This research project is one of the first outputs from the CABE Space research programme. Using 11 case study towns and cities from countries across the world, including Japan, Australia, USA and Europe, the research has produced a comparative study examining urban green space practice overseas, focusing in particular on aspects of management and maintenance practice. It assesses the transferability of the lessons learnt to current English practice, providing a series of solutions to common issues.

The work of the Urban Green Spaces Taskforce highlighted the issue that public parks and urban green spaces in England’s towns and cities have suffered widespread decline and neglect in recent years. The result has been a poor public perception of urban parks and green spaces, and a gradual loss of civic pride.

Recognising these concerns, the Government announced at the Urban Summit in 2002 a range of initiatives to address this decline, including a programme of research led by CABE Space to establish how urban green space can be given a higher priority, both now and in the future.

The research involved three linear stages. The first involved a review of the relevant research literature to develop an analytical framework for the study and support the identification of good practice in parks and urban green space management overseas in a way which can be compared with English experiences.

Next the research identified the transferable elements from the international good practice. The final stage involved the formulation of recommendations about how to incorporate international good practice in the management of green spaces in England.

A number of common experiences characterised the international practices, and can be boiled down to key lessons including:

Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE)
enquiries@cabe.org.uk

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Bartlett School of Planning, University College London.

research

Urban Policy > Urban environment > Environmental sustainability

Green public procurement