From 2012-2018, supported by seed funding from the Mayor of London, Drain London Fund and Natural England, Cross River Partnership coordinated The Greening the BIDs Steering Group, bringing together London Business Improvement Districts to deliver 19 Green Infrastructure (GI) Audits and 16 GI installations, including rain gardens, green walls and green roofs, across central London. The Living Wall on the side of the Rubens Hotel in Victoria is one high profile example.

CRP also published a Healthy Greening Report & Toolkit that supports businesses, landowners, local authorities, business improvement districts and others to develop more greening in urban areas, especially for the benefits of health and wellbeing. The toolkit also provides great examples of community-led maintenance of green infrastructure, that helps get people outside and active whilst developing new skills.

To showcase the installations delivered by our partners, celebrate successful public/private collaboration, articulate the multi-functional benefits of GI, inspire a wider audience and attract future funders, CRP worked with its partners to produce a short inspirational video, Green Capital – green infrastructure for a future city.

This is accompanied by a user-friendly brochure of successful green infrastructure installation case studies, along with information and advice about the benefits and a delivering GI ‘how to’ guide.

The longer-term ambition of CRP and its partners is to inspire a network of green spaces that have a positive local and aggregate effect on air quality, localised flooding and wildlife habitat – adapting our city to climate change and making it more environmentally resilient. GI in an urban landscape can also promote healthy living and active travel, enhancing the public realm and making it more liveable and attractive for residents, businesses and visitors.

CRP was pleased to be shortlisted for an Estates Gazette ‘Collaborators Award’ (2016) for the Greening the BIDs partnership and to win a Silver Clarion Award (2016) for the Greening the BIDs video. Please click here for the Collaborators Magazine which includes our submission.

CRP is continuing its mission to create heathier and happier streets across London through its Healthy Streets Everday II programme!

For more information please contact CRP Director Susannah Wilks.