Growing Together - how community-led green infrastructure delivers health and climate benefits.

In Britain's increasingly urban landscape, where 85% of the population lives in towns and cities, green infrastructure has become essential for collective well-being. Yet one-third of people cannot access quality natural spaces within 15 minutes of home - a deficit disproportionately affecting our most deprived communities.

Natural England's Green Infrastructure Framework tackles this challenge by enabling communities to co-design nature-based solutions where they're most needed. Our mapping tools identify areas where green infrastructure can have maximum impact - simultaneously addressing health inequalities, building climate resilience, and strengthening community bonds.

Research confirms the impact: regular access to greenspace reduces GP visits by 28% and could save the NHS £2.1 billion annually. As healthcare shifts toward prevention, these natural spaces provide a powerful complement to clinical interventions.

Nature and Communities: Partnering for Change

Our approach begins with the principle that "people need nature, and nature needs people." Natural England's advisers collaborate with a range of partners from across the conservation, volunteer, local authority and public health sectors to co-create spaces that reflect local aspirations. By placing community voices at the core, we develop solutions that people genuinely value.

The GI Framework provides the strategic foundation - directing resources where they deliver greatest benefit while helping local authorities meet requirements like Biodiversity Net Gain through multi-functional spaces.

Community-Led Solutions in Action: Urban Transformation

In Bradford, community leadership is transforming neglected spaces into vibrant green assets. "Making a small difference now in many places will lead to a massive difference for cities across England," says Zulfiqar Ahmed from The Leap.

The once-abandoned roadside plot, now housing the Eco-sculpture Park exemplifies this transformation - simultaneously creating wildlife habitat, reducing flooding, and providing community gathering space.

This catalyst has sparked connected initiatives throughout Bradford:

• A Living Wall of Peace brings nature into the Laisterdyke Library.

• The NHS Trust's Green Therapy Programme enhances mental health treatment.

• Libraries transform into green hubs through the Culture Nature project.

• In 2024, the Nature and HOPE Conference united 50 leaders from Bradford's conservation and health sectors, strengthening collaborative approaches to community-led green spaces that boost both environmental and social well-being.

Through its integrated approach to health, environment and community needs, Bradford showcases how green infrastructure can solve multiple challenges simultaneously maximizing public investment while creating spaces people truly value.

Birmingham: Nature at Your Doorstep

Birmingham's Doorstep to Landscape initiative takes a similar approach in inner-city areas. Rather than imposing solutions, the project empowers communities to reimagine their environments, making nature an integral part of everyday urban life.

By targeting areas identified through the GI Mapping tool, initiatives simultaneously reduce flood risk, improve air quality, create pollinator habitat, and provide accessible spaces for physical activity and social connection.

Supporting Health Across Generations

Green infrastructure delivers particular benefits for children's development. Studies show children with ADHD experience milder symptoms when playing in green settings, while young children in greener neighbourhoods display fewer anxiety and depression symptoms.

These benefits extend across all ages. In Manchester, hospital grounds now serve as therapeutic spaces supporting recovery. They acknowledge this potential, emphasising prevention over treatment. Green infrastructure supports this approach by providing spaces for physical activity, social connection and stress reduction - addressing health determinants before clinical intervention becomes necessary.

Building a Greener Future Together

Natural England's Strategic Direction 2025-2030, "Recovering Nature for Growth, Health and Security," builds on lessons from these pioneering initiatives. When communities lead green infrastructure design, benefits extend far beyond environmental improvements.

By 2030, our ambition is to create a network of accessible, high-quality green spaces where they're needed most - delivering measurable benefits for health, biodiversity, and climate resilience.

Together, we're creating a greener, healthier England where accessible nature-rich spaces improve the quality of life for all communities, drive sustainable economic growth, and build resilient places that will thrive for generations to come.