Green Space Audits
Photo Credits: Paul Harris/2020VISION
Green Space Audits
A Green Space Audit is a detailed assessment of land assets, which can be conducted on local authority-owned land, privately owned land, or areas with multiple ownerships, such as large projects that span different administrative boundaries.
Green Space Audits are flexible and can be tailored to specific needs. They may evaluate ecological value, recreational use, and potential for enhancing the space for both wildlife and people. Audits often include reviewing:
- Ownership and size of sites
- Ecological and planning designations
- Current management and maintenance arrangements
- Past site works and major infrastructure needs
- Habitat surveys and ecological highlights
- Heritage significance
- Existing recreational facilities and levels of community use
- Involvement of community groups and prior consultation
Additionally, audits can assess ecosystem services provided by green spaces, such as air quality improvement, noise reduction, flood management, support for pollinators, biodiversity importance, and accessibility to nature, including factors like deprivation priority and wildlife corridors.
When are Green Space Audits used ?
Local authorities and large landowners or managers use Green Space Audits to:
- Map and evaluate the quantity, quality, and accessibility of existing green spaces
- Inform Local Plans, Green Infrastructure (GI) Strategies, and Open Space Standards
- Identify gaps and inequalities in green space provision
- Support planning decisions and justify contributions for site improvements
- Prioritise investment and enhancement projects within an area
- Provide evidence and baseline data for funding applications
- Facilitate community engagement and co-design processes