Green Infrastructure: Implications for Spatial, Land Use and Transportation Planning

Green Infrastructure: Implications for Spatial, Land Use and Transportation Planning

C.B. Schoeman I.M. Schoeman

Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management (Potchefstroom Campus) and Unit for Business Mathematics and Informatics, North West University (NWU), South Africa

Page: 
72-84
|
DOI: 
https://doi.org/10.2495/EI-V2-N1-72-84
Received: 
N/A
|
Revised: 
N/A
|
Accepted: 
N/A
|
Available online: 
N/A
| Citation

OPEN ACCESS

Abstract: 

The concept of green infrastructure (Gi) development is promoted worldwide within planning of urban spatial systems. It implies the application of resilience and sustainability considerations in spatial and more specifically transportation planning.

The purpose of this article is to assess the linking of incentives to promote green infrastructure development through transdisciplinary planning processes by integrating and mainstreaming related disciplines and planning in general. Spatial planning traditionally deals with specific instruments and methodologies focussing on developing the natural, socioeconomic and built environment. Transportation planning, due to its integration with land use planning, focuses on movement systems and implies intra and intermovement of people, goods and services supporting development and growth in urban spatial systems.

In decision-making for statutory planning, the impact of development is used to levy service contributions in urban areas. It includes the calculation of financial contributions to access conventional infra-structure services networks in terms of specific development policies and priorities. Limited incentives exist to promote, integrate and mainstream green development practices in land use and transportation planning.

Linking and alignment of GI to brown and grey space planning and development processes is essential to promote inclusivity in ecosystem service (es) attainment. this goal and objective requires development contribution policies inclusive of equitable incentives to promote green planning approaches and principles in planning processes. It implies application of alternative transdisciplinary practices in spatial planning, urban design, transportation and the provision of infrastructure in general.

Development goes beyond the limits of an individual discipline, site, neighbourhood, town, region or any related spatial and/functional entity and should be linked to system-wide approaches to enhance and integrate es development in a transdisciplinary way. In attaining this challenge, spatial and transportation planning processes have an important role to fulfil.

Keywords: 

development contributions, green infrastructure, transdisciplinary mainstreaming, transportation systems, transportation technology

  References

[1] C ampbell, S., Green cities, growing cities, just cities. Urban planning and the contradictions of sustainable development. APA Journal, 62(3), pp. 296–312, 1996. DOI: 10.1177/0739456X8400400103.

[2] U nited Nations Global Report on Human Settlements-Planning Sustainable Cities, United Nations Human Settlements Programme, pp. 1–306, available at https://unhabitat.org/global-report-on-human-settlements-2009-planning-sustainable-cities, 2009 (accessed 8 October 2017).

[3] S choeman, C.B., Theoretical perspectives on resilience and sustainability in transportation and spatial planning. WIT SPD Conference, Bristol, 2017.

[4] C ortinovis, C. & Geneletti, D., Ecosystem services in urban plans: what is there, and what is still needed for better decisions. Land Use Policy, 70, pp. 298–312, 2018. DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2017.10.017.

[5] C illiers, E.J. & Cilliers, S.S., Planning for Green Infrastructure: Options for South Africa, South African Cities Network: Johannesburg, 2016. ISBN: 978-0-620-72315-2.

[6] M ell, I.C., Aligning fragmented planning structures through green infrastructure approach to urban development in the UK and USA. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening, 13(4), pp. 612–620, 2014. DOI: 10.1016/j.ufug.2014.07.007.

[7] R anjha, S., Brief for GSDR – 2016 Update. Green infrastructure: planning for sustainable and resilient urban environment. DLGS-IOER-TU Dresden, Germany, 2016.

[8] S innett, D., Jerome, G., Smith, N., Burgess, S. & Mortlock, R., Raising the standard: developing a benchmark for green infrastructure. International Journal for Sustainable Development Planning, 13(2), pp.226–236, 2018. DOI: 10.2495/SDP-V13-N2-226-236.

[9] U nited States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA ), What is Green Infrastructure? Overcoming Barriers to Green Infrastructure, available at www.epa.gov/green-infrastructure/what, 2017 (accessed 30 August 2017).

[10] C entre for Leadership in Global Sustainability, VirginiaTech and NARC . Greening the Grey: An Institutional Analysis of Green Infrastructure for Sustainable Development in the US, available at http://cligs.vt.edu/greening-the-grey-green-infrastructure-forsustainable-development/, 2013 (accessed 20 October 2017).

[11] E uropean Commission, Green Infrastructure, available at http://eceuropa.eu/environment/nature/ecosystems/index_en.htm, 2016 (accessed 4 October 2017).

[12] A lbert, C. & Von Haaren, C., Implications of applying the green infrastructure concept in landscape planning for the ecosystem services in peri-urban areas: an expert survey and case study. Planning Practice and Research, 32(3), pp. 227–242, 2014. DOI: 10.1080/13549839.2011.631993.

[13] H ansen, R. & Pauleit, S., From multifunctionality to multiple ecosystem services? A conceptual framework for multifunctionality in green infrastructure planning for urban areas. AMBIO, 43(4), pp. 416–529, 2014. DOI: 10.1007/s13280-014-0502-2.

[14] CSIR Building and Construction Technology, Human Settlements Planning and Design, Vol. 1 and 2, available at https://www.csir.co.za/sites/default/files/Documents/Red_book vol1.pdf and https://www.csir.co.za/sites/default/files/Documents/Red_BookVol2.pdf

[15] Nel, V., A better zoning system for South Africa? Land Policy, 55, pp. 257–264, 2016. DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2016.04.007.

[16] Giordano, T., Multilevel integrated planning and greening of public infrastructure in South Africa. Conference Proceedings of ART -Dev. 2013-01, available at www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14649357.2014.963651, 2013 (accessed 10 October 2017).

[17] S choeman, C.B., International perspectives on transportation and urban form integration. International Journal of Transport Development and Integration, 1, pp. 1–15, 2017. DOI: 10.2495/TDI-V1-N1-1-15.

[18] S choeman, C.B. (ed.), Land Use Management and Transportation Planning, WIT Press: Southampton, Boston.

[19] M eerow, S., Newell, J. & Stults, M., Defining urban resilience: a review. Landscape and Urban Planning, 147, p. 38, 2016. DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2015.11.011.

[20] Graham, N. & Berrisford, S. Development charges in South Africa: current thinking and areas of contestation. IMESA Conference, 2015, East London, South Africa.

[21] C ity of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, Spatial Development Framework 2040. Department of Development Planning: City of Johannesburg, pp. 1–171, 2016.

[22] N atural England, Green Infrastructure Guidance. NE176 2009, available at http://naturalengland.org.uk, 2009 (accessed 17 October 2017).

[23] N atural England, Green Infrastructure Valuation Tools Assessment. Natural England Commissioned Report NECR 126, available at www.naturalengland.org.uk, 2013 (accessed 17 October 2017).