunities to providenew, and improve existing, footpathsand cyclewaysInvestigate scope for increasedwoodland planting in line with TeesForest and LBAP objectives

Consider ways of improving andmanaging access on and aroundthe moorland of the Eston Hills Integrate with new developments inthe south Redcar and Kirkleatham areas

14. Greater Middlehaven/ MiddlesbroughTown Centre/Marton/NunthorpeTo GuisboroughInvestigate increased woodlandplanting in line with Tees Forest andLBAP objectivesInvestigate opportunities to utilise thebeck corridors for small scalewoodland/ wetland linear mosaicsInvestigate potential for enhancedbiodiversity, recreation and otherdevelopments in Middlesbrough's'Green Lung'Develop core access networkslinking surrounding communities andinvestigate scope for long distancebridleways and footpaths into thecountryside in conjunction withLingfield Countryside Visitor CentreInvestigate potential for country parkin south MiddlesbroughInvestigate opportunities to reducelocal deficiencies and rationalisesuitable land for developmentEnsure careful integration of transportimprovement proposalsInvestigate potential for improvingaccess between the conurbationand the countryside/woodlandaround Guisborough

15. Nunthorpe To Wilton Via Eston HillsPotential for managing and extendingaccess from residential areas,particularly towards the Eston HillsInvestigate potential for creating a'greenway' link from Eston towardsRedcar and Saltburn and improve linksinto the North York Moors National ParkThe Eston Hills provide a significantresource for recreation and biodiversitybut sensitive management is neededto avoid disturbance to habitats.


Guisborough Priory - Redcar & ClevelandPhoto by visitTeesvalley

9.1 The Green Infrastructure Strategy sets out a visionfor an improved quality of urban environmentand closer links between the conurbation andmain towns and the surrounding countryside.Although developed very much at a strategiclevel, the Green Infrastructure Strategy will betaken on board and developed further by theplans, programmes and strategies of theindividual local authorities and other keystakeholders. Often the most appropriate levelfor the promotion of actions will be through LocalDevelopment Frameworks and other localauthority greening initiatives such as green spacestrategies. However actions and principles willalso need to be embedded into the approachesthat are adopted for economic regeneration anddevelopment projects as well as programmesand strategies of key organisations in both thepublic and private sectors.

9.2 The social, economic and sustainable developmentarguments for investing in green infrastructure arestrong. There is a need to develop an innovativeapproach to delivery, investment, promotion andmarketing that matches the scale of the issuesfacing the Tees Valley.

9.3 Partnership working is likely to be the key toimplementation. Delivery partners are likely torange from European and national governmentand their agencies, local authorities, developers,voluntary organisations and community groups.

9.4 The Green Infrastructure Strategy promotes a highquality environment that in turn should promotehigh quality development. High quality environmentscan lead, over a period of time, to higher land

and property values. Some investigation shouldbe undertaken into ways of capturing back someof that rise in value, not only to pay back earlycapital investment but also to ensure adequatefunding for long term management andmaintenance. This should help to encourageinvestor confidence.

9.5 Investment in green infrastructure will require arange of funding mechanisms, including continuingpublic sector investment and public/privatepartnerships. It is unlikely that the capital andrevenue cost of green infrastructure could beachieved entirely through public sector funding.Much of the delivery of green infrastructure will beachieved through the development process.Development control in particular is often seen asproviding opportunities for delivery through directdeveloper contributions, but further investigationwill be needed into the most practical ways ofachieving this.

9.6 It is essential that key organisations co-ordinateefforts to attract funding over the long term toresource green infrastructure that will deliver theenvironmental improvements necessary toachieve the vision for economic growth andregeneration throughout the Tees Valley.Acknowledging the multi-functional nature ofgreen infrastructure may also help to securefunding in the long term.

Moving The Strategy Forward


9.7 An Implementation Plan will be prepared settinga delivery framework for the Green InfrastructureStrategy. The Implementation Plan will show howthe key partners and agencies involved willsupport the delivery of green infrastructure andcontribute to the aims of the Strategy.

9.8 In particular the Implementation Plan will:

Summarise the principal existing and plannedgreen infrastructure projects and initiatives;

Identify gaps and new opportunities;

Provide an indicative timescale forimplementation;

Identify potential funding sources, and

Set out arrangements for monitoring progressand reviewing priorities

9.9 Appendix 3 lists some of the keypartners for green infrastructureimplementation and providesan indication of possiblesources of funding.


