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Green and Resilient Spaces Fund Round Two grants guidance

December 2022

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Publication type: General

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1. Foreword

The extreme temperatures and devastating fires that raged across our city in summer 2022 laid bare just how vulnerable London is to the consequences of climate change. The shocking flash floods that London experienced in 2021 caused huge damage and disruption to homes, schools, and our transport network, starkly illustrating that no city can escape the effects of man-made global warming. We should be under no illusion that we are facing a climate emergency. This means that Londoners can expect to face more extreme heat and weather events more often.

Our trees, green spaces and natural environment have a vital role to play in tackling the climate and ecological emergencies we face. They help keep London cool, provide shade, reduce overheating and flooding risk and provide precious habitats for wildlife. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw just how essential our city’s amazing parks and green spaces are to Londoners’ quality of life. But we know not all Londoners are able to easily access green spaces and the benefits they bring. Parts of London still lack green space within walking distance. This is a matter of fairness and social justice and we must do more to address this inequality. I have committed to bringing nature closer to Londoners so that they live no more than a 10-minute walk from green space.  

During my second term as Mayor, I am proud to continue advocating for ambitious environmental action. I have laid out a pathway for London to be zero carbon by 2030 and want to double the size of London’s green economy and develop the green jobs and skills our city needs. A record 430,000 trees have been planted so far. My new Rewild London Fund and the London Rewilding Taskforce of experts will further help improve biodiversity and restore the capital’s precious wildlife sites. 

My £4m Green and Resilient Spaces Fund is already supporting six large-scale, innovative green space projects that will strengthen London's climate resilience, increase biodiversity, improve access to green space, build green skills and promote health and wellbeing. It is also funding the development of a further 13 projects co-created with their local communities, so they are ready to access funding in the future.

I am now delighted to invite applications to a second £3m round of the Fund. This will be targeted where it is most needed, using cutting-edge data, including our updated climate risk mapping, that highlights where Londoners are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and areas with the least access to green space using our new 10-minute walk mapping.

In response to the extreme heat experienced this summer, I am making an additional £800,000 available for exemplar, iconic street tree planting projects at a transformational scale to help cool our streets and large-scale public woodland-creation projects as part of my Trees for London programme.

I look forward to receiving your proposals. 

Sadiq Khan

Mayor of London

2. Overview of the Fund

The Mayor has committed to make London a world leader in improving the environment locally and globally, taking the lead in tackling climate change, reducing pollution, developing a low carbon economy, consuming fewer resources and using them more effectively and ensuring all Londoners have access to a high-quality biodiverse environment.

The Green and Resilient Spaces Fund aims to address these challenges and is part of the Green New Deal Mission, one of nine missions jointly developed by the Mayor and London Councils to guide the capital’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Green New Deal Mission aims to tackle the climate and ecological emergencies and improve air quality by doubling the size of London's green economy by 2030 to accelerate job creation for all. The Green and Resilient Spaces Fund projects should help deliver the Mission’s four overarching objectives:

  • improve London’s natural environment, improve air quality and tackle the climate and ecological emergency
  • promote and incentivise activities that sustain and grow London’s green economy
  • prioritise interventions reducing health inequalities and social injustices
  • engage Londoners and businesses in the journey to become a zero pollution and greener city.

Greening London’s public realm, improving access to and enhancing green spaces, and increasing the capital’s resilience to the impacts of a changing climate are critical to achieving the aims of the Green New Deal Mission. In his manifesto, the Mayor also committed to bringing nature close to Londoners, to protect, restore and improve green spaces in the city, and set a goal for all Londoners to live within a ten-minute walk from green space.

The first round of the Green and Resilient Spaces Fund supported six projects which will be completed by March 2024. An additional 13 projects were awarded development funding of £40k each, for work to be completed by March 2023.

See a list of grant funded projects.

This second round of the Green and Resilient Spaces Fund is a further invitation to London boroughs and other organisations with responsibility for public spaces to contribute to a green recovery by delivering exemplar Green and Resilient Spaces projects at scale, (see Box 1).

A total of £3.8 million is available. We will offer both Project Grants of between £250,000 and £750,000 for projects that can be completed by March 2025 and Development Grants of up to £40,000 for work to be completed by March 2024 in order to create a pipeline of exemplar projects ready to deliver when additional funding becomes available.

As part of the Mayor’s Trees for London programme, we are also offering Tree Planting Grants of between £75,000 and £500,000 for large scale tree planting and woodland creation sites over two planting seasons, by March 2025. This will be focused on two priorities:

  • Woodland creation: creation of new, publicly accessible, species-rich woodland, ideally over 10ha offering multiple environmental benefits.
  • Exemplar tree lined streets and spaces: transformational planting of large trees for shade in public realm, helping cool our streets, combat heatwaves and tackle flooding by integrating sustainable drainage.

All projects must demonstrate how they will benefit their local community. Projects located in London’s most disadvantaged and climate vulnerable areas based on the GLA Climate Risk mapping will be prioritised. These risks disproportionately affect those on low incomes and Black, Asian and minority ethnic Londoners. This has been highlighted by the COVID-19 crisis, where existing inequalities have further exacerbated impacts of the pandemic, particularly for those in deprived neighbourhoods.

