ERDF style Green Infrastructure. Martin Moss. Senior Advisor, Green - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

ERDF style Green Infrastructure.

Martin Moss. Senior Advisor, Green Infrastructure Operations England.

What is ERDF looking for?

• Specific Objective 6.1 sets the

scene.

• “Investments in Green and

Blue Infrastructure and actions to support the provision of ecosystem services on which businesses and communities depend to increase local natural capital and support economic growth”.

• But there is a context;
• “Outside of the farmed

landscape”;

• “Targeted improvements in the

urban environment through an increase in the area of Green Infrastructure”.

• ERDF intended to compliment

EAFRD (Countryside Stewardship) but spatially to be mutually exclusive – The Demarcation Issue..

So ERDF is looking for;

• Green AND Blue infrastructure

(Land and water) in the “non- farmed landscape”.

• That delivers Ecosystem

Services.

• That benefit Businesses and

communities

• Builds Natural Capital.
• And Supports economic
• bjectives.

So what are Green Infrastructure, Ecosystem Services and Natural Capital?

• Need to understand;
• What GI is about.
• What Ecosystem Services are

about.

• What Natural Capital is about.
• A complex cloud of competing

conceptuality?

• How do these things relate to

each other?

• ERDF uses the GI definition

from the National Planning Policy Framework.

• “A network of multi-functional

green space, urban and rural, which is capable of delivering a wide range of environmental and quality of life benefits for local communities”.

• But is that very helpful?

Green Infrastructure is about working with nature to provide services and benefits for people and the economy. GI is a critical infrastructure just like

• transport. It consists of series of individual

components that together deliver multiple services and benefits for humans, and homes for wildlife.

Need people to see GI as an infrastructure in its own right.

Key elements of GI – Nature doing a job.

• Green = something to do with

nature - GI is about working with nature.

• Infrastructure – provides a

service - There to do a job.

• Therefore need to know;
• What GI is needed.
• What job it is needed for.
• Where it needs to be to deliver

the benefits.

Not The National Grid …………The Natural Grid This is not Grey …………… It’s Green (and blue!).

Relating GI, Ecosystem Services and Natural Capital Type.

EVAPO- TRANSPIRATION CARBON SEQUESTRATION PARTICULATE FILTERING

GI TYPE / Feature GI FUNCTION GI BENEFIT GI VALUE (£)

CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION - URBAN COOLING CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION IMPROVED AIR QUALITY £ REDUCED AIRCONDITIONING COSTS/HEALTH £ MARKET VALUE OF CO2 STORED £ REDUCED HEALTH COSTS

From biodiversity to value. Biodiversity The thing Ecosystem Services The “So what factor”. Natural Capital The bottom line.

Focus of investment for PA6d.

• All PA6 GI projects need to

contribute towards biodiversity priorities with a particular focus

• n water, grassland and

woodland habitats.

• In addition projects need to

deliver at least one socio- economic benefit from a list.

• This list is effectively a high

level options list for required GI Ecosystem Services / Benefits.

• Flood and water management.
• Water and air pollution

management.

• Economic growth and

investment.

• Health and well-being

(Recreation if linked to growth benefit).

• Provision of products from the

land.

• Climate Change adaptation

and mitigation.

• In other words – Biodiversity

doing a job.

GI contribution to economic objectives - The evidence base – Micro Economic Benefits of Investing in the Environment.

• Extensive, increasing, multi-

disciplinary – but still early days.

• Many research questions are

being identified as gaps in understanding become apparent.

• BUT …
• Natural England have

compiled a broad literature review.

• First published in 2012 –

MEBIE 2 published 2014.

• Thorough review of literature
• n the benefits of investment in

the natural environment.

• http://publications.naturalengland.org.u

k/publication/32031

• PA6 does not oblige you to prove the

economic outputs of a project.

• Output indicator relates to Ha of land

brought into “higher conservation status”.

• However, PA6 calls may ask for

projects to demonstrate their relationship with local growth

• bjectives.

GI supporting Growth.

