Transformation of previously derelict areas

Platenstrasse in the Ginnheim district of Frankfurt was laid out as a four-lane feeder in the 1960s. It leads through the settlement of the same name, which was formerly the housing area of ​​the US armed forces. After their withdrawal in 1994, the settlement came into municipal ownership. Many large families, often with a migration background, moved in. Wild parking lots and storage spaces were created without any quality of stay. In 2000, discussion about the redesign of the Plattenstrasse started and in 2015 it was completely transformed into a green corridor. The street space was rearranged and the paved areas were reduced to the necessary extent. Sensitive planning and respect for the established structures helped to preserve the character of the district while significantly increasing the green area with recreational facilities. (1)

The district will initially incorporate 516 new low carbon homes alongside manufacturing, leisure, offices and climate-resilient public realm. (2) The overall approach to landscaping, amenity space and public realm in the scheme is to make use of sustainable drainage techniques, enhance the biodiversity value of the River Aire corridor, provide an appropriate level of landscaped publicly accessible open space, and contribute positively to the overall distinctive sense of place at the site. (12)

The city of Napoli has implemented a comprehensive plan of urban regeneration of the Bagnoli coastal area. The national agency Invitalia has been in charge by the government to develop a plan of regeneration. In particular, the main points of the project related to NBS concern the development of a waterfront, namely the regeneration of the coast including the main park, the beach, and the experimentation of botanical species to reduce the environmental impact of the area. This plan is finalized for the requalification and restoration of the green area, as well as to help with the mitigation of urban pollution (Ref.1).
The project is in its planning stage (2020), according to the national agency that coordinates the project. On the official website of the project it is mentioned that in January 2020, 20 candidates have been selected in order to present their ideas. In July 2020 the agency met with the local community for discussions. At the moment the state agency initiated a PRELIMINARY MARKET CONSULTATION (Ref.1).

A part refurbishment of a classic 1930’s building, the design of the Leeds Greenhouse embraces the history of the building. Along with rooftop wind turbines, solar panels, ground source heating, there are NBS advantages to the property, including central rain and greywater management facilities that support everyday living and working. It also installs nearby allotments as well as on-site shared gardens to help strengthen both the sense of community and sustainable consumption. (1, 2, 3, 6) The building comprises 172 flats and 15,000 sq ft of office space. (7) Even though the project was completed in 2010, the residents came together in 2018 to add 250 hedge-plants to the complex. (13)

The neighbourhood intervention is designed as an eco-neighbourhood with an abundance of green space and facilities to connect its residents to the outdoors and to each other. (Ref. 2, 13) It is part of the European Union Renaissance project that is associated with Lyon, France and Lombardy region, Italy (Ref. 12). In Zaragoza, this district, situated on the south of the city, provides about 10,000 homes (most of which are social housing). From design to construction, the district was developed with bioclimatic criteria. (Ref. 8, 12)

Work started on the Broadway shopping centre in 2004 but was halted due to the economic recession in 2008. A temporary urban park was opened on the derelict site after work on the Westfield development was halted for years. The urban garden was said to be an improvement to the city centre landscape in Bradford (reference 4). After a long halt, the vast empty space with piles of rubble from the buildings which had been cleared to make way for the new development. Money from the council, Westfield and regional development agency Yorkshire Forward has enabled the area to now be transformed into a green space, which was opened in 2010. (ref 6).
The total park area was fragmented into several zones after the construction of the shopping mall(ref 7). The park does not exist any more due to the construction of the shopping mall - Bradford Urban Garden closed in 2014 (Ref. 2).

The Sun Lane nature reserve in Burley-in-Wharfedale is the second site in Bradford to receive the Local Nature Reserve (LNR) status. The land was used as a garbage dump and reclaimed in the 1970s. (ref1) Pollution from the landfill site was leaching into nearby watercourses and in 1993, Bradford Council undertook a scheme to cap the landfill and restore the site. They installed a reed-bed purification system, to eliminate pollution from contaminated water and add to the reserve’s biodiversity. The Burley Village Wildlife Group began conservation work to enhance biodiversity. (ref4) In 2003 a group of volunteers took over the maintenance of the area and now help to manage it in collaboration with Bradford Council (ref 5). As the site heals at its best, forty-two Common Blue butterflies were recorded together in 2006 (ref 5).

Bowling Park is a public urban park and the key purpose is to grow fruit, develop wildlife habitats and create sociable urban green space as well as maximise the biodiversity of the site and minimise any adverse impact on the environment. The orchard, along with allotment sites, as a whole is a valuable part of the Green Infrastructure Network in Bradford (ref 1). The orchard is developed on six disused allotment plots adjacent to Bowling Park. In March 2003 the orchard has planted over 40 trees including- 35 varieties of apple, 6 pears and 4 plums (ref2).

Bercsényi grove, a large public park, was rehabilitated and functionally extended as part of the socially sensitive urban regeneration project of Győr-Újváros, a stigmatized, relatively underdeveloped area (Ref. 1, 3). The area of the park is divided into three main parts, 1. a recreational park including playgrounds, 2. a sports park and 3. a "traffic park" where children can learn interactively learn the rules of the road in a playful way. Although the project was mainly aimed at creating a place for active recreation, the intervention included the rehabilitation of the green areas and the plantation of several tree lines (Ref. 4). As a result, the area could become a popular meeting point for different generations.

Heeley City Farm came into existence in the middle of 1981 (ref 3). It is a community-based and led training, employment and youth enterprise (ref 1) and a much needed green space in the inner suburban Sheffield with recycling, healthy living facilities, a garden centre, cafe, and charity shop. Heeley City Farm also manages food growing projects across Sheffield. (Ref 3) The Farm addresses poverty, inequality, prejudice and lack of opportunity by supporting community regeneration and self-help within environmentally friendly and self-sustaining systems, using the background of a mini-farm, community gardens and related resources. (Ref1)