How well protected are our green spaces? National Trust and Natural England among those to give evidence to EFRA Committee

25 January 2024

In the second session of its ‘Urban Green Spaces’ inquiry, the EFRA Committee will focus on how successfully the Government and local authorities are protecting and increasing urban green spaces and will consider the long term sustainability of their funding.

Session focus

In the first panel, the cross-party Committee will hear from representatives from local government and are likely to ask witnesses whether there is enough joined-up thinking at a local level to protect and enhance green infrastructure.

They will also seek their views on whether there should be stronger statutory duties for local authorities to maintain a certain provision of green space and on whether there should be a wider ‘right’ to access nature.

In the second panel, Committee members will question representatives from the National Trust and Natural England. MPs will ask these national organisations what protections are available to urban green spaces within the planning system, and whether these are sufficient.

The session will also examine the extent to which Government initiatives such as the Green Infrastructure Framework and Biodiversity Net Gain will address the causes behind the lack of green space in towns and cities.

Witnesses

From 14:30

Mo Baines, Chief Executive, Association for Public Service Excellence
Liz Stuffins, Chair of the Midlands Park Forum and Public Health Development Manager, Walsall Council
Chris Avent, Green Estate Manager, Plymouth Council

From 15:30

Ellie Robinson, Head of Places, National Trust
Alan Law, Deputy Chief Executive, Natural England

Related inquiries

Related to the above, you may be interested in the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee's 'Children, young people and the built environment' current inquiry, which yesterday held their first evidence session on the role of outdoor play and issues around the equality of access to public spaces.
The Health and Social Care Committee last week published its report on 'Prevention in health and social care: healthy places'.

Further information

Image: Unsplash