GLA research has also found that women, adults under-25, lower-income Londoners and social renters visit parks less often than other Londoners. The recent Parks for London research study on young Londoners’ green space use and mental wellbeing, ‘Young, Green and Well’Reference:1 shows that young people (16-25 year olds) were particularly impacted by the pandemic and continue to experience poor mental health.

We are particularly keen to support projects that will provide opportunities and positive outcomes for these groups and for Black, Asian and minority ethnic Londoners who are more likely to live in areas of deficiency in access to green space or in areas where green space quality is poor. We expect proposals to show how local stakeholders, including community groups will be actively involved in project development, design and implementation.

Other funding available

The Green and Resilient Spaces Fund is one of three Mayoral funds to enhance green and blue spaces and climate resilience. Smaller scale projects may be more suited to apply for our Grow Back Greener Fund which will fund community-led projects up to a value of £75,000. Projects primarily aimed at improving habitats for wildlife may be more suited to apply for our Rewild London Fund that supports owners and managers of Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs) to improve these key sites and ensure that the network is resilient in the face of the climate and ecological emergencies.

Find out more about all our green space funds.

For borough applicants, funding for public spaces is available from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund ‘Communities and Place’ funding from government. You can find out more about the allocation for London at UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Box 1: What are Green and Resilient Spaces?

Green and Resilient Spaces are parks, green spaces and the wider public realm which is designed and managed to provide accessible and welcoming space for people and wildlife. They will be planned as part of a wider network of green infrastructure to encourage sustainable, active travel and support biodiversity. They will use nature-based interventions to reduce the impact of climate change such as green sustainable drainage to reduce flood risk, tree planting for shade and to reduce over-heating and wildlife-friendly planting to enhance biodiversity.

Green and Resilient Spaces projects will support a green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and aim to tackle the climate and ecological emergencies, whilst addressing London’s health and social inequalities. They should create opportunities for all Londoners, especially those from under-represented communities to access training to develop green skills, and to access green spaces, including by volunteering.

We will fund Green and Resilient Space projects which are innovative and develop approaches that are can be shared and replicated in other areas.

3. Funding available

This second round of the Green and Resilient Spaces Fund is a £3.8 million multi-year programme. There are three types of grants as follows:

Project grants

Grants of between £250,000 and £750,000 to cover 70 per cent of the cost of delivery of exemplar Green and Resilient Spaces projects. The projects will be expected to start in April 2023 and deliver tangible outputs and impact in the first 12 months, with the majority of the grant being spent by March 2024. Projects should be completed and all grant monies spent by March 2025.

Development grants

Grants of up to £40,000 to cover 70 per cent of the cost of developing exemplar Green and Resilient Spaces projects, (e.g. for feasibility and technical studies, design work, community co-design and public engagement). It is expected that development work will progress projects to delivery stage, (equivalent to completion of RIBA Stage 3 Spatial Coordination or Landscape Institute Stage 3 Developed Design). Development work will be expected to be complete by March 2024. Development grant funding should enable readiness for, but does not guarantee, project grant funding in future grant rounds.

Tree Planting grants

Grants of between £75,000 and £500,000 to cover 70 per cent of the cost of delivery of exemplar tree planting and woodland creation projects for climate resilience. The projects will be expected to deliver tree planting in autumn/winter 2023-24 and should be complete by March 2025.  

Match funding

For all types of grant, applicants must provide a minimum of 30 per cent of project costs as match funding. This may include:

  • other local and national government funding streams
  • private sector investment or grants
  • private sector activity through partnerships 
  • other grants
  • in-kind support (up to 10 per cent of project costs).

Applicants should note that grant funding from other GLA funds cannot be used as match for the Green and Resilient Spaces Fund. Funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund can be used as match funding.

For woodland creation projects, applicants would be expected to secure relevant Forestry Commission grant funding for the trees and use the Green and Resilient Spaces Fund Tree Planting grant to add value to the project. This could be for example, improvements to public access and recreation, wayfinding, project development and management, community involvement and leasing sites for long term use.

Project support

Grant funded projects will be offered additional in-kind support from members of a Green and Resilient Spaces Expert Panel, including Mayors Design Advocates both for projects in development and in delivery.

This support is funded as part of the programme and will be allocated to projects based on need and availability of relevant experts. It is expected that selected projects may be allocated between one and three days of one-to-one support from a Panel member over the first year of the project.

They may also be offered a ‘Design Review’ session to provide more formal feedback on the design of the project. Expert Panel involvement will help ensure the projects are exemplary by providing a ‘critical friend’ role, offering advice and sharing knowledge. Expertise on offer will include community engagement and co-design, inclusive landscape and public realm design, ecology, biodiversity, and climate resilience measures, such as natural flood management, the design of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) and design for cooling. 

4. Who can apply?

The Green and Resilient Spaces Fund is open to public and civil society organisations.

This includes:

  • local authorities
  • other relevant public bodies (such as NHS Estates)
  • housing associations
  • registered charities including Charitable Incorporated Organisations
  • formally constituted community groups
  • social and not-for-profit businesses including Community Interest Companies and social enterprises
  • Community Benefit Societies
  • tenants and residents’ associations, or Tenant Management Organisations (TMO).

