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Green Infrastructure in Essex

Green Infrastructure (GI) is the network of green and blue spaces that make our towns, villages and countryside healthier, more attractive and more resilient. It includes parks, gardens, woodlands, wetlands, rivers, lakes, sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), green corridors and other natural spaces.

High-quality green infrastructure provides many benefits for communities across Essex. It can help reduce flood risk, improve water quality, support wildlife and biodiversity, capture carbon, encourage walking and cycling, create welcoming places for people to enjoy, and help keep urban areas cooler during hot weather.

How Essex County Council Supports Green Infrastructure

Essex County Council works with local planning authorities, developers and partners to help ensure that high-quality green infrastructure is planned, delivered and managed across Essex.

We provide specialist advice on planning applications and local planning policies, and produce guidance and resources to support the creation of greener, more sustainable places.

Key Resources

Essex Green Infrastructure Standards (2022)

The Essex Green Infrastructure Standards set out nine key principles for protecting, enhancing, creating and managing green infrastructure. They help ensure that new development delivers accessible, well-connected and multifunctional green spaces that benefit both people and nature.

Essex Green Infrastructure Strategy (2020)

The strategy sets out a long-term vision for an inclusive and connected green infrastructure network across Essex. It aims to support sustainable growth while improving environmental quality, climate resilience, health and wellbeing.

Essex Green Infrastructure Comment Compendium

Developed to support planning authorities across Essex, the Comment Compendium provides guidance and example responses for considering green infrastructure in planning applications and planning policy documents.

Published through the Essex Design Guide, the Green Infrastructure Planning Guidance provides practical advice on planning, designing and delivering high-quality green and blue infrastructure.

Building on national planning policy and the Essex Green Infrastructure Standards, the guidance explains what good green and blue infrastructure looks like, why it matters, and how it can contribute to:

  • Climate resilience
  • Biodiversity recovery
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Sustainable water management
  • High-quality placemaking

Produced in collaboration with Northumbria University, Essex County Council and planning authorities across Essex, the guidance promotes a consistent county-wide approach to creating greener, healthier and more sustainable places.

Explore Green Infrastructure in Essex

Discover green infrastructure projects, mapping and additional resources across Essex by visiting:
🔗 https://www.placeservices.co.uk/green-essex/