The Land Trust Gives Evidence at Westminster Select Committee

Today, national land management charity, the Land Trust was invited to the House of Lords to give evidence in person to the Select Committee on the Built Environment, following its request for information on the National Policy on the Built Environment.

Iain Taylor, Director of Business Development at the Land Trust, along with the Landscape Institute’s President, Noel Farrer, provided evidence on the role of green infrastructure within the planning process and sustainable development of the built environment.

The key messages from the Land Trust included:

• Green infrastructure is a critical element of sustainable development and must not be overlooked within the planning system
• Long term management of green infrastructure should be accepted as an integral part of the design process
• There needs to be stronger and clearer support from Government on the value of green infrastructure within the built environment
• It is important to consider the long term investment mechanisms for maintaining green infrastructure

Iain Taylor said: “Well maintained green infrastructure is essential for good development and it needs to be considered on the same level as grey infrastructure (transport, highways). We already know there are significant health, social and economic benefits from green spaces, reducing costs to the public purse, so it is vital that Government policy recognises this and provides a mechanism for coordinating development.”

To see the full oral evidence session in full, visit the Parliament website here.