Implementing green infrastructure through residential development in the UK

In contrast to initiatives elsewhere, the emergence of the green infrastructure agenda within the UK has been firmly aligned with mainstream economic development goals, driven to a large extent by the combined concerns of increasing urban development/compaction and climate change impacts. Whilst embedding green infrastructure provision within spatial planning and housing policy remains largely limited in UK planning practice, there are a few notable exceptions, signalling the potential for a market-based delivery model of green infrastructure implementation, particularly through new residential development. In this chapter, we examine the potential role of market delivery in green infrastructure implementation by exploring the attitudes and behaviours of speculative housebuilders towards integrating green infrastructure within mainstream residential development. In doing so, we reflect on the alignment of green infrastructure with mainstream economic development goals in the UK and consider whether there is market capacity to deliver state-led policy initiatives seeking to enhance green infrastructure provision.