We welcome proposals from partnerships which build on the strengths of different organisations, including collaboration with private sector partners but a clear public or civil society sector lead organisation must be identified that is able to take overall responsibility for the delivery and management of the project.

Individuals cannot apply as a lead applicant. The lead organisation for your project must be legally constituted and able to enter into a contract.

Applicants must have landowner permission to carry out the project on the site.

If you are not sure whether your organisation or partnership is eligible to apply, please contact us on: [email protected]

5. What will we support?

5.1 Overall objectives

Green and Resilient Spaces projects will help create neighbourhoods with good access to high quality green spaces and a green and climate resilient public realm which supports the mental and physical health and wellbeing of local people. We are looking to support exemplar, large-scale projects that provide high quality green spaces and large-scale tree planting close to where people live and work. These should be planned as part of a network of green spaces and green routes to encourage walking and cycling and to connect wildlife habitats, in turn linked to a wider network of green infrastructure and the urban forest.

Existing green spaces and the wider public realm should be enhanced to ensure they are welcoming, climate resilient and meet the needs of local people. Tree planting projects should be designed to significantly enhance climate resilience including to reduce flood and heat risk.

The Fund’s objectives are to:

  • enhance London’s green and blue spaces and make the built environment greener to help the capital adapt and respond to the climate and ecological emergency
  • support innovative public space projects that primarily deliver climate resilience and greening outcomes but also contribute to air quality and active travel objectives
  • address the environmental and health inequalities highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic by prioritising interventions that target the areas of highest need due to climate vulnerability and multiple deprivation
  • build capacity and green skills as part of the Mayor’s Green New Deal ambition to double the green economy in London.  

The Green and Resilient Spaces Fund will prioritise projects that deliver multiple outcomes in line with the Green New Deal and programme objectives including:

  • improved access to green space to support physical and mental health and reduce health and social inequalities, especially amongst Londoners currently lacking good access to open space 
  • increased resilience to the impacts of climate change, including through providing shade, cooling, reducing the risk of overheating, reducing surface water and fluvial flood risk and conserving water resources
  • improved air and water quality, and reduced exposure to air pollution
  • enhanced biodiversity and ecological resilience, creation of wildlife habitat and increased tree canopy cover
  • increased green skills and local economic opportunities
  • enhanced connectivity between green spaces, and spaces that encourage walking and cycling.
  • improved local social cohesion, community involvement in decision making, capacity building and inclusion.

5.2 Equality

As a public-sector organisation, the GLA must have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty and the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct which is unlawful under the Equality Act 2010. It must advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and people who don’t have that characteristic. As recipients of public funding, successful applicants will also need to meet this Duty.

As part of the London Recovery programme, the London Recovery Board gave the missions a strong mandate to address inequalities, and in particular the racial inequalities that have had such a devastating effect on Black, Asian and minority ethnic people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Appendix B includes a checklist for addressing inequalities.

We encourage you to develop the rationale for your proposal using current and robust socio-economic data as well as qualitative analysis. Projects will be required to evidence the environmental, social and economic impact of their intervention and to evaluate the performance of their project once delivery is complete.

Monitoring the impact of projects using qualitative and equalities data (gender, age, disability, ethnic background, religious background, sexual orientation) is an integral part of this, and successful projects will report to us regularly so that we can track their progress.

5.3 What we won't fund

The Fund cannot be used towards the following costs:

  • land purchase
  • capital items that are not primarily about improving green space for example improving a building or structure (however, match funding can be used for this type of element where this is part of a project)
  • green walls on buildings of any heightReference:2
  • 'business as usual’ activities for example routine maintenance
  • projects that have already started, or are a continuation of existing work, (unless it is clearly a distinct new phase of a former project with separate outcomes)
  • core staff costs or other core costs that are not project specific.
  • green infrastructure or other strategies
  • tree planting or tree maintenance eligible for other grants such as from the Forestry Commission (although this can be used as match funding).

5.4 Communications and sharing best practice

We will expect all grant recipients to share their knowledge and best practice to help accelerate the changes required across London to create healthy, sustainable places and to tackle the climate and ecological emergencies. Applicants should identify how they will share best practice with other organisations across London, (see Box 2 for examples).

We will also expect grant recipients to publicise and communicate the benefits of their projects. They must acknowledge the Mayor’s grant funding in line with the GLA design guidelines. Project and Tree Planting grant recipients will also be expected to install appropriate interpretation board(s) or signage to explain the project, its benefits and acknowledge the Mayor’s funding.

Box 2: Sharing best practice                                           
Green and Resilient Spaces grant recipients will be expected to share knowledge and best practice from their experience of developing and implementing the projects. Successful applicants may wish to: Create a project webpage or portal Publish case studies; Form a Best Practice Sharing Group with other successful applicants, interested local authorities, community groups or organisations; Host site visits and tours and workshops.

