Published in 2020, The Essex Green Infrastructure (GI) Strategy provides a vision and objectives for the future of GI delivery in Essex; to ensure a positive approach is taken in enhancing, protecting, and creating an inclusive and integrated high-quality GI network.

Essex GI Vision: “We will protect, develop and enhance a high quality connected green infrastructure network that extends from our city and town centres, and urban areas to the countryside and coast and which is self-sustaining and is designed for people and wildlife”.

Essex GI Objectives:

• Protect: protect existing GI, especially designated sites
• Improve: improve existing GI to ensure better functionality for people & wildlife
• Create: create more high-quality multifunctional GI
• Connectivity: improve the connectivity of GI for people and wildlife
• Inclusivity: increase the inclusivity of GI for all user groups
• Health: provide GI facilities to promote health and wellbeing
• Sustainability: work with partners to secure funding, effective governance, and stewardship.

In addition, this strategy outlines a GI evidence-basis, a summary of the green assets in Greater Essex and, the delivery mechanisms needed to implement, action, and monitor the strategies and objectives.

Green Essex Story Map

The Green Essex Story Map provides a visual and interactive tool, and it is evidence of the Essex Green Infrastructure Strategy Green Essex | Place Services

• For further details, please visit Essex Green Infrastructure Strategy (2020)

This strategy was awarded a Building with Nature Accreditation of ‘Excellent’. This was one of only eight local authorities to gain this authentication.

One of the high-level strategic actions from the Essex GI Strategy was the formulation of the Essex GI standards to help reinforce planning policies and developments to protect multi-functional green space inside and beyond development limits.