• Defra / Natural England report

by Eftec – 2013

• Green Infrastructure’s

contribution to economic growth – a review.

• Found that GI can support

economic growth in range of ways, including;

• http://sciencesearch.defra.gov.uk/Defa

ult.aspx?Menu=Menu&Module=More& Location=None&Completed=0&Project ID=19056

• Attracting inward investment.
• Increasing visitor spending

(increased footfall).

• Providing environmental cost

savings (pollution filtration, flood risk management etc).

• Health improvements leading

to increased productivity.

• Market sales (products from

the land).

• Employment generation

(Green Space sector accounts for 5% of jobs in England).

GI as an employment sector - A recent study in Greater Manchester.

• A study in Greater Manchester

is 2013 estimated that the GI sector involved;

• 15,000 jobs linked to, or

dependant upon Green Infrastructure.

• A sector generating £470

million GVA for the local economy.

• Averaging £31,000 GVA/Full

time equivalent jobs.

• The new EU Green Growth

Opportunity.

• Greater Manchester Briefing.
• Natural Economy Northwest

Investment Forum.

• August 2013.
• http://www.greeninfrastructurenw.co.uk/reso

urces/The_new_EU_green_growth_opportu nity_Greater_Manchester.pdf

Challenges with accessing PA6d.

• Minimum grant threshold of

£500 K.

• ERDF is new to many
• rganisations and PA6 is new

to ERDF / DCLG.

• Demarcation with EAFRD –

you need to be looking at the right sort of land.

• Short 6 week call durations.
• Probable need for partnership

“warm up period” – being ready for the call before its issued.

• “Oven ready” projects – no

project development grant.

So what might be involved in an ERDF GI Proposal? Experience so far …

• Partnership – probably need

to work as a consortium.

• Supporting evidence to

provide clarity on outcomes sought – What GI and where – but also WHY.

• A spatial proposition – how

will the proposed investment relate to local strategic

• bjectives (planning and

economic).

• A programme of strategic

interventions – a collection of interventions linked to the spatial proposition.

Don’t forget to use your local GI strategy ! It’s there to help you.

• GI Strategy can;
• Provide evidence.
• Show strategic fit – policy and

spatial plans.

• Enable partner support – GI

strategies have wide stakeholder buy in.

• Strategic bids can be

developed on the basis of local GI Strategy – set out what the investment would do to contribute toward its delivery.

• Help to put your case.

Some other examples of strategic approaches being taken elsewhere:

Example project 1 – PA6 within Sustainable Urban Development Strategies.

• Liverpool City Region.
• The Liverpool City Region GI

Framework (Nature at Work) was used to provide the backing evidence for developing ERDF related GI proposals (Prospectus of investable projects) in the context of priorities set out in the Strategic Economic Plan (SEP).

• SEP + GI Framework =

Strategic projects programme.

Defined the key benefits sought from ERDF GI investment in Liverpool City Region. Core ecosystem services / GI Benefits sought. Nature + job

Reviewed the spatial strategic economic investment interests in the SEP.

Developed a GI projects Prospectus for ESIF delivery – assessment process.

• A long list of 90 sites and their issues – investment risk such as

poor image, flood risk, contamination and climate change impacts.

• Can GI help? What GI interventions could help address the issues?
• What GI benefits might be delivered (economic growth, health and

climate change adaptation and mitigation).

• Criteria used to create a ‘short list’ of Strategic Investment Areas

(SIA) where GI projects might help secure investment.

• The delivery costs identified.
• Estimated economic value of GI interventions in terms of new jobs

and Gross Value Added (GVA) was then calculated.

Developed the short list – most promising places.

• Criteria based assessment –
• There are issues in the SIA that green infrastructure

can help resolve.

• Partners are willing to engage in a Strategic Alliance to

implement GI.

• Partners are willing to use their investment as match

funding.

• The sites are ready to progress and they can deliver

significant outputs for ESIF.

Proposed outputs.

• Total number of jobs attributable to GI – 227.
• Total investment made by investors in buildings and infrastructures -

£163 million.