5.5 Project grants: what we will support

The types of green and resilient spaces projects that we might support are demonstrated in the case studies in this guide, and include:

  • creation of new high-quality public green spaces, especially in locations where current access is poor and where this would help reduce health inequalities
  • better management of water and reduced flood risk through sustainable drainage and natural flood management measures, local water storage and reuse, restoring waterways and creating wetlands
  • restoration and creation of wildlife habitats to help support London’s Nature Recovery Network, especially creating and restoring priority habitats including species-rich woodland and flower-rich grassland
  • improvements to the accessibility of green spaces through new entrances, access routes and green connections between sites, or by opening up currently inaccessible sites
  • improvements to the design of green spaces to make them more inclusive to all Londoners, especially those from communities who are underrepresented in green spaces
  • connected improvements to streets and other public spaces at neighbourhood scale by retrofitting green and climate resilient infrastructure including sustainable drainage, trees, living roofs designed to cool and outdoor nature-based cool spacesReference:3 and pocket parks
  • activation and improvement of underperforming open spaces, such as those on many of London’s housing estates (including making them more welcoming to non-residents, adding food growing opportunities and providing new skills opportunities) or poorly used amenity green spaces.

Priority locations for project sites

All projects must be on sites that are (or will be) freely publicly accessible. We will prioritise the funding of projects that are located in areas of high climate vulnerability based on the London Climate Risk Maps or areas where Londoners may live more than an 800-metre walk (that is to say about 10 minutes) from an accessible green space of at least 0.02 hectares, based on the 10-Minute Walk Map (see Box 3).

Box 3: Priority locations for project sites

High climate vulnerability

The London Climate Risk Maps highlight climate vulnerability across London. Climate vulnerability relates to both people’s exposure to climate impacts, like flooding or heatwaves, and to personal and social factors that affect their ability to cope with and respond to extreme events. These maps bring together key metrics on exposure to climate risk, such as flood risk, access to open space, air pollution and heat, with vulnerability metrics including concentrations of younger and older people, and deprivation. The maps show overall climate risk as well as separate maps for flood risk and heat risk. Applicants must evidence how their project will be designed to address these risks. Appendix A includes more details on how to use the London Climate Risk Mapping.

Access the maps on London DataStore.

Poor access to green space

In his manifesto the Mayor pledged to ‘improve London’s network of green corridors and open spaces’ so that more Londoners live within a 10-minute walk of green space. To help target areas where people live more than a 10-minute walk from a green space, the GLA has created a 10-Minute Walk Map (with the help of Greenspace Information for Greater London CIC (GiGL). It shows those areas where Londoners may live more than an 800-metre walk (that is to say about 10 minutes) from an accessible green space of at least 0.02 hectares, which is the size of a pocket park. The mapping uses known access points to green spaces (such as park gates) and the street network to measure a real 800m walking distance. The map divides London into a hexagon grid of 350m ‘hexes’. The Green and Resilient Spaces Fund will prioritise projects that create new green space in one of these hexes or in an adjacent hex. You should use the map to answer the question in the application form, full instructions can be found in Appendix A.

Access the map on London DataStore.

In addition to identifying climate vulnerability, applicants will also need to outline the rationale for the selection of the chosen site and the proposed green infrastructure improvements using a range of appropriate data or evidence.

The GLA has published a series of maps and data to help Londoners understand, explore and improve our capital’s green infrastructure. We encourage you to use these tools to help inform the type of greening activities that your project might include, and to identify locations that are in greatest need. The following tools are particularly relevant:

  • Green Infrastructure Focus Map: this map shows where there is the greatest need for green infrastructure interventions that can tackle local environmental and social challenges. It can help identify where improvements might be best targeted, and what they could focus on.
  • Green Cover Map: this map shows how much of London is covered by trees, plants and open water. It helps to identify areas of the city that have low green cover and could be targeted for projects.
  • Tree Canopy Cover Map: this map shows how much of London is covered by trees. It helps to identify areas of the city that have low tree cover and could be targeted for tree planting or natural regeneration.
  • Deprivation data: you can find out more about different indices of deprivation through the London Datastore, or the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government’s interactive map.

Size and strategic fit

Applicants should demonstrate that the proposed project site is of strategic significance in terms of location and size. Project sites could comprise a single large park or green space (for example, District Park size or larger as defined in Page 320 of the London Plan) or be a series of interlinked spaces, which together are of strategic significance. This could be green spaces across a housing estate or projects within a defined neighbourhood, reimagining the wider public realm including major sustainable drainage schemes in streets and squares, which contribute to new greening and/or tree planting.

Applicants should demonstrate how their proposed projects fit within a wider green infrastructure or green space strategy and a wider strategy for climate change adaptation and mitigation. Alignment with other relevant strategies and plans should also be considered including urban forest plans, nature recovery plans and health and wellbeing Strategies.

We encourage applicants to consider how proposed projects fit with wider place-based initiatives such as regeneration projects funded by the Mayor’s Good Growth Fund and High Streets for All Mission.

Permissions and risks

Applicants will need to demonstrate that projects have political and community support, and are developed to a stage that they can be delivered on the ground by March 2025 with the majority of the grant being spent by March 2024. This is expected to be completion of RIBA Stage 3 Spatial Coordination or Landscape Institute Stage 3 Developed Design. If your project requires planning permission or other permits, these should either be secured at time of application or be secured by the time a grant agreement is signed (i.e. by April 2023). We expect any risks to project delivery (such as potential land contamination) to be identified, costed and mitigated in the project plan and budget. 

