Achieved impacts

Carillion-igloo, a joint venture company formed between The igloo Regeneration Partnership and Carillion plc was selected by Newcastle City Council and the Homes and Communities Agency to work in partnership with them in the redevelopment of a number of sites in the Lower Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle.
The regeneration project has been carried out in line with the sustainable investment policy of Igloo and consists of 5 phases. Phase 1: The Mailings focused on the transformation of a former industrial brownfield into a vibrant residential area on the banks of the Ouseburn promoting sustainable, low-energy living, flood protection and community building. These objectives were achieved by green areas creation, sustainable drainage system application and unique urban planning measures. (2, 15)

In their application for funds from the city’s participatory budget, the citizens introduced the cleaning of the river Glowna (riverