SNH urges new developments ‘Get green from the ground up’

To inspire developers on the benefits of nature from the outset, SNH is launching its innovative approach - Planning for Great Places. The aim is to help Scotland become the best place to live, work and visit, by directing development to where it is needed, and is the best fit.

Mike Cantlay, Chair of SNH said: “We know that living and working in great places brings huge benefits for physical and mental health.  But in some areas, there is little or no opportunity to access the fundamentals of nature – grass, trees, bees and insects.

“Getting green from the ground up is a crucial way that developments can support communities for generations to come. It can make for beautiful places to live, work and visit, as well as being great for business.

“SNH has a pivotal role here, and key to our fresh approach will be talking to and supporting development interests as early as possible. We want to understand aspirations and challenges at the ideas stage, and before planning applications are in place. Working together, we can build capacity to look after nature, and make the most of the opportunities it offers.”

The Planning for Great Places approach recognises many places in Scotland can accommodate development without significant impact on the nature of the area and the benefits it brings. But some parts of our country are less suited to buildings, roads, wind farms and other types of types of development. SNH wants to help make any developments as good as they possibly can be – to invest in and sustainably use nature.

Key elements of the Planning for Great Places approach include:

• Sharing knowledge about Scotland’s nature: Helping developers, planners and other interests make use of nature-based solutions; making it easy for people to see the benefits nature gives us all.
• Supporting investing in nature Scotland’s nature is a shared resource and we all have a responsibility for it.
• Supporting plan and place making: working with planners, other key agencies, communities, developers and others to support a plan-led approach, also providing guidance and support for communities to help local place plans make best use of nature. 
• Providing advice that helps achieve the right development in the right place by talking to major development interests as early as possible – before they have prepared planning applications.

ENDS

Media queries: contact SNH publicity manager, Cat Synnot, on 0131 316 2606 or cat.synnot@snh.gov.uk or the main SNH press office on 0131 316 2655.

Pictures: Please credit SNH. Both pictures are from the Claypits path improvements project in Glasgow.

Case study: Dangle cards for the environment

SNH and the Civil Engineering Contractors Association worked together, sharing ideas on construction good techniques that benefit the environment.  SNH illustrated what this could mean in practice by putting some of these good ideas onto ‘dangle cards’ that a digger operator can use in his cab - quickly seeing what to do in any given situation. Tips include, ‘When cutting turf lay with grass upwards, not downwards’; ‘If you cut a scar, re-seal it’; ‘Use big stones for cross drainage, so you don’t have to replace in the future’. As a result, The Association has have set up an environmental forum to continue sharing and learning from each other's good experiences. This is one way to help ensure SNH can intervene less as civil engineering work progresses, and instead give positive feedback.