Maintenance costs

We recognise that good green space management and maintenance is critical to the success of projects. Your application must show a commitment and ability to provide long-term maintenance. We also encourage your project to build skill and capacity amongst the local community to help ensure the project is a long-term success. Up to a maximum of 10 per cent of the total grant can be allocated to landscape establishment maintenance for the first two years following project completion. Maintenance costs will be paid at project completion on receipt of a maintenance plan and schedule and details of how the budget will be ringfenced. We may inspect projects during the two-year post-completion period to check the site condition.

5.6 Development grants: what we will support

Development grants will be awarded to projects with the potential to be exemplary green and resilient spaces with the aim of creating a pipeline of fundable projects for future grant rounds. Projects will need to be in priority locations as set out in Box 3 and must aim to meet the Fund’s overall objectives as set out above.

Tree planting projects will not be eligible for development grants. Applicants will need to demonstrate that projects have political and community support, and that as a minimum, concept designs have been developed and agreed in principle. Applicants will need to demonstrate they require additional funding to help them progress to delivery stage, (equivalent to completion of RIBA Stage 3 Spatial Coordination or Landscape Institute Stage 3 Developed Design). Development work will be expected to be complete by March 2024.

Development funding is primarily for three areas of support:

  1. Community engagement – such as community engagement activities, co-design processes and incentives, engaging under-represented groups and specific groups such as schools, tenant associations or faith groups.
  2. Understanding the site – such as example site user surveys, habitat surveys, contaminated land or other technical surveys.
  3. Exemplary design – such as landscape design, specialist technical design input, specialist design advice.

Other areas of support may be considered, depending on an assessment of need and potential for the project to be an exemplar.

Development funding can be used for consultant’s fees, project-related staff time and expenses, such as for community engagement events or payment of community participants involved in co-design and any other project related direct costs, for example the cost of making site models or websites for use in consultation.

5.7 Tree planting grants: what we will support

The £800,000 tree planting element of the Fund is to support iconic, large-scale tree planting for shade in the public realm and woodland-creation sites. This is part of the Mayor’s Trees for London programme, which is a response to the extreme heat experienced in the summer of 2022. Grants will be focused on two priorities:

  • Woodland creation: creation of new, publicly accessible, species-rich woodland, ideally over 10ha offering multiple environmental benefits.
  • Exemplar tree lined streets and public spaces: transformational planting of large trees for shade in public spaces, helping cool our streets, combat heatwaves, tackle flooding and improve water quality by maximising the ability of trees to absorb water and reduce run off.

The extreme temperatures this summer showed just how vulnerable London is to the consequences of climate change. Our trees, green spaces and natural environment have a vital role to play in tackling the climate and ecological emergencies we face. Trees can help cool the city through evapotranspiration, providing shade and reflecting sunlight.Reference:4 Research has shown that street trees can help reduce surrounding air temperature by 3 degrees Celsius and underlying surface temperature by 11 degrees.Reference:5

We’re looking for exemplar, transformational tree planting projects that make our city greener, healthier and more resilient to climate change. London has benefitted from the legacy of the London Plane tree plantings of the 19th century – we now want to fund similarly ambitious schemes for creating a new climate-resilient green canopy for the 21st century. The types of projects that the Tree Planting grants might support are demonstrated in the case studies in this guide, and include:

  • large-scale woodland creation projects ideally over 10ha in London’s Green Belt or Metropolitan Open Land, which help improve public access to green space and nature and contribute to natural flood management strategies
  • planting new landmark clusters of large-canopy street trees in high-footfall locations, in areas of low-canopy cover in order to provide shade and enhance resilience to flooding
  • depaving and creating sustainable drainage systems to enable the planting of significant numbers of trees in the public realm, providing both shade and cooling alongside surface water flooding benefits
  • tackling hotspots in the Urban Heat Island with well-designed tree planting projects in public spaces that lack shade - particularly near schools, hospitals or care homes, or on walking routes.

Applicants will need to demonstrate how the design of the projects and species selection addresses climate change (advice can be found in the Forestry Commission’s Urban Tree Manual and on their Tree Planting and Woodland Creation webpage. The Trees and Design Action Group’s guide, ‘Tree Species Selection for Green Infrastructure’, shows that some trees are better at cooling the environment than others, not only because of their inherent species’ characteristics, but also their shape and size.

Trees with high typical transpiration rates, high reflectivity, and with denser and larger canopies reduce the surrounding temperatures more than others, provided they are healthy and have enough space, soil, water and nutrient resources to maintain their growth. The tree’s aerial and soil environment are as important as the tree itself in determining the amount of cooling it will be able to provide. It is important to pick the right tree for the right place but also to give ‘the right conditions to the right tree’.

New plantings should be combined with innovative design strategies that lead to greater water availability to trees and the improvement of urban soils and pavements surrounding roots. Projects should maximise the opportunities for trees and green spaces to absorb water by considering ground levels and permeable surface treatments. Trees planted as part of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) can be even more effective in helping tackle surface water flooding and support tree growth alongside better cooling properties. This could include tree planting in SuDS tree pits or trenches, rain gardens or swales. A study in Manchester found that a normal street tree can retain 43 per cent of rainfall, whereas a SuDS street tree can retain 78 per cent.Reference:Reference:5 Planting trees as part of SuDS can also enable the planting of larger trees due to a larger volume of soil, which will also contribute to providing more shade and cooling. Trees provide the most effective cooling when healthy and in full leaf, which is linked to water availability.Reference:6 The drought this summer also highlighted how crucial it is to plan water management into projects. Consideration should be made of how trees will be kept water, especially during establishment, which may include planning options for the use of reused water.

