Private sector/Corporate/Company

Number One First Street is at the corner of Medlock Street and Whitworth Street behind the train arches near Oxford Road Station in the city center of Manchester (ref. 6). During the redevelopment of the former BT building now called Number One First Street a green roof was installed (ref 2). Whilst the vegetation slowly established, it provided a habitat for invertebrates and insects. A green wall, accommodating 37,000 plants was planned to be installed by 2020 which would replace glass, plastic and metal cladding with greenery (ref 1).

Three London Plane trees were planted in a specially designed trench in Howard Street, Salford, Greater Manchester in 2015 with the aim of capturing the impact that trees had on both cleaning polluted water from road runoff and managing levels of surface water, which can lead to flooding when not properly managed (ref 1). This project in the City of Salford was created to study how trees can aid in the management of urban stormwater as a novel retrofitted street tree demonstration (ref 3). It was led by Manchester's City of Trees movement. (Ref 3)

The Environment Agency, Manchester City Council and the Irwell Rivers Trust had undertaken works to renaturalise a section of the River Medlock running through Manchester. The project had sought to return the river to its natural state by widening the channel and replacing the Victorian brick lining with gravel that provides a more natural-looking and fish-friendly section of the river and reduces flood risk at the same time (ref. 3). The project was also being seen as an EU exemplar of how to go about restoring an urban river (ref. 1, ref. 7).

New Bolton Woods Ltd is a development partnership between the regeneration company Urbo and Bradford Council (ref5). This project aims to create a new sustainable urban neighbourhood, linked to the existing Bolton Woods. As the majority of the proposed development is situated on land which falls within Flood Zone, a range of measures including the raising of ground floor levels, and incorporation of sustainable drainage techniques will be used to manage runoff.
The project intends to provide a series of well landscaped, high-quality open areas and parks for the community. There is potential for a long term phased canal restoration (ref. 1). The second stage,145 houses are currently under construction on the slopes off Poplars Park Avenue, overlooking Canal Road, and are due to be completed by 2021 (ref 6). West Yorkshire Ecological Service raised concerns that the development would lead to a loss of woodland (ref 6).

Arcosur is a new residential neighbourhood project approved for construction in 2008 after the hosting of the Zaragoza Expo 2008. In its structure, it seeks to develop a space of 4 500 000 m2 into around 21 000 new homes, and out of which around 1 500 000 m2 will be squares, parks, and other green spaces. These green spaces would connect the neighbourhood and ensure all residents have access to green areas. (Ref. 1)

The South Saint-Jacques district is a residential area. A public housing project in the district incorporates careful landscape planning to promote social interaction, increase biodiversity, and better manage rainwater. It includes green spaces, collective area for free initiative from the community, swales and planted basins for rainwater drainage (Ref. 1).

The catchment includes the River Avon (a major resource for recreational activities and public water supply) and its various tributaries. Coventry is the largest urban area in the catchment, and the catchment has a high value for wildlife. (Ref. 1)
Main priorities include engaging communities to take ownership of their local water environment, reducing urban and rural pollution; delivering enhancement projects in the 3 Priority Areas (e.g. Coventry Brooks) and Returning water corridors to a near-natural state. (Ref. 2). The Catchment Based Approach (CaBA) is a Government policy framework that empowers local action to improve the water environment through community partnerships. A renewed focus on the catchment-based approach has led to Catchment Partnerships (i.e. The Warwickshire Avon Catchment Partnership) being set up to drive local delivery of these projects. (Ref. 3)

The Garden Factory ('Tuinfabriek') is an exceptional urban agriculture project on a roof of the central station that aims at becoming the largest food-producing roof of the Netherlands. The project is a self-sustaining vegetable garden located on the roof of a busy mall in the centre of Utrecht (ref. 5). On the roof, citizens, students, company employees and schools work together to grow vegetables and keep bees and chicken. The Garden Factory reflects an ecological 'self-sustaining factory' as the chickens, worms and bees 'work' in the garden as being part of the decomposing system and pollination and a system is built for rainwater retention that allows for irrigation (ref. 1). Eating, composting, sowing, growing, harvesting, cooking form the production process of this Garden Factory (ref. 4).
The main elements of the roof garden are in place, such as the crop bins, the chicken coop and the decomposing machine are completed. However, it is an ongoing developing project as some elements are still in development stage such as some elements of the Soup Kitchen and the aim is to integrate the Garden Factory more with the central station shopping mall in multiple ways (ref. 1).

The project tackles the habitat fragility of the Ligurian wetlands and the impact of a turtle species called Emys orbicularis in the Centa Piana river, the Vara and Magra rivers areas. The project focused on the restoration of the natural habitat, the eradication of invasive American species threatening the European turtle species and the assistance of local turtles reproduction and re-introduction in the wild. A large part of the project was conducted thanks to the participation of volunteers and large emphasis was given to education about environmental habitats protection. (1)

A former American military base was purchased by a private investor in 2014. Due to this event, the city decided to redevelop the whole area covering 27 ha and to create a development plan for a forward-looking quarter based on an architectural competition. In parallel to the development, information events for the wider public took place. The new quarter will be constructed according to criteria set out by the German Association for Sustainable Construction. Objectives of this plan are also to improve the microclimate, biodiversity, connectivity, social and functional diversity of the district (Ref. 1 and 2). In 2020, construction work had not yet started. Plans are to begin construction in 2024 the earliest and to complete it by 2027. (Ref. 7)