"The green infrastructure standards are an effective response to national government's 25-year environment plan and will support delivery of our progress towards 30 per cent natural green infrastructure in our response to the Essex climate action commission recommendations. These standards provide a proper vehicle for delivering better planning proposals and development outcomes for people and for wildlife."  - Councillor Lesley Wagland, Cabinet Member for Economic Renewal, Infrastructure and Planning.

Essex County Council took part in Natural England’s trials of the draft ‘Green Infrastructure Framework – Principles and Standards for England’, alongside working with a wide range of stakeholders and partners, to develop a set of local standards tailored to the Essex context. The Essex GI Standards have been developed by planners, policy, decision makers and other practitioners (from both public and third sectors) across Essex and academic experts from University of Northumbria and University of East Anglia.

Published in 2022, the Essex GI Standards outlines nine principles and standards for the protection, enhancement, creation, and management of GI in Essex. The application of these principles and standards through development management and planning policy will ensure the delivery of multifunctional, accessible high-quality GI. The Essex GI Standards are based on several key policy documents including HM Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan, the Environment Act (2021) and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

The supporting guidance contents focuses on the technical application of the principles and standards and includes material regarding for policy and for development management, why the principles and standards matter, how to achieve the principles and standards and, guidance to deliver these principles and standards (including indicators and measures of success). In addition, best practice case-studies and illustrative examples are also outlined.

A non-technical summary of the Essex GI Standards has also been produced for those without specialist knowledge of the subject area.

• For more information, please visit Essex Green Infrastructure Standards Technical Guidance and Essex Green Infrastructure Standards Non-Technical Guidance

You can watch the video The Essex Green Infrastructure Standards and Principles on the following link https://youtu.be/NKfTH8IPpFk