Neighbourhoods Green is an English partnership initiative which works withsocial landlords andhousing associations to highlight the importance of open andgreen space for residents and raise the overall quality of design and management with these groups.
The partnership was established in 2003 whenPeabody Trust and Notting Hill Housing Group held a conference which identified the need to raise the profile of the green and open spaces owned and managed by social landlords.[1] The scheme attracted praise from the thenMinister for parks and green spacesYvette Cooper.[2]
Since 2003 the partnership has expanded to includeNational Housing Federation,Groundwork,The Wildlife Trusts,Landscape Institute,Green Flag Award,Royal Horticultural Society,Natural England andCABE.[3] It is overseen by a steering group which includes representatives fromCircle Housing Group, Great Places Housing Group, Helena Homes,London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, Medina Housing, New Charter Housing Trust, Notting Hill Housing, Peabody Trust,Places for People, Regenda Group and Wakefield & District Housing.[4]
Neighbourhoods Green has three main areas of emphasis. It producesbest practice guidance, highlighting the contribution parks, gardens and play areas make to the quality of life for residents – including themitigation of climate change, promotion ofbiodiversity and aesthetic qualities.[5] It also generates a number of case studies from housing associations and community groups and offers training for landlords, residents and partners on areas such as playspace, green infrastructure and growing food.[6]
In 2011, working in conjunction withUniversity of Sheffield and the National Housing Federation, Neighbourhoods Green producedGreener Neighbourhoods a best practice guide to managing green space for social housing. Its ten principles[7] for housing green space were:
During 2013/14 Neighbourhoods Green will be working withKeep Britain Tidy to support the expansion of the Green Flag Award into the social housing sector.[8]