The social impact of urban nature in regeneration indicators & guidance 2020-2021

The connection between nature and wellbeing is well evidenced in science and in practice, and has been amplified by the Covid-19 pandemic and the huge pressure that the lockdowns placed on people’s mental health and subsequent demand for green open spaces in cities. But it is also well known that urban greenspace does not always function as intended for everyone’s benefit. This guidance aims to unpack the key barriers and risks that underpin the realisation of positive social impact from urban blue and greenspace with a specific focus on neighbourhood undergoing regeneration – a process creating both tensions and opportunity for the integration of urban nature into the built environment. This guidance is based on a review of international literature and empirical research in two estates undergoing regeneration in North East and West London.