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National, Regional and Sub-regional PolicyContext

i) National and Regional Policy

The protection and improvement of the environmentis a keystone of the Government's sustainabledevelopment principles. Planning Policy Statement 1(PPS1) 'Delivering Sustainable Development'recognises that the condition of our surroundings hasa direct impact on the quality of life, and that theimprovement of the natural and built environmentbrings social and economic benefit for localcommunities. PPS1 states that planning should seekto maintain and improve the local environment andhelp to mitigate the effects of declining environmentalquality through positive policies on issues such asdesign, conservation and the provision of publicspace. A Green Infrastructure Strategy wouldcontribute in a positive way to such environmentalimprovement.

Planning Policy Guidance Note 17 (PPG17) 'Planningfor Open Space, Sport and Recreation' sets out theGovernment's guidance on planning open spaces,sports and recreational facilities, and the need toensure they are of a high quality, attractive to users,well managed and maintained.

Planning Policy Statement 9 (PPS9) 'Biodiversity andGeological Conservation' refers to the role ofnetworks of habitats that can link sites of biodiversityimportance and provide routes for migration anddispersal of different species. Such networks shouldbe protected from development, and the PPSsuggests that this could be done as part of a wider

strategy for the protection and extension of openspace. A Green Infrastructure Strategy is anappropriate way of achieving this and contributing tobiodiversity objectives.

English Nature, through its work on Accessible NaturalGreenspace Standards, has produced a modelsetting out its recommended standards for theprovision of greenspace and its accessibility by localresidents and the wider community. While settingand implementing standards is principally a role forthe local authorities in local development frameworksand other strategies, a Green Infrastructure Strategywould complement and help to implement suchstandards.

The Countryside Agency, in its publication 'Thecountryside in and around towns', also supports theconcept of green infrastructure. The documentoutlines a vision of networks of new and improvedparks, woodlands and other green spaces that arelinked to urban centres and the wider countryside byfootpaths, bridleways and cycle ways. Urban parks,country parks and other green spaces would bejoined up to form continuous green corridorsbetween town and country.

Regional Planning Guidance for the North East (RPG1,November 2002 - the current the Regional SpatialStrategy) recognises the need to improve the region'senvironment in both urban and rural areas throughinitiatives such as the Communit Forest, and seeks toimprove the quality and, where necessary, quantityof accessible recreational and amenity open space.Policy ENV10 states that development plans andother strategies should:

Appendix 1


Protect land which serves a strategic functionfrom unnecessary development, even where notformally designated as open space;

Ensure that the strategic role of linked and linearopen spaces is maintained, enhanced and,where possible, extended, and

Identify valuable areas of open land, which arenot formally open space, for more activemanagement through urban fringe initiatives.

RPG1 is currently being reviewed and will bereplaced by a revised Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS)for the North East. The submission draft RSS gives ahigh degree of priority to improving the environment.Policy 2 of the RSS contains a specific environmentalobjective 'to promote the concept of greeninfrastructure - a network of linked, multifunctionalgreen space in and around the region's towns andcities. Policy 10 is even more specific and states that'strategies, plans and programmes should support theestablishment of strategic networks of greeninfrastructure that links existing and proposedwoodland hubs with green corridors running throughurban, suburban, urban fringe, and rural areas.' TheReport of the Examination in Public Panel waspublished in July 2006. The Panel has recommendedfurther strengthening of references to greeninfrastructure in RSS and is proposing that policy 7 onthe Tees Valley City Region include the statement"supporting the establishment of strategic networks ofgreen infrastructure, including green wedges, thatlinks existing and proposed green space with greencorridors running through urban, suburban and urbanfringe areas to the countryside and coast." ThePanel's recommendations on green infrastructure

have been supported and reflected by the Secretaryof State in the Proposed Changes to the RSS issued forconsultation in May 2007. The revised RSS is likely tobe approved by the Secretary of State early in 2008.

'Sustainable Communities: Building for the future'(ODPM) is a national plan marking a step change inbuilding and maintaining sustainable communitiesthroughout the UK. A daughter document'Sustainable communities in the North East' (ODPM2003) builds on the theme of creating a well-designed, accessible and pleasant living andworking environment, and recognises the priority thatneeds to be given to improving the quality of thelocal environment, especially in deprived areas.

