Policy information sourced from The Waltham Forest Local Plan Core Strategy

CS5 - Enhancing Green Infrastructure and Biodiversity

The Council will endeavour to protect and enhance green infrastructure and biodiversity and to maximise access to open spaces across the Borough by:

A) protecting Green Belt and Metropolitan Open Land (MOL) and improving access where appropriate. Development and regeneration activity should be delivered principally through the use of brownfield land and buildings;

B) enhancing the green infrastructure network through better connectivity and the creation of new open spaces whilst also conserving their historic value;

C) establishing and extending the Borough’s Greenways, Green Corridors; and, providing landscaping along transport routes where possible;

D) improving the quality of, and access to, open spaces especially in areas of deficiency;

E) ensuring the adequate provision and efficient use of allotments and other spaces on which to grow food and plants;

F) improving and increasing the provision of burial space;

G) protecting, promoting and enhancing the Lee Valley Regional Park and Epping Forest;

H) safeguarding and improving the quality, character, access and ecology of waterways in the Borough, and supporting the aims of the London Rivers Action Plan (LRAP);

Protecting and Improving Biodiversity and Nature Conservation

I) seeking to protect and enhance biodiversity, especially where habitats, species and sites are recognised at the international, national, regional and local levels and as outlined in the Waltham Forest, London and UK Biodiversity Action Plans (BAPs);

J) creating and capturing opportunities for increasing the area and number of priority and locally important habitats;

K) promoting public access and improved contact with nature;

L) Local Nature Reserves should be maintained; and further reserves should be designated as documented in the Waltham Forest Biodiversity Action Plan;

M) protecting existing healthy trees and encouraging the planting of new trees as informed by the Waltham Forest Tree Strategy;

Encouraging Active Lifestyles and Providing Recreational Facilities:

N) ensuring the adequate provision and quality of play and recreational spaces, outdoor sports facilities and parks, for all sections and age groups of the community. Where new open spaces are provided they will be designated as appropriate; and

O) protecting and enhancing the existing level of provision of playing pitches with any future review undertaken in accordance with the Playing Pitch Strategy (2011).

For more information please see the Local Plan Core Strategy