Trees will need to be sourced from suppliers who are either certified under the Plant Healthy Certification Scheme (or have applied to become certified) or who have passed a Ready to Plant assessment provided by Fera Science Ltd. This will help to combat the threats posed by pests and diseases, as well as strengthening biosecurity.

Priority locations for tree planting sites

All projects must be on sites that are (or will be) freely publicly accessible. We will prioritise the funding of tree planting in areas of highest climate vulnerability based on the London Climate Risk Maps and where there is low tree canopy cover based on our London Tree Canopy Cover Map. See Box 4 and Appendix A for details of how to use the Tree Canopy Cover Map.

We will also prioritise the funding of tree planting and woodland creation to support natural flood management in sites within river catchments upstream of areas of flood risk. Information on river catchment plans can be found here: Catchment Partnerships in London - Thames21

Box 4: Priority locations for Tree Planting sites               

Low Tree Canopy Cover                                                 

London has more than 8 million trees, covering around 21 per cent of the capital. In the London Environment Strategy the Mayor set a target to increase this to 23 per ent by 2050. The London Urban Forest Plan sets out in more detail the goals and priority actions needed to protect, manage and expand the capital’s urban forest. We know that London’s trees provide a wide range of social and economic benefits including shade and urban cooling, reduced flooding, and health and wellbeing benefits to Londoners.

However, tree canopy cover varies hugely across London, from 3 per cent in some wards to over 50 per cent in others. National guidance is that local areas should aim for a minimum 20 per cent canopy cover. We know that 373 wards fall below 20 per cent tree canopy cover. The London Tree Canopy Cover Map uses aerial imagery to analyse tree cover. Click “Switch Raw / Ward per cent Canopy Cover” to see data at ward level. We will prioritise tree planting projects in areas under 20 per cent canopy cover, with a high priority given to those in areas under 10 per cent canopy cover.

Access the map on London DataStore (click the “view the full size map” button).

Permissions and risks

Applicants will need to demonstrate that tree planting projects are developed to a stage that trees can be planted by March 2024, with project completion by March 2025. If your project requires planning permission or other permits, including consent from the Forestry Commission following a Forestry Environmental Impact Assessment, these should either be secured at time of application or be secured by the time a grant agreement is signed (that is to say by April 2023). We expect any risks to project delivery (such as potential land contamination) to be identified, costed and mitigated in the project plan and budget. 

Maintenance 

Your application must show a commitment and ability to provide tree establishment and long-term maintenance. Exemplar tree planting in streets and public spaces should meet the standards set out in BS 8545:2014Reference:7 including at least five years post planting care (incl. watering, restaking and adjustment or removal of protections, formative pruning). Woodland creation projects should be carried out and maintained in line with the UK Forestry Standard.Reference:8

Where other grant funding does not cover the maintenance of trees, up to a maximum of 10 per cent of the total grant can be allocated to tree establishment maintenance for the first two years following project completion. Maintenance costs will be paid at successful project completion on receipt of a maintenance plan and schedule and details of how the budget will be ringfenced.

We may inspect projects during the two-year post-completion period to check the site is being maintained to a high standard. We also encourage you to support local community involvement in maintaining the trees including building skills and capacity to help ensure the project is a long-term success.

6. How to apply

This round of the Green and Resilient Spaces Fund has a single-stage application process. You may submit an application for funding using our online forms by 5pm on Friday 10 February 2023. A copy of the application forms can be found in Appendix C. You should read this guide and the application form carefully before starting your application.

We will publish online answers to frequently asked questions. Consider whether your proposal addresses the Green and Resilient Spaces Fund and the Green New Deal objectives set out in this guide before deciding to apply. If you need further guidance, please get in touch at [email protected].

While we cannot help you with the specific content of your application, we can advise you on the eligibility and suitability of your proposed activities. Only applications received by 10 February 2023 will be assessed. Applications submitted after this deadline will not be accepted.

A panel of GLA officers and members of the Green and Resilient Spaces Expert Panel will review applications against a set of criteria. These are set out in How will your application be assessed.

There are three types of grants with separate application forms:

  1. Project Grants of between £250,000 and £750,000.
  2. Tree Planting grants of between £75,000 and £500,000.
  3. Development Grants of up to £40,000.

You can apply for more than one type of grant for different projects, but not for the same project, (for example you can’t apply for a tree planting grant and a project grant for the same site/project).

We will be holding optional applicant information webinars on the following dates:

Tuesday 17 January – 10am to 11.30am

Thursday 19 January – 2pm to 3.30pm

This will be an opportunity to hear more about the aims of the fund, the application process and assessment criteria. It will give you a chance to ask questions and receive advice on eligibility and suitability.