Emerging from the publication in February 2004 of theGovernment's Sustainable Communities Plan, theNorthern Way Growth Strategy sets out how the Northcould unlock potential for faster economic growth.The Northern Way's Business Plan (Moving Forward:The Northern Way, Northern Way Steering GroupJune 2005) builds on the theme of creatingsustainable communities, and recognises that a keyactivity in achieving economic success is to raise thequality of our places. Further detail on the role andimportance of green infrastructure in city regions canbe found in the report 'City Region GreenInfrastructure Planning' produced for the NorthernWay by consultants Ecotec. A more recent NorthernWay report - Shaping the North's Cities for Growth:and agenda for the next decade - recognises therole of green infrastructure in determining the qualityof place.


The Regional Economic Strategy (Leading the Way -One NorthEast, July 2006) recognises that priority mustbe given to providing high quality natural, heritageand cultural environments that have the capacity toretain, attract and develop skilled workers,entrepreneurs, graduates and visitors. The Strategystates "The region's green spaces are a vital asset,particularly in the context of increasing developmentpressures. As well as being crucial in maintaining ourbiodiversity and ecosystems, green spaces havebeen termed the 'green lungs' of our towns and cities,contributing to improving people's physical andmental health by providing places for informalrecreation and 'breathing spaces' to take time outfrom the stresses of modern life. Our greeninfrastructure is increasingly recognised as being akey component of sustainable communities. It iscritical that the benefits of these public assets aremaximised through sound planning andmanagement."

ii) Sub-Regional Policy

Until the Regional Spatial Strategy is adopted(probably in 2008), the Tees Valley Structure Plan(Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar &Cleveland, and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Councils,Tees Valley Joint Strategy Unit February 2004)provides a strategic context for development and forthe protection and enhancement of the environment.The Structure Plan acknowledges the image problemsuffered by the Tees Valley over many years andrecognises the importance of securing improvementsto the quality of the environment for the benefit ofpeople who live and work in the area, as well ashelping to attract potential visitors and investors. TheStructure Plan contains several policies aimed at

protecting and improving the environment in bothurban and rural areas. Of particular relevance to theGreen Infrastructure Strategy are those designed to:

tackle the problems of urban decay, redevelopand regenerate rundown areas and improve theenvironment (policy REG1)

encourage and assist measures to improvebiodiversity (ENV3a)

maintain and enhance strategic wildlife corridors(ENV8)

retain a series of green wedges within the built upareas for open land uses (ENV14)

retain strategic gaps between individualsettlements (ENV15)

increase woodland cover (ENV16)

ensure that new development enhances theenvironment and improves quality of life (ENV17)

improve urban fringe areas, including provision ofopen space, landscaping and tree planting(ENV18)

improve the urban environment throughlandscaping, management and tree planting(ENV21)

restoration of derelict and unused land (ENV22)

support measures to conserve, restore andenhance the natural elements of watercoursesand waterside areas (ENV25)


ensure that the environment of housing areas is ofgood quality (H8)

provision of a strategic network of greenways andcycle routes (T4, T7)

improving access to the countryside through anetwork of greenways, footpaths, cycleways andbridleways, providing links between towns,villages, the countryside and open spaces withintowns (L4)

provision of gateway sites to provide linksbetween the urban area and the Tees Forest (L5)

The Green Infrastructure Strategy will provide a wayof taking forward many of the policies and initiativesoutlined in the Structure Plan.

The Stockton Middlesbrough Initiative (SMI) wasestablished to provide a competitive economic corefor the Tees Valley city region. There are four keystages to the SMI's development framework:

1. Expanding the urban centres, with Middlesbroughmoving to the west and north, and Stocktonspreading to the east and south

2. Creation of a green-blue heart - the concept of agreen-blue heart running along the River Teesjoining Stockton and Middlesbrough is central tothe SMI. The area will be transformed to createopportunities for major environmental, leisure andsports assets as well as providing a new andattractive setting for development andencouraging people back into the urban area

3. Connectivity and Infrastructure - improving thelinks between the two towns and the wider Tees

Valley, with emphasis on public transport and amore effective strategic highway network

4. Development, with a focus on key developmentsthat add value to the Tees Valley. Developmentwill initially be concentrated in the urban centres,moving into the inner core of the River Teesfacilitated by the green-blue heart.

Clearly the Green Infrastructure Strategy cansupport the Stockton Middlesbrough Initiative,and indeed the green-blue heart can provide amajor focus of a green network linking into thewider Tees Valley sub-region.

