Draft Black Country Plan

Comment

Representation ID: 19212

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country

Transport and Access to Residential Services
4.11
Comment: Public open space is not necessarily the same as high-quality natural greenspace and therefore the latter should be added to the list of infrastructure investment that will be required to support development. The value of accessible, high-quality natural greenspace to local communities is increasingly understood. For example, the Dasgupta Review 2021 states that access to green spaces can reduce socio-economic inequalities in health, and cites a longitudinal study covering over 10,000 UK residents that found that living in greener urban space was associated with greater life satisfaction (White et al. 2013).

Comment

Representation ID: 19214

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country

Justification
4.24
Comment: Public open space is not necessarily the same as high-quality natural greenspace and therefore the latter should be added to the list of infrastructure provision to ensure future development is sustainable. The value of accessible, high-quality natural greenspace to local communities is increasingly understood. For example, the Dasgupta Review 2021 states that access to green spaces can reduce socio-economic inequalities in health, and cites a longitudinal study covering over 10,000 UK residents that found that living in greener urban space was associated with greater life satisfaction (White et al. 2013).

Comment

Representation ID: 19215

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country

4.30
Comment: WTBBC request that Policy ENV1 – Nature Conservation is added to the list of policies that such development proposals will also need to consider. Reinforcing the requirement for windfall development to consider the Environmental Transformation policies will add further to their significance and ensure developers are considering the purpose of these polices at the earliest stage.

Support

Representation ID: 19216

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country

Support: WTBBC support the inclusion of Health and Wellbeing policies in the BCP and the recognition of the importance that strategic planning has in delivering quality of life for those who live, work in or visit the area.

Support

Representation ID: 19217

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country

5.1
Support: WTBBC welcome the recognition that the built and natural environments are key determinants of health and wellbeing.

Comment

Representation ID: 19284

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country

Linkages between health and the built and natural environment
Comment: It is WTBBC’s view that a paragraph should be added that further describes the importance of the natural environment in determining health and wellbeing. The value of accessible, high-quality natural greenspace to local communities is increasingly understood. For example, the Dasgupta Review 2021 states that access to green spaces can reduce socio-economic inequalities in health, and cites a longitudinal study covering over 10,000 UK residents that found that living in greener urban space was associated with greater life satisfaction (White et al. 2013).
Figure 3 - Determinants of health and wellbeing (Barton and Grant, 2010)
Support: WTBBC support the inclusion of the determinants of health and wellbeing map and the recognition in the BCP of the importance of the natural environment in determining health and wellbeing outcomes.

Comment

Representation ID: 19285

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country

1h
Comment: WTBBC welcome the recognition in the policy of the importance of protecting, enhancing, and providing new green and blue infrastructure in creating an environment that protects and improves the physical, social and mental health and wellbeing of its residents, employees and visitors. It is WTBBC’s view, however, that this is of such significance that a standalone point be added that expands upon this, rather than green and blue infrastructure being combined with sports facilities, play and recreation opportunities.



Justification
5.16
Comment: WTBBC welcome the inclusion of green spaces as an important determiner of health, however, it is WTBBC’ view that this should instead read high quality natural greenspace. The value of accessible, high-quality natural greenspace to local communities is increasingly understood. For example, the Dasgupta Review 2021 states that access to green spaces can reduce socio-economic inequalities in health, and cites a longitudinal study covering over 10,000 UK residents that found that living in greener urban space was associated with greater life satisfaction (White et al. 2013).

Comment

Representation ID: 19288

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country

Evidence
Comment: The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review 2021, HM Treasury, should be added to the documents referenced as evidence.

Comment

Representation ID: 19290

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country

Introduction
Comment: The implicit acknowledgment given in the Black Country Centres introduction and policies regarding changes to retail and the significance this has for the future of these centres should be made explicit. Ongoing reductions in the number of occupied retail and office spaces provides the opportunity - as implied in the BCP - to strategically plan vibrant and desirable leisure and residential centres which support the growth of the Black Country economy. This section of the BCP should more strongly set the scene for the review of the four Strategic Centres Area Action Plans with an ambitious vision for this future.

Comment: The reimagining of Strategic Centres as desirable leisure and residential centres will reduce pressure for these land uses elsewhere. To fully realise this ambitious vision, however, significant planning and investment must be given to green and blue infrastructure. The value of well-planned green and blue infrastructure with regards the services it provides in mitigating the impacts of climate change (e.g. urban heating, pollution and flooding) and the substantial increases in desirability this provides should be made clear. Furthermore, it should be set out in the BCP that this will be a requirement of the review of relevant Area Action Plans.

Support

Representation ID: 19293

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country

Introduction
9.2
Support: WTBBC support the recognition in the BCP that a modernised and sustainable transport network is important in helping to address the climate crisis, and the specific objectives of reducing pollution and road congestion through improvements to public transport, promoting walking and cycling networks and reducing the need to travel.



9.3
Support: WTBBC support the recognition in the BCP that transport strategy in the Black Country has a key role to play in reducing carbon emissions and the impact on the natural environment, and the need to focus on promoting the appropriate design, location and layout of development, increasing investment in infrastructure, improving the quality, equality and accessibility of public transport, supporting walking and cycling, enhancing road safety and reducing the amount of emissions produced by transportation.