Getting into contract

Successful applicants will be issued a template of the contract or agreement for their project. Please ensure that you have all necessary resources and approvals in place to enable the agreement to be signed promptly if you are awarded funding. Failure to do so may result in the offer of GLA funding being withdrawn.

Key application and delivery dates

  • Applications open: 14 December 2022
  • Application deadline: 10 February 2023
  • Successful projects announced: March 2023
  • Grant agreements signed: April 2023
  • Project delivery starts: May 2023
  • Development work complete: March 2024
  • Year one tree planting projects completed: March 2024
  • Year two tree planting projects completed: March 2025
  • Delivery projects complete, final funding claimed: March 2025

7. How will your application be assessed?

Applications will be assessed by a grants panel of GLA officers and specialist external experts, following an initial sift for eligibility.

The assessment process will categorise applications as follows:

  • Not suitable for funding – Rejected (feedback will be given on unsuccessful applications).
  • Suitable for funding – Grant offer made subject to contract. Projects will be prioritised based on highest scores against the criteria.

We expect final funding decisions on all applications to be made by the end of March 2023. During the assessment process, we may contact you to clarify points in your application or to ask for more information.

The grants panel will prioritise those applications that most closely fit the assessment criteria and will also consider the location and type of projects to support a balanced programme across London and across the objectives of the fund.

Any offer(s) of funding will be made subject to you accepting a grant agreement, which must be signed before your project can start.

Project and Tree Planting grant applications

Applications will be scored and ranked against the weighted criteria below:

Meeting the aims of the Fund (weighting: 30 per cent)

This criterion will be used to assess the extent to which the project meets the aims of the Fund, including the extent to which it will be exemplary in quality. Applicants should set out a clear vision for what the project aims to achieve based on an understanding and evidence of local challenges and needs. They should show how project elements and outputs will contribute to the objectives of the Green and Resilient Spaces Fund and how they fit with wider strategies for green infrastructure, access and inclusion, health and climate resilience. The ways in which projects will address local challenges and needs should be evidenced. Applications will also be judged on whether the proposed project is of an appropriate scale and in a priority location.

Readiness to deliver (weighting: 30 per cent)

This criterion will be used to assess the applicant’s ability to deliver the project within the timescale and to an appropriate budget. Projects must be developed to a stage that they can be completed by March 2025 at the latest, with match funding secured. It is expected that this will be completion of RIBA Stage 3 Spatial Coordination or Landscape Institute Stage 3 Developed Design, or equivalent. Applicants must set out the stage the project has reached at time of application and any permissions secured or required. Any permissions required, such as landowner agreements, environmental permits and planning permission must be secured by the time the grant funding agreement is awarded (by April 2023).

Applicants will need to provide a project plan, setting out the key milestones for the project to completion by March 2025, demonstrating realistic and achievable timelines. Applicants will need to provide a project budget estimating the costs of the main elements of the project. They should demonstrate value for money, showing that the proposed approach makes optimal use of resources, including match funding, to achieve a high-quality project. Applications will also need to provide a risk assessment clearly outlining risks and mitigation strategies associated with the proposed project, including contingency budget.

Engaging and supporting Londoners (weighting: 20 per cent)

This criterion will be used to assess how well projects will meet the needs of Londoners, especially people who are less likely to access green space. They should show how local people, including those from under-represented groups and those currently not using the site, will be given opportunities to play an active part in the project and to develop new skills, including through job opportunities, training and volunteering. Wherever possible, local people should be given the opportunity to play an active role in project decision making.

Leaving a positive legacy (weighting: 20 per cent)

This criterion will be used to assess the project’s proposed social, environmental and economic outputs and outcomes in line with the Fund objectives and arrangements for long term management of the site(s). Targets for relevant outputs selected from the following programme-wide outputs must be included in the application, (although it is not expected that all will be applicable to your project):

Green infrastructure:

  • area of new publicly accessible green space (m2)
  • area of existing green space with improved quality (m2)
  • number of trees planted (no.)
  • area of new tree canopy potentially created at maturity (m2)
  • area of new publicly accessible woodland created (ha)
  • area of priority habitat restored or enhanced (m2)
  • length of river restored or naturalised (m)
  • length of new walking and/or cycling routes connecting green spaces (m)
  • length of improved walking and/or cycling routes connecting green spaces (m)

Climate adaptation/resilience:

  • number of SuDS features
  • increase in area draining to sustainable drainage systems or permeable surface (m2)
  • number of cool spaces created or enhanced (in line with GLA Cool Spaces project definition) (no.)

Economy and social value:

  • number of people actively involved in volunteering on the project (no.)
  • number of people from underrepresented or adversely affected groups involved in in volunteering on the project (no.)
  • number of volunteer hours dedicated to the project (no.)
  • increase in number of people using green spaces (no.)
  • increase in number of people from underrepresented or adversely affected groups using green space (no.)
  • increase in number of households within 10 minutes walk (800m) of accessible green space (no.)
  • number of new jobs paying at least the London Living Wage created (no.)
  • number of completed apprenticeships and qualifications in green skills (no.)

Applicants can also provide additional outputs to be achieved through the project.

Long term management

All projects will need to be maintained to a high standard in the future. Applications should include a clear set of long-term outcomes and have a plan and resources identified for future maintenance, including any community involvement. Applicants should include provision of a comprehensive management plan as a costed part of their project programmes.