The Coastal Arc Strategy forms an ambitiouseconomic regeneration programme for the TeesValley coast, and is being developed as apartnership between Hartlepool and Redcar &Cleveland Borough Councils.

The Coastal Arc invests in strategic projects thatwill have a significant impact on the economicperformance of the Tees Valley coast, creatingnew jobs and growth opportunities. Theseinclude:

The Hartlepool Quays concept, creating acritical mass of attractions and facilities. Itcomprises the Marina, town centre, historicHeadland, and Victoria Harbour;

Improving and enhancing the Hartlepool'sSouthern Industrial Zone, and enhancing thevisitor offer at Seaton Carew;

Major mixed use development at CoathamEnclosure, Redcar and improvements toRedcar town centre and seafront; and


Enhancements at Saltburn and marketingindustrial heritage and countryside in EastCleveland

The Tees Forest, one of 12 Community Forests inEngland, was established to achieve majorenvironmental improvements around theconurbation and towns of the Tees Valley sub-region. It covers an area of over 350 sq. kilometresand is accessible to almost 1 million potential userswithin and adjacent to the sub-region.

One of the principal objectives of the Tees Forestis to develop, in conjunction with the CountrysideAgency, the concept of 'connected countryside'- securing good inter-connection between builtup areas and the countryside. Gateways, whichprovide access points to the Tees Forest for thelocal community, and Greenways, which are offroad routes radiating from Gateways connectingto open spaces and the countryside around builtup areas, are key elements to the connectedcountryside concept.

The Tees Forest will form a major part of the greeninfrastructure network for the Tees Valley, and theGreen Infrastructure Strategy will complement theaim and objectives of the Tees Forest Strategy.

The Tees Valley Biodiversity Action Plan covers thelocal authorities of Hartlepool, Middlesbrough,Redcar and Cleveland, and Stockton-on-Tees.Darlington is included within the DurhamBiodiversity Action Plan, and there is a draftBiodiversity Action Plan for the North York Moors.These local biodiversity action plans contain aseries of habitat and species action plans

designed to restore, maintain and enhance levelsof biodiversity in the Tees Valley, particularly thosethat are threatened or are in decline.

Local biodiversity can benefit from a GreenInfrastructure Strategy in a number of ways,including:

Through the provision of a more extensivenetwork of green corridors, based on existingwildlife corridors;

Identifying and helping to bridge gaps in thecorridor network;

Helping to address some of the problemscaused by the fragmentation of existinghabitats, and

Providing more opportunities for habitatcreation and enhancement.


Appendix 2


Plan/Strategy Policy/Initiative Link to Green Infrastructure

Regional SpatialStrategy for theNorth East - DraftRevision andSecretary of State'sProposed Changes

Policy 2 - promotes the concept of greeninfrastructure in and around the Region'stowns and cities.

Policy 7 - supports the establishment, in theTees Valley, of strategic networks of greeninfrastructure running through urban,suburban and urban fringe areas to thecountryside and coast

Recognises the importance of greeninfrastructure at a Regional level.

Provides the over-arching support for thedevelopment of a Green InfrastructureStrategy for the Tees Valley, and for greeninfrastructure to be included within localdevelopment frameworks.

Tees Valley StructurePlan

Policy ENV8 - Maintain and enhancestrategic wildlife corridors.

Policies ENV10-12 - Protection ofarchaeological sites, historic landscapes,and the character and settings of listedbuildings and conservation areas.

Policy ENV14 - Retain green wedges withinbuilt up areas for open land uses.

Policy ENV15 - Retain strategic gapsbetween settlements.

Formally brought the strategic wildlife corridornetwork into the development plan system.

The Tees Valley's heritage assets should form anintegral part of the green infrastructurenetwork.

Green wedges of open land extend into theTeesside conurbation and main towns from thesurrounding countryside. They provideconsiderable opportunity for improved accessto open space, leisure activities, and thecountryside from both residential areas andwork places.

Strategic gaps ensure that open countryside ismaintained between individual settlementsand between the conurbation and main townsand surrounding settlements. Their primarypurpose is to prevent urban coalescence andsprawl and to contribute to urbanregeneration, but they also provide goodopportunities for countryside activities close towhere people live.



Policy ENV25 - Conserve, restore andenhance watercourses and waterside areas

Policies T4 & T7 - Strategic network ofgreenways and cycle routes.

