Nature

“Nature contributes to the quality of a place, and to people’s quality of life, and it is a critical component of well-designed places.”
– The National Design Guide

VISION

Nature is at the heart of design in Kent. As a county, we strive to be positive about natural capital. Initiatives such as Kent County Council’s Plan Bee Action Plan and Commitment to Tree Planting testify to this.

We want design to enhance and safeguard Kent’s landscape and natural environment, and support our unique ecosystems and biodiversity.

Design will complement Kent’s Biodiversity Strategy, as well as the forthcoming Natural Capital Strategy, to deliver environmental benefits for all. These include carbon sequestration, heat, shade, air quality, water management (see Sustainable Drainage Systems) and biodiversity, as well as encouraging active travel and aiding climate resilience.

FIT NATURALLY INTO THE SURROUNDINGS

We want to see that you understand the natural environment and landscape in which your development is situated. Working with nature will help reflect the context, and we expect you to protect existing nature before you consider replacement or offset. Whether it’s the chalk grasslands of the Kent Downs or the wetlands of Romney Marsh, your design should be led by the location’s unique characteristics, natural capital and biodiversity improvement areas.

BRING NATURE INTO THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Integrating nature and green spaces into the built environment encourages residents to enjoy nature as part of everyday life. We want to see multifunctional areas that work both for people and the environment, providing health and wellbeing benefits, maximising social value and supporting habitats and biodiversity.

By combining tree planting, nature corridors, areas of water and high-quality amenity areas, you can add value to your development and use land more efficiently. We’re keen to see parks (including pocket parks), gardens, allotments, street trees, greens, amenity spaces, areas of water and green walkways, cycle ways and public rights of way in your design. We’re looking for optimal social benefits for all residents, so your design should include renovations of existing areas, not just new development.

SUPPORT BIODIVERSITY

Your design should support biodiversity net gain and contribute to improvements in biodiversity networks wherever possible. Connected landscapes and waterways achieve this better than fragments of greenery. In lowland areas such as Thames and Medway estuaries, and along the North Kent coast, you could include grasslands and space for ground-nesting birds and consider restricting access to sensitive areas. In the wooded hills inland, you can use the pattern of fields and woods to link areas of natural habitat beyond the site edges together.

You can also create new habitat where these provide identifiable benefits and fit with the local context. These could include new forests, woodlands, grasslands or wetlands to support carbon sequestration, or new glades, water areas or forest boundaries to encourage biodiversity. You should draw up long-term management plans to ensure these new habitats flourish and deliver the anticipated benefits.

HELP BOOST KENT’S CLIMATE RESILIENCE

As a coastal county, Kent is on the frontline of climate change, exemplified through its operation of the Low Carbon Kent initiative. As a major point of passage to and from Europe, Kent also carries large volumes of traffic on its road network. We need to see natural solutions for mitigation and adaptation in your design, including shade, floodwater storage and ways to improve air quality. Your designs should also strive to be low–carbon and help us on our path to becoming Net Zero achieving Net Zero Carbon targets.

REDUCE YOUR OWN IMPACT

You should use resources efficiently and minimise the impact of your designs, construction methods and working practices on surrounding nature. We want to see details of how you will reduce or offset the leaching of nitrates and other pollutants in protected areas, prevent soil erosion during works and avoid damaging established ancient woodland.

Please avoid:
Placing spaces for nature at the edge of your site. This creates fragmented habitats that reduce potential biodiversity, and can act as a barrier to people. Consider a more connected approach.
Landscape strategy that focuses purely on visual amenity; make sure it includes other wider ecosystem benefits
Standardised drainage systems that provide no habitat or amenity for people
Schemes that don’t integrate and protect existing nature before thinking of ways to enhance or create.

Sustainability Checklist:

This characteristic is particularly important for Natural Capital, Climate Resilience, and Biodiversity.

Nature

VISION

FIT NATURALLY INTO THE SURROUNDINGS

BRING NATURE INTO THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

SUPPORT BIODIVERSITY

HELP BOOST KENT’S CLIMATE RESILIENCE

REDUCE YOUR OWN IMPACT

Sustainability Checklist:

Characteristic Links:

Context

Public Spaces

Identity

Community Uses

Built Form

Homes & Buildings

Movement & Connectivity

Resources

Nature

Lifespan