Development grant applications

Development grants applications will be scored and ranked against the three equally-weighted criteria below:

Meeting the aims of the Fund 

This criterion will be used to assess the extent to which the project meets the aims of the Fund. Applicants should set out a clear vision for what the project aims to achieve based on an understanding of local challenges and needs. They should show how the project could contribute to the objectives of the Fund and act as an exemplar Green and Resilient Spaces project. Applications will also be judged on whether the proposed project is of an appropriate scale and in a priority location (as set out in Box 2).

Readiness to deliver

This criterion will be used to assess the applicant’s ability to deliver the development work within the timescale. Applicants should demonstrate that projects have political and community support, and that as a minimum, a spatial vision or concept designs have been developed and agreed in principle. They should have adequate resources secured for project management and match funding in place. Applications will also need to outline any risks associated with delivery of the proposed project, such as potential land contamination or landowner consent.

Evidence of need

This criterion will be used to assess the extent to which a development grant is required to make the project happen and add value to the project such as supporting the development of exemplar design quality or more effectively engaging the community. Applicants should set out the elements of work that a development grant would support with a breakdown of costs for each element. They should set out the sources of match funding and explain why a grant is required to complete the proposed development work.

Projects and organisations that would not be able to take a project forward without the development grant will be prioritised. A forward plan for the ongoing delivery of the project with an outline of indicative timescale for key milestones will need to be provided.

Case studies

The Ripple Greenway, Barking

This new 1.3km (0.8 mile) walking and cycling route opened-up a previously unloved and underused green space. Co-designed with residents, the linear route now links communities to the Thames at Barking Riverside. It offers natural play features, places to sit and an improved waterside landscape with over 100 new trees. Robert MacFarlane and Jackie Morris have created a ‘Lost Words’ trail with artist Katy Hallett showcasing the park’s new plant life.

Find out more

 
Albany Park, Enfield

This project transformed Albany Park by naturalising 350m of the formerly channelised Turkey Brook, bringing the river into the park. As well as creating new habitat for wildlife and a diverse landscape for park users to enjoy, this has created a flood storage area that reduces flood risk to over 200 properties and over 300 metres of improved footpaths and cycleways.

Find out more

 
Silkstream Valley Parks, Barnet

Improvements to these 16 hectares of parkland completed in 2020, have made the place feel safer, more welcoming and accessible with new walking and cycling paths. Rewilding the stream banks and new wetlands have already attracted wildlife and reduced flooding downstream and visitors can now enjoy new play spaces, a skate park and a community cafe.

Find out more

 
Beckenham Place Park swimming lake, Lewisham

This new 285-metre long swimming lake opened in July 2019’s National Park City Festival week. Created as part of the park’s £6m heritage restoration, it’s been a big hit with ‘wild’ swimmers and wildlife alike. Places where people can cool off will help Londoners stay healthy and happy as our summers get hotter.

Find out more

 
Bridget Joyce Square, Hammersmith & Fulham

This project transformed Australia Road in the White City Estate into a community space whilst also improving water quality and reducing surface water flood risk. Located between a school and two playgrounds, the project directed rainwater underground into a series of bio-retention basins and rain gardens. These also take rainwater from the school roof via disconnected downpipes, providing over 55m3 of storage capacity. Fifty trees and 2,500 plants have also been planted to soak up rainwater and increase biodiversity.

Find out more

 
South Thamesmead regeneration, ‘CLEVER Cities’
Peabody, Groundwork and the Mayor of London are partners in an EU funded project ‘CLEVER Cities’ that looks at how to work better with communities to improve public spaces through the use of co-design. In Thamesmead, ten local residents were recruited to paid positions to guide, shape and take decisions in the redesign of under-used spaces in their neighbourhood. There was an emphasis on using Nature Based Solutions to address common urban challenges such as isolation, childhood obesity, and the impacts of climate change. Designs are now completed, and in 2023 the area will see: new outdoor social space; natural play; rain gardens; tree planting; wildflower meadows; outdoor classrooms, and quiet places to get up close to, and enjoy being in nature.   

Find out more

 
Enfield Chase woodland creation, London Borough of Enfield
This project created 60 hectares of publicly accessible woodland between 2020 and 2022. It’s the start of a project to restore the natural landscape of the area. The tree planting and new wetlands help tackle flooding in the Salmons Brook catchment. The project also improved the London Loop footpath.
Find out more
 
Garibaldi Street, Lyons, France
This 2.6km project reallocates road space on a major city highway to planting, walking, cycling and buses. It features extensive tree planting, designed to provide shade and manage surface water runoff. Rainwater is stored underground and used for street cleaning and for irrigating the trees during the summer in order to maximise the cooling they deliver.
Find out more
 

Other formats and languages

For a large print, Braille, disc, sign language video or audio-tape version of this document, please contact us at the address below:

Public Liaison Unit
Greater London Authority
City Hall
Kamal Chunchie Way
London E16 1ZE

Telephone 020 7983 4100
www.london.gov.uk
 

You will need to supply your name, your postal address and state the format and title of the publication you require.

If you would like a summary of this document in your language, please phone the number or contact us at the address above.

References

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