SLP KDBH Extracts - Flipbook - Page 90
refers to dealing with the impacts of climate change that are occurring now and will continue
to affect our people and places. Tackling both the causes and impacts of climate change are
cross-cutting themes addressed in the strategy, site allocations and policies throughout this
Plan.
298.
Planning can help to support the transition to a low carbon economy and to provide
resilience to impacts from a changing climate. The location and design of new development
in the Borough will help to minimise greenhouse gas emissions, the risk of flooding, and
other impacts from a changing climate, whilst policies will encourage the use of renewable
and low carbon energy. The WMCA recognises the value of supporting the demand and
supply chain of the environmental technologies sector for the regional economy.
299.
The Borough’s high quality green and blue infrastructure (GI) is one of its greatest assets.
Our longest river, the River Blythe, is a designated SSSI, 14 of our parks have Green Flag
awards and our suburbs are characterised by tree-lined streets. High quality, well-connected
GI is our Natural Capital and has multiple benefits, which include:
Attracting Investment
Creating Sense of Place
Providing opportunities for recreation and play
Improving health and wellbeing
Habitat for wildlife
Flood prevention and alleviation
Addressing Climate Change
Urban cooling
Filtering air and soil pollution
Reducing noise impacts
300.
GI is not just our parks and countryside, but is a network of green and blue spaces made up
of street trees, gardens, ponds, rivers, canals, hedgerows, woodlands, playing pitches,
public rights of way and more.
301.
The Government recognises the need for “more, bigger, better and joined” habitats to
address fragmentation, degradation and the consequent decline in biodiversity. The
ecosystem services provided by a healthy well-functioning natural environment are essential
for sustainable economic growth and tackling the causes and effects of climate change. The
economic and social benefits of protecting our Natural Capital far outweigh the cost of their
protection, and there are significant economic opportunities available for greener goods and
services.
302.
The natural environment is fundamental to Solihull’s attractive urban and rural environment,
which helps to attract and retain investment and people. The need to address the decline in
biodiversity and fragmentation of habitats locally and to enhance and restore the Borough’s
green infrastructure network to maximise the benefits for people and nature are recognised
in the challenges and objectives, and the policies of this plan.
303.
The Council values its existing GI assets and is preparing a Natural Capital Investment
Strategy, which will capture the opportunities to address this challenge based on the GI
Infrastructure Study (2012) and Sub-regional GI Study (2013).
304.
Using natural resources more sustainably will help to protect resources for the future and
contribute towards economic efficiency. This is reflected in a number of the challenges and
objectives in this plan, notably those relating to water resources, waste management and
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