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Good practice examples

The Vision for the Countryside In and Around Towns sets out ten functions for the 'rural urban fringe'.

Key to the ‘Vision’ functions (102kb pdf)

Ideally, these functions should be fully integrated and should interact in a planned, mutually supportive way to produce truly 'multifunctional' landscapes.

A multifunctional approach to landscape goes beyond a traditional approach to land use planning which tends to segregate different functions and activities or allows co-location but with little or no planned integration or interaction.  Multifunctional landscapes are also the product of close collaborative planning by professions representing a wide range of sectoral interests.

The case studies presented here do not yet represent fully fledged multifunctional landscapes or schemes.   However, they do provide good examples from across the country of: 

  • individual schemes and projects which demonstrate the practical application of the individual vision functions within a ‘fringe’ setting; and 
  • the sorts of practical activities that we certainly applaud but would like to see increasingly woven into a fully more multifunctional and wider framework and landscape.    

We are particularly keen to hear about other schemes which do represent full-blown multifunctionality in action – ie.  where environmentalists, countryside managers, recreation providers, planners, educationalists, health and community development professionals, etc. are closely collaborating to unlock the sustainable environmental, social and economic potential of an urban fringe site.   

So are you involved with, or know of, an urban fringe scheme or project that demonstrates multifunctionality?   If so, please let us know.

PS: For examples of wide strategic approaches to landscape regeneration around twelve English cities please refer to the information and link on this site to the Community Forest Programme.

1.  Bellcote Meadow Millennium Green and Trust (353kb pdf)

2.  The Forest of Avon Community Forest Path (1000kb pdf)

3. The ‘Green Arc’ approach to countryside (645kb pdf)

4. Kennet & Avon Rural Transport Partnership (308kb pdf)

5. Milton Keynes Parks Trust (480kb pdf)

6.  The Paper Planet Initiative (372kb pdf)

7. River Skerne Restoration (489kb pdf)

8. Rotherham Energy Park (508kb pdf)

9.  Black Poplar Project (268kb pdf)

10.Sherwood Energy Village (466kb pdf)

11.Cambridge Southern Fringe (439kb pdf)

12.St Chad’s Water (415kb pdf)

13.Stroud Community Agriculture (438kb pdf)

14.Swindon Urban Fringe Action Plan (378kb pdf)

15.The Red Rose and Mersey Community Forest Timber Stations (438kb pdf)