Chapter 3: Masterplanning for blue-green infrastructure

This chapter describes the role of masterplanning in blue-green infrastructure (BGI). It explains what a masterplan is and why it is required and sets it within the UK land-use planning framework. Within a planning context, BGI can work at national, regional and local levels. An appreciation of the value and role of integrating and expanding blue-green assets when masterplanning is vital for local and national governments in meeting their short- and longer-term policy objectives, visions and targets. High-quality BGI can help to address the global climate and biodiversity emergencies, assist in meeting net zero carbon goals, improve water management in our cities and towns, and support more equitable and inclusive places. Following on is a description of the process to be undertaken by both the design team and the planner in developing a successful masterplan. There is a section that considers retrofit and how BGI-focused masterplans can enhance an existing site and deliver solutions to climate change, biodiversity loss and water management. The concluding section describes how a BGI-focused approach to masterplanning differs from a traditional masterplan and establishes some key principles. For example, BGI masterplanning recognises the importance of identifying, recording, protecting and enhancing existing natural assets, as a starting point for the design. Although reflecting good practice in general when developing masterplans, for BGI there is a strong emphasis on the value of natural capital. This involves creating a place that acknowledges, and proactively develops, its interactions within the wider landscape and ecological context and should optimise multifunctionality. It can often turn constraints into opportunities, for example, restrictions on the location of built development can offer scope for expansion of the BGI network; in more general terms, it recognises the importance of creating human-scale spaces that can be comfortably occupied.