MKSM Green Infrastructure Design Guide

CBA was appointed to develop a design guide to illustrate how embedding GI into urban design can deliver benefits for new communities. The guide is intended to bridge the gap between strategic GI plans and site masterplanning of urban extensions. It sets out design principles for green spaces to transform urban life by cooling cities, filtering out pollutants, improving people’s health, supporting wildlife and creating attractive places to live and work in. The design principles are intended to help raise the quality of design and development across MKSM by providing a valuable checklist for developers.

CBA landscape architects researched, drafted and designed the guide. The Steering Group prepared the brief. A wide range of stakeholders from the private and public sectors also contributed to the brief and the guide.

Overview

  • Project Name

    MKSM Green Infrastructure Design Guide

  • Location

    Milton Keynes

  • Category

    Brownfield, commercial and industrial

  • Landscape Architect

    CBA

  • Brief

    The principal objective of the brief was to develop and test Green Infrastructure (GI) guidance on how embedding high quality, multifunctional GI into the design process from the outset canadd value to development, and help create sustainable places. Delivering the proposed scale of growth in Milton Keynes, South Midlands (MKSM) presents particular challenges. A significant number of new homes and employment areas will be delivered as urban extensions, and getting the design and quality of these urban extensions right is critical. In this context, the brief required the guide to be targeted at developers and their consultants, local authority development managers and local delivery vehicles involved in delivery of sustainable communities across MKSM.

  • Awards

    Winner: Neighbourhood Planning, 2010

Details

  • Year Completed

    0001

  • Additional Information

    The guide has been distributed to all Natural England regions and national teams, and by the Homes and Communities Agency to all their regional teams. In addition it is on the Natural England website, as well as the MKSM website. Natural England is promoting the benefits of the guidance to planners and greenspace managersat a regional GI conference in the East of England on 13th July, where a workshop will be held to explain in detail how planners can use the design considerations in both pre-application discussionsand in assessing planning applications. Natural England and the Environment Agency is advocating the use of the generic content of the guidance in other growth areas and growth points, and theguidance therefore has much broader applicability than just to the MKSM area.

  • CBA

    Registered Practice - (3 - 5 Employees)
    Profile

  • Approximate Map Location

    Location

    Milton Keynes

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