Case Study: Green Infrastructure through Section 106

Objective:

Develop and / or improve community facilities and various open spaces in Monmouthshire via Section 106 funding.

Implementation:

Funding known as Section 106 (S106) can be used to develop and / or improve community facilities and various open spaces. This funding has been secured through a planning obligation request which is a deed or agreement attached to the land that is the subject of a planning permission. Contributions secured through planning obligations are used to mitigate or compensate for the negative impacts of a development. As a result, MonLife’s GI team carried out the following projects:

The Caldicot Corridor Improvements project – Aimed to create enhancements along Woodstock way and Newport road in Caldicot.

Caldicot GI enhancement project – Green Infrastructure (GI) improvements in the eastern part of Caldicot town as part of the Council’s Green Connections project, made along a selection of green route ways and in parks and amenity spaces in Caldicot which form important Active Travel routes through the town.

Caldicot Castle Country Park Pollinators project – Aimed to deliver a grassland enhancement and tree planting scheme. The project delivered a grass cutting plan to maximise wildflower meadows at the site and included ‘over-seeding’ of some areas with native wildflower seed.

The Monmouth Community Nature Spaces project – Complimented the WG Local Places for Nature funding to deliver a total of 11 significantly enhanced greenspaces. The scheme will also result in a reduction in the use of pesticides across the area. Local interest groups have been involved in the site development and are keen to undertake tree and food growing once the sites are complete.

Link Road Corridors Enhancement project (Monmouth) – Fully funded S106 project delivering species and habitat management and enhancement to compensate for loss of habitat to facilitate development nearby.

Results

The Caldicot Corridor Improvements project:

– 31 trees, 40 fruit trees, 100 bee friendly shrubs, 4 climbing plants, 1685 indigenous hedgerow plants, 8 sacks of daffodils, 20 trays of pollinator friendly bedding plants.
– 100 volunteer hours ( Keep Caldicot Tidy, Caldicot in Bloom, Keep Wales Tidy, Caldicot Castle Community Garden, Local Sustrans rangers, Caldicot Comprehensive School)

Caldicot GI enhancement project:

Caldicot Castle Country Park Pollinators project:

**Caldicot Country Park Grassland Management**

The Monmouth Community Nature Spaces project :

**Figure 1:** Significant tree planting has taken place across the area including at the Hendre Close open *space where a tree nursery will also be located*

**Figure 2:** Tree shrub and hedge planting has been complemented by pollinator plants and wildflower seed to deliver a more diverse space including wild play

11 sites improved for pollinators

9 sites with improved mowing practices

11 areas of pollinator planting

11 tree planting sites

9 areas of community orchard planting

3 community food growing beds

1 tree nursery

11 Improved seating areas

Link Road Corridors Enhancement project (Monmouth)

– 0.4ha grassland /scrub to maintain and enhance grassland species; supporting habitats for slow worm & dormice.

– 1.3ha woodland management supporting a variety of species of breeding birds

– Installation and monitoring of 44 dormice boxes and 2 reptile refugia.

– The scheme involved the Building Bridges group (young people with additional needs) to make dormouse boxes and undertake nut searches in the woodland.

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