Urban Greening Factor for England – Summary Report (NERR131)

Natural England has developed an Urban Greening Factor for England, as one of a suite of five Headline Green Infrastructure Standards within the Green Infrastructure Framework – Principles and Standards for England. The Urban Greening Factor (UGF) is a planning tool to improve the provision of Green Infrastructure (GI) particularly in urban areas. It is voluntary and can be used to increase urban greening and contribute to Biodiversity Net Gain. This report summarises the research commissioned by Natural England and Defra to inform the development of the Urban Greening Factor for England between 2019 and 2022. It provides an overview of its early development in Europe and how it is now applied through planning policy and practice in major cities across the world. The process of application in the UK is illustrated through a set of five current case studies: Southampton City Council, London Borough of Sutton, City of London, Greater London Authority, and Swansea Council. The Report introduces the structure and content of a Model Urban Greening factor for England and its role within the Green Infrastructure Framework.