• Total cost of GI interventions - £10.8 million.
• Area of GI created – 91 Ha.
• GVA from GI interventions - £17.9 million.
• Impact of local property value - £207.7 million uplift.
• Wider economic (non-GVA) benefits £176 million.
• Cost per job - £47,651
• Cost per Ha - £118,894

Example project 2 – Strategic programme proposal in current programme.

• Black Country Blue Network.
• Seeking to;
• “Improve habitat quality and

ecological networks by investment in GI along the area’s waterways and linked green space”.

• Partnership proposition

involving.

• Black Country Local

Authorities.

• Environment Agency.
• Canal and Rivers Trust.
• Birmingham and Black Country

Wildlife Trust.

• Source of match funding.

Strategic context leading to strategic programme

• f delivery.
• Based on previous strategic

initiatives including;

• Black Country Urban Park.
• Black Country Nature

Improvement Area.

• These provided the strategic

context.

• Partnership developed a

programme of specific proposals within the strategic context.

• 13 specific projects.
• Total programme value - £3.88

million.

• Total ERDF requested - £1.73

million.

Key outcomes – A multi-functional product – nature doing a job.

• Nature - Improved habitats

and connectivity.

• Doing a job – broad benefits;
• Encouraging healthy

lifestyles.

• Access to nature.
• Attracting investment

improved quality of urban landscape and area image.

• Improved quality of life.
• Climate change – flood and

water management, urban heat island.

• Outputs –
• 11 Ha rehabilitated land.
• 191 Ha of land in “better

conservation status”.

• Due to deliver by 31st Dec

2018

GI as Natural Capital – Beam Parklands example

Here’s one we made earlier – GI as Natural Capital.

• Beam Parklands.
• Owned by The Land Trust.
• Located in East London.
• A previous ERDF investment.
• A 53 Ha site.
• Previous flood protection asset

protecting local businesses, homes and power station.

• But a problem site.

Something had to be done … Investment mix.

• Inputs –
• ERDF - £1.5 million.
• Environment Agency - £1

million

• DCLG funds (Parklands) - £1.9

million.

• Landfill tax credits - £0.25

million

• Barking and Dagenham

Council £50,000

• Outputs –
• A brownfield site transformed

by taking a Green Infrastructure approach.

• 12 Ha of Priority Habitat

created.

• 2 km River Beam restoration.
• 30,000 cubic metres of

additional flood storage capacity.

Key Functions delivered by the site.

• Nature - Connecting and

enhancing biodiversity habitats.

• Doing a job;
• Creating opportunity for access

to nature.

• Promoting opportunity for

recreation and play.

• Remediating previous land fill

sites.

• Improved flood water

management.

• Adaptation to climate change.

The balance Sheet – Beam Parklands Natural Capital Account (Eftec for GLA Nov 2015)

• Net Present Values over 99

years.

• Flood damage costs avoided -

£19 million.

• Local community benefits - £26

million.

• Total £42 million (adjusted for

costs) and lots of biodiversity too.

• Change due to investment –
• Net Natural Capital Asset

value 2009 - £21 m

• Gain due to investment =

£10 m

• Gain due to local population

growth - £12 m

• Gross NCAV - £43 m
• Liabilities - £1 m
• Net NCAV - £42 m

ERDF investment can;

• Increase and improve local Green Infrastructure.
• Boost its ability to deliver local ecosystem services.
• Help build local Natural Capital.
• Benefit local communities and businesses.
• Improve the local Natural Capital Balance sheet – its worth it !
• Its also worth working together to make it happen - good luck !

Where to start? We don’t have to start from scratch – D2N2 previous work.

Strategy Coverage in D2N2 Area:

6Cs strategic network and funded schemes:

Erewash Valley:

A 30 mile circular walking and cycling route that is: Helping promote regeneration of former industrial landscapes Creating a brand identity which local communities and businesses recognise and value Working with NHS partners to engage local communities and deliver health and wellbeing benefits Delivering on Lawton Principles of bigger, better and more joined up

Thank you and questions.