24 September 2010

Will the localism agenda help encourage planting?

We polled attendees at the HTA's evenet promoting planting to planners

"I think it will encourage local communities to continue to get involved in developing their parks and green spaces. What we really want is more friends groups. We need to look at raising funding externally for other projects.

"One of the pressures is that the cost of maintaining some increased areas of planting in some cases can be more expensive, and we can look at selections within communities that can improve maintenance standards and perhaps allow community groups to get more involved in that process."

Petula Neilson, sustainability and green space strategy manager, Trafford Council.

"The first question is what is localism and how does it work? Communities tend to want a bit of support and help - they want to be engaged.
"The sorts of things we are talking about are generally what communities want but it does not necessarily work like that. When you are dealing at a community level, that community will work to its own speed.
"You have to owrk with their natural timescale. It's hard work and you don't always get what you want. It's a compromise, but in terms of long-term sustainability, it's essential."

Martin Moss, delivery leader for green infrastructure in the North West, Natural England.

"That's a very good question and I don't know that we really know the answer. In some sense it's removing some of the national direction in this.
"Eco-towns, for example, need 40 per cent planting to be done but without national direction that kind of thing may disappear. But, on the other hand, it gives local communities more of a say in projects that are there. They have more power to influence the decision about the things that are there."

Tim Briercliffe, business development director, HTA

"I'm sceptical of the localism agenda. My issue is how they will get the community to engage with all this.
"Will the money be provided to engage with people's enthusiasm? I hope so, but it remains to be seen. It depends on whether the Government really puts its money where its mouth is.
"I think there's an awful lot of ignorance. People simply don't really engage with politics, especially at that local level, and anything to encourage local awareness is essential."
James Preece, town planning student, University of Sheffield

Horticulture Week, 24th Septembet 2010