Policy L4 - Improving access to thecountryside through a network ofgreenways, cycleways & bridleways.

Policy L5 - Provision of gateway sites.

Restoration and enhancement schemes forwatercourses, often in conjunction with newdevelopment, provide opportunities forimproving access and creating new habitatsand landscape. A good example is the RiverSkerne project in Darlington.

Strategic cycle routes, including parts of theSUSTRANS network, provide a number of directlinks between housing areas, workplaces andopen spaces. The greenway network, which islargely off road, connects facilities and openspaces in and around towns to the countryside.

Existing paths, bridleways and cycle routesprovide the most important means of gettinginto, enjoying and understanding thecountryside and coast

Gateways, developed in conjunction with theTees Forest, provide access points to thecountryside and Tees Forest where facilities,depending on location, can range from builtprovision or parking to basic signs and information.

Cleveland WildlifeStrategy

Policy NC3 - introduced the concept ofwildlife corridors. Three types of corridoridentified:Strategic / Local/ Wildlife links

Wildlife corridors can form the basis of a greeninfrastructure network. They can provide linksbetween isolated wildlife and other sites withthe surrounding countryside.

Local Plans/LocalDevelopmentFrameworks

Local plans, and the emerging localdevelopment frameworks, prepared by theTees Valley local authorities develop thebroad strategic policies and proposals inthe Tees Valley Structure Plan and RegionalSpatial Strategy in more detail.

Specific, detailed proposals on, for example,the amount of open space, protection ofnature conservation sites, boundaries of greenwedges and limits to urban development.



Local/District-wideGreen Space Auditsand Strategies

All Tees Valley local authorities haveprepared or are preparing open spaceaudits and/or Green Space Strategies.Such local audits and strategies provide acontext for improving the management andmaximising the benefits of green spaces;help to co-ordinate action betweenpartners; and help to promote green spaceinvestment as a policy priority.

Open space audits take stock of the existingsituation. Strategies are more aspirational,looking to the future and containrecommendations for the management andimprovement of green space over time.Strategies can be prepared at different levels -regional, sub-regional, district, neighbourhood -but need to link together in a co-ordinatedway. The Tees Valley Green InfrastructureStrategy identifies the priorities at sub-regionallevel, driven by the economic benefits ofimproving the environment and creatingsustainable communities. Local green spacestrategies can develop these priorities at locallevel and show how local communities canbenefit.

North York MoorsNational ParkManagement Plan

The Management Plan shows how the aimsand functions of the National Park can beachieved. These include conservation ofthe natural environment and culturalheritage, and recreation management.

Its proximity means that the National Park is amajor attraction for residents in the Tees Valley.Improving links with the Park, whether this isthrough better footpath and cycle networks orenhanced wildlife corridors will be beneficialand will help to strengthen the greeninfrastructure network.

Tees Valley LocalBiodiversity ActionPlan and DurhamLocal BiodiversityAction Plan

Local Biodiversity Action Plans contain anumber of habitat and species action plansdesigned to restore, maintain and enhancelevels of biodiversity.

Biodiversity can benefit from greeninfrastructure in several ways, including:

More extensive green corridors based onexisting wildlife corridorsBridging gaps in the corridor networkAddress issues caused by fragmentationof habitatsMore habitat creation and enhancementopportunities



Tees Valley ClimateChange Strategy

The Climate Change Strategy identifies anumber of actions and initiatives designedto promote efficient energy use and reduceemissions.

Relevant actions include:

Sustainable construction methodsA safe and convenient walking andcycling networkAn increase in tree and vegetationcover

The Green Infrastructure Strategy has animportant role in supporting andcomplementing the Climate Change Strategy.As well providing more opportunities for treeand other planting, the Green InfrastructureStrategy also refers to opportunities such asnew water bodies to cope with increasedstorm water run-off, and the principles ofsustainable drainage systems.

The Tees Forest Plan The Tees Forest Plan is the largestenvironmental initiative in the sub-regionand will create a well-wooded landscapethat is worked and lived in.

