All London Green Grid: Policy Framework for Green Infrastructure

The All London Green Grid (ALGG) is a policy framework to promote the design and delivery of multifunctional green infrastructure across London in the United Kingdom. Launched in 2011, the framework combines three main elements: (1) green infrastructure-related planning policy contained in the London Plan (the city's masterplan); (2) the ALGG Supplementary Planning Guidance - which provides a more detailed guidance to implement the policies contained in London Plan and serves as a de-facto green infrastructure strategy for London and (3) eleven ALGG Area Frameworks that provide a more detailed assessment of the opportunities for green infrastructure delivery at the sub-local level, in specific areas of London. The design and implementation of the instrument is led by the Greater London Authority in partnership with governmental, private and third sector partners.

Overview

Type of instrument:

Legislative, regulatory and strategic instruments›Dedicated strategy, plan, or law

Challenges addressed

Ecologic connectivity
Green space management (e.g. accessibility)
Watershed restoration/water quality
Flood risk: pluvial and fluvial / soil permeability
Heat stress and heat island effect
Air quality
Noise
Social equity
Human health, comfort and well-being
Other, please specify

Biodiversity; sustainable food production

Consideration of nature-based solutions:

The goal of the All London Green Grid is to promote the creation of high-quality multifunctional green infrastructure network and maximise the benefits that the green infrastructure can deliver for local communities, that include managing flood risk, adapting to climate change, increasing recreational opportunities, creating green mobility corridors and creating attractive and attractive green spaces that enhance human well-being.

Targeted (peri-)urban areas:

Parks and (semi)natural urban green areas

Allotments, community gardens or agricultural areas

Blue areas

Green areas for water management

Good practice characteristics:

Effective

Support multifunctional NBS

Sustainable in the long-term

Locally appropriate

Inclusivity

Governance

Government body/bodies

Initiating body:

Greater London Authority

Instrument design:

Details about how the instrument was designed:

The development of All London Green Grid (ALGG) was led by the Greater London Authority. In the design process, the authority organised a series of workshops that were attended by representatives from the London boroughs (sub-local government), neighbouring districts and counties, a range of governmental stakeholders at national and city level, and non-governmental stakeholders including private companies and charities. The mayor also convened an ALGG Expert Panel, consisting of architects, landscape architects and environmental planners.

Involvement of non-governmental actors:

Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)

Private sector, corporate, business

Researchers, university

Citizens or community groups / NGOs

Type of actor involvement:

Expert task force consultation

Civil society consultation through e.g. workshops, surveys

Instrument implementation:

Type of involvement:

The All London Green Grid is being delivered via a variety of partnerships formed at the city and borough level, and to a lesser extent across the boroughs, with e.g. local community groups, green space managers; subregional and cross boundary organisations and partnerships; regeneration and environmental organisations; the green space and green infrastructure jobs and skills sector - as well as governmental partners at various levels.

Type of non-governmental actors involved:

Implementation of NBS (e.g. with government funds)

Targeted actors:

Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)

Private: household, real estate developer, business , financial

Citizens or community groups (CBOs), NGOs

Financing

Sources of funding:

Public local authority’s budget

Corporate investment

Private Foundation

Budget:

100 000 € 500 000€

Details about instrument financing:

A sum of ca. €450,000 (375,000 GBP) was approved in 2010 to support the development of both All London Green Grid (ALGG) and the East London Green Grid, a partner policy instrument. In financial year 2010-11, the Greater London Authority committed ca. €85,000 (70,000 GBP) to support the development of the local area frameworks as part of the ALGG. The projects identified in the ALGG Area Framework are delivered by a wide range of partners and through a variety of funding mechanisms, including, for example: Borough parks development programmes; Heritage Lottery Fund programmes (e.g. the Landscape Partnership in the Wandle Valley); Transport for London Local Implementation Plans, and resources from regeneration and development secured through planning obligations, with the total implementation budget likely to amount to several hundred million pounds.

Monitoring, evaluation and impacts

Is a monitoring framework in place?:

Did an evaluation take place?:

Yes

A "Review of implementation", a mid-term evaluation document for the instrument was completed in 2014 by Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE London) and Neighbourhoods Green (non-governmental organisations). The review comprised a desk review of local authority policy commitments, an online survey of All London Green Grid (ALGG) stakeholders, 1-2-1 meetings and site visits with a smaller number of ALGG delivery organisations. The evlaution is available online at : https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjx0_iSwa35AhUT8rsIHYNdDmoQFnoECA4QAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Flondon.cprelocalgroups.org.uk%2Fresources%2Fitem%2Fdownload%2F750&usg=AOvVaw05MWDsYOyOKuY7_iI6PzlB

Achieved outcomes and impacts:

By 2014, the ALGG has been well adopted into over half of London boroughs policies. Those boroughs made a specific policy commitment in relation to the ALGG, and showed a robust understanding of, and commitment to, the ALGG principles, for example by recognising the importance of green connectivity and highlighting the multiple benefits of managing green spaces in a more strategic way in their policy documents. A mid-term evaluation document indicated that the ALGG supported a greater political uptake of the green infrastructure concept and started to promote better planning, coordination and optimisation of green infrastructure functions throughout London. The ALGG promoted cooperation between the London boroughs and local community (resident groups, housing associations, schools). The ALGG also helped to promote the understanding of the concept of green infrastructure - including spaces outside of traditional parks - among a variety of stakeholders.

Success factors and lessons learned:

The All London Green Grid represents a strategic approach to green infrastructure planning, creating an umbrella that connects various policy efforts at the city and sub-local levels. The Grid created a clear requirement for London boroughs to produce open space strategies links to local biodiversity action plans in in order to ensure local uptake. Additionally, the implementation of the Grid is based on creating partnerships with governmental, private and third sector organisations, which allows to gather the required knowledge and financial resources and ensure locally appropriate implementation.

Sources and further information

References

List of references:

Greater London Authority (2022) What is the All London Green Grid?, Available at: https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/environment/parks-green-spaces-and-biodiversity/all-london-green-grid#acc-i-45467

Greater London Authority (2012), Green Infrastructure and open environments: the All London Green Grid Supplementary Planning Guidance. Available at: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/algg_spg_mar2012.pdf

Greater London Authority (2021), The London Plan: the spatial development strategy for Greater London. Available at: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/the_london_plan_2021.pdf

Mayor of London (2011), Questions to the Mayor: Green Grid (2). Available at: https://www.london.gov.uk/questions/2011/0691

Mayor of London (2014), London Plan - All London Green Grid. Available at: https://www.london.gov.uk/questions/2014/1241

CPRE London & Neighbourhoods Green (2014), All London Green Grid: a Review of Implementation. Available at: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjx0_iSwa35AhUT8rsIHYNdDmoQFnoECA4QAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Flondon.cprelocalgroups.org.uk%2Fresources%2Fitem%2Fdownload%2F750&usg=AOvVaw05MWDsYOyOKuY7_iI6PzlB

Further documents

Documents:

algg_spg_mar2012.pdf

Weblinks:

https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/environment/parks-green-spaces-and-biodiver…

Photos

@Greater London Authority