A Greening the UK report shows that only half of the green planting outlined in planning documents is ever delivered
The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) warns that a significant number of councils are allowing developers to scale down or completely remove the planting outlined in approved planning agreements. In its report, Greening the UK: Local Authorities’ Commitment to Urban Planting, results from a survey conducted across 121 local authorities, showed that there were 71% of occasions where developers had failed to deliver on their planting obligations.
The Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP, who launched the Greening the UK campaign last year, states on the report's foreward: “To me, urban planting and green space are essential to the sustainable development of our towns and cities as we move into a period of increasing environmental uncertainty. I know from my own City of Salford how urban planting can transform a neighbourhood, bring people together, and help to brighten up the environment.”
The Greening the UK campaign has been highlighting the 50% reduction in soft landscaped areas on new developments over the past decade. It has also demonstrated that only 50% of the green planting outlined in approved planning documents is ever delivered. Despite this known decline, a surprising finding from the survey was that 53% of councillors believed green spaces and urban planting had increased over recent years.