The Forest strategy contains many elementsthat will support, and be supported by, agreen infrastructure network. These include:

Woodland extension and restorationIncrease biodiversity and enhanceenvironmental capitalSecure a hierarchy of primary, secondaryand tertiary gatewaysDevelop a network of greenways topromote access to the countryside andfoster more healthy lifestylesDevelop the concept of 'connectedcountryside', securing good interconnect-ion between the town and the countryside

ShorelineManagement Plan 2:River Tyne toFlamborough Head

The Shoreline Management Plan exists topromote good and prudent coastlinemanagement. It sets out preferred policiesto safeguard the natural and humanenvironments and provide options forconsidering the planning andimplementation of sea defences and othermaritime works.

The coastline is an integral part of the greeninfrastructure network. There are likely to beopportunities from coastal defence and othermaritime works for enhancing and/orincorporating green infrastructure elements



Equestrian LeisureSector Strategy

One of the purposes of the strategy was tohighlight the contribution of the equestrianleisure sector to social cohesion, wellbeing& environmental sustainability.

Elements of the strategy of relevance to agreen infrastructure network include:

Development of a Tees Valley Trail towrap around the conurbation andconnect into Co. Durham and the NorthYork MoorsInvestigate the feasibility of an extensivetolled route system exclusively for horseriders

Tees Valley CyclingStrategy

The Strategy aims to encourage morecycling, and its objectives include improvingthe environment and the health of thecommunity.

The development of a safe and convenientnetwork of strategic cycle routes having dueregard to the natural environment is a keyelement. Such routes can form an integralpart of a green infrastructure network.

StocktonMiddlesbroughInitiative

One of the key elements of the SMI is thecreation of the 'green-blue heart'. This is aradical proposal to exploit the potential ofthe River Tees corridor between Middlesbroughand Stockton, and set the Tees Valley CityRegion apart from its competitors.

The River Tees Corridor will be a focus forregeneration activity in the Tees Valley and assuch should be a focus for the greeninfrastructure network.

River Tees Strategy The Strategy has three aims:To capitalise on the potential of the rivercorridor to act as a focus for regeneration;To redefine the river as a primary resourceand landscape asset at a strategic levelTo develop a development and landscapeframework to allow a coordinatedapproach to managing change.

There are many elements to the strategy thatsupport and are complementary to a greeninfrastructure network, including:

Improving access to the river corridor andadjacent areasProviding environmental improvementsSafeguarding and enhancing landscape,heritage & ecological assetsProviding guidance on design and keyissues for development briefs



Coastal Arc Strategy The Strategy is an ambitious regenerationprogramme for the Tees Valley Coast, and isa partnership between Hartlepool andRedcar & Cleveland Borough Councils. TheCoastal Arc aims to harness the potential ofthe Tees Valley's links with the sea.

The Coastal Arc Strategy will have a significantimpact on green infrastructure along thewhole of the coastline, including schemes suchas Victoria Harbour in Hartlepool, andCoatham Enclosure in Redcar.

Implementing Green Infrastructure

This appendix considers in more detail who the keypartners in the delivery of the Green InfrastructureStrategy are likely to be, and the potential funding anddelivery mechanisms available to them. It is notintended to be a comprehensive review as many of thepotential funding sources in particular will require furtherinvestigation through a more detailed ImplementationPlan.

A partnership of local authorities, statutory and non-statutory agencies and organisations will need to play alead role in taking the Green Infrastructure Strategyforward. This approach will require a clear identificationof roles and responsibilities, along with the setting andmonitoring of actions and targets. The following tableidentifies key statutory and non-statutory organisationsthat are likely to be the principal delivery partnerstogether with an indication of their potential roles.

Appendix 3

72

Key Partners Main Delivery Role

Tees Valley local authorities(Darlington, Hartlepool,Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland,and Stockton-on-Tees BoroughCouncils) and Joint Strategy Unit

Embedding of the Green Infrastructure Strategy into the emerging LocalDevelopment Frameworks will provide the core spatial strategy and policyframework for supporting and co-funding green infrastructure delivery.

Local authorities should also ensure that green infrastructure principles areincorporated in site specific plans such as master plans and developmentbriefs and proactively engage with developers to exploit potential.

Local authorities should provide specific support and guidance for individualprojects within their area.

Local Strategic Partnerships for the local authority areas will also provide animportant delivery vehicle to initiate projects and opportunities, particularlythrough the work of sub-groups focussed on environmental issues.

The Joint Strategy Unit should be a key driver at sub-regional/city regionlevel for the context for delivery of green infrastructure. Also cross-boundaryco-ordinator.

North York Moors National ParkAuthority

Through its Local Development Framework and Management Plan

Tees Valley Regeneration Focus on delivery of green infrastructure through master planning andimplementation of key regeneration projects.


In the Growth Areas of the South East the underlyingpremise of green infrastructure delivery is that theamount of new development will drive both the need forand mechanism of delivering environmental improvementover the next 25-30 years, and will encompassimprovement of both the existing green resource andthe creation of new green infrastructure. However in theTees Valley it is unlikely the development or regenerationprojects will deliver the investment required to implement

the Green Infrastructure Strategy. A range of fundingmechanisms will be needed and it is likely that differentpackages will be required to meet differentcircumstances and particular projects. Some of thepossible sources of funding for green infrastructure areidentified below. However this list is not necessarilyexhaustive and potential options and funding streamswill require further and more detailed investigation.


Key Partners Main Delivery Role

North East Assembly (RegionalPlanning Body)

Regional policy formulator and integration of Green Infrastructure Strategyand principles into the Regional Spatial Strategy

Environment Agency Focus on flood risk management proposals that work with and can delivergreen infrastructure opportunities

Natural England; English Heritage;Forestry Commission

Focus on delivery of green infrastructure aims through regional and sub-regional plans, programmes and strategies. For example integration withCharacter Area and Natural Area approach; historic landscapes, parks andgardens; promotion of projects that deliver regional and sub-regional priorityhabitats; Forestry Strategy; protection and enhancement of existingresource assets.

Tees Valley Biodiversity Partnership Integration and co-ordination with species and habitat action plans.

Tees Forest The Tees Forest is a project delivered through North East Community Forests;the main delivery role is to implement the Tees Forest Plan and focus on sitespecific green infrastructure delivery.

Tees Valley Wildlife Trust; GroundworkTrust

Focus on site specific green infrastructure delivery; protection andenhancement of existing assets

Developers; Landowners Site specific green infrastructure delivery in line with policy framework andguidance.

Planning conditions - for example requiring a developerto provide and manage greenspace for a newcommunity or development. Guidance on approachand levels of provision should be provided in local plansand LDFs.

Section 106 Agreements - used to secure developer-funded initiatives that are closely related to a proposeddevelopment, for example open space requirements orrecreation/sports facilities. Funding of new strategicopen space from 106 monies should be directly relatedto local authority policies and published standards. Inorder to make adequate provision capital costs forimplementation and a commuted sum for maintenanceduring an establishment period need to be agreed.

Planning Gain - the Government is considering theintroduction of a planning gain supplement as analternative to Section 106, for funding strategicdevelopment and community facilities. Greeninfrastructure projects could be eligible.

Local Area Agreements - central government funding tolocal authorities via the Local Area Agreementmechanism. Covers capital and revenue costs. Localauthorities determine their own priorities.

Charitable Trusts - could be established to manageindividual projects or a range of facilities. Trusts may beestablished through a variety of sources, includingSection 106 Agreements.

Big Lottery Fund - could be a major potential source offunding over the next few years through the Access toNatural Environment workstream. An estimated £600 -700 million a year nationally to 2009. Environmentalgrants include green spaces and creating sustainablecommunities.

Heritage Lottery Fund - could be a funding source forsome green infrastructure projects, for examplelandscape heritage.

Landfill Community Fund (formerly the Landfill Tax CreditScheme) - has considerable potential to fund thecreation and management of green spaces for publicamenity or biodiversity.

SITA Trust - through the Enriching Nature programme;large projects are assessed and prioritised by the NERegional Biodiversity Forum although the final decision iswith SITA Trust. Projects must be within 10 miles of a landfillsite and 10% 3rd party funding is required. There are 2funds - a large fund for projects up to £175,000 and asmall fund for projects up to £25,000.

Agri-environment and Woodland grants - administeredby the Rural Development Service of DEFRA (now part ofNatural England), and the Forestry Commission. Potentialto enhance biodiversity, landscape quality and publicaccess on privately owned farmland.

A recent CABE publication - Paying for parks: Eightmodels for funding urban green spaces - examinespossible long term solutions to improving and maintaininggreen spaces. The eight models examined are:

Traditional local authority funding - provides arelatively stable source of funding, but annualfunding arrangements can create uncertaintyand ring-fencing is difficult

Multi-agency public sector funding - from a rangeof government departments and agencies. andencourage partnerships, but there can becompetition for resources from other areas


Taxation incentives - more popular abroad wherelevies on property, or tax credits, can be ring-fenced to fund the management and provision ofgreen space. However English local authoritieshave limited autonomy and freedom to imposeadditional local taxes

Planning and development opportunities - planningagreements can ensure funding for the provisionand management of green space in and aroundnew residential and commercial developments.Can provide steady funding which is secured atthe outset but can only be used for newdevelopment and is susceptible to competitionfrom other types of infrastructure

Bonds and commercial finance - in somecountries local businesses and residents can voteto allow the local authority to receive loanfunding from bonds that can be repaid to fundurban green space. However English localauthorities are currently not permitted to issuevoter-approved bonds

Income-generating opportunities - opportunitiesfor generating revenue income, such as licensingand franchising, sponsorship, entry fees etc. areways in which funding from the private sector andusers of green space can be sourced

Endowments - provide long-term funding forgreen space from the interest gained oninvestments in assets such as property or the stockmarket. However may not be practical tooperate within a local authority context

Voluntary and community sector involvement -not-for-profit organisations and voluntary andcommunity groups can contribute time andlabour, raise funds and encourage communitydevelopment and local ownership of greenspace

The report concludes that a range of very differentapproaches can be used to fund green space, and aone-size-fits-all approach is unlikely to work. Howeverwhichever approach is taken it is important to establishdedicated funding and management arrangements atthe start. Successful urban green space funding is oftenunderpinned by a strategic approach to funding andmanagement that incorporates a portfolio of differentfunding sources, mechanisms and partnerships.


National

Biodiversity by Design: A guide for sustainablecommunities; Town and Country Planning Association,September 2004

By Design - Urban design in the planning system: towardsbetter practice; DETR/CABE, March 2000

Corporate Strategy 2006-2011 - Creating a Better Place;Environment Agency, 2006

Delivering a New Urban Fringe: Bringing life back into thelandscapes around our towns and cities; EnglishNature/Countryside Agency/Rural Development Service,April 2006

Does money grow on Trees? CABE Space

Guidance for Local Authorities on Implementing theBiodiversity Duty; DEFRA, May 2007

Homes for the future; more affordable, more sustainable;DCLG, Cm 7191, July 2007

Paying for Parks - Eight models for funding urban greenspaces; CABE Space, 2006

Planning for a Sustainable Future - White Paper; HMGovernment, Cm 7120, May 2007

Planning Policy Guidance Note 17: Planning for OpenSpace, Sport and Recreation, Office of the Deputy PrimeMinister, July 2002

Planning Policy Statement 1: Delivering SustainableDevelopment, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister,February 2005

Planning Policy Statement 9: Biodiversity and GeologicalConservation, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, August2005

Planning Policy Statement: Planning and ClimateChange - Supplement to PPS1; Consultation, DCLG,December 2006

Start with the park - Creating sustainable urban greenspaces in areas of housing growth and renewal; CABESpace, June 2005

State of the English Cities: A Research Study; Office of theDeputy Prime Minister, March 2006

The countryside in and around towns; CountrysideAgency and Groundwork, 2005

Regional

And the Weather Today Is………Climate Change in theNorth East; North East Assembly on behalf of SustainabilityNorth East

City Region Green Infrastructure Strategic Planning:Raising the quality of the North's City Regions; ECOTECand Northern Way, October 2006

Countryside Character Vol.1: North East, CCP535, NaturalEngland

Creating Sustainable Communities in the North East:Making it happen, ODPM, 2004

Green Infrastructure Planning Guide; NorthumbriaUniversity, North East Community Forests, University ofNewcastle upon Tyne, Countryside Agency, EnglishNature, Forestry Commission, Groundwork, 2005

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The Cleveland WayPhoto by visitTeesvalley

A19 leven viaductPhoto by Stockton-on-Tees Media Store

Preston Park - Stockton-on-TeesPhoto by Stockton-on-Tees Media Store

The Tees Valley Joint Strategy Unit wishes to acknowledge the financial support of Natural England and enabling assistance from CABE Spaceprinted on paper with FSC Certification (FSC: Forest Stewardship Council), Chlorine free fibre and recyclable

Tees Valley Joint Strategy UnitPO Box 199Melrose House1 Melrose StreetMiddlesbroughTS1 2XFPhone: (01642) 264800Fax: (01642) 230870E-mail: [email protected]: www.teesvalley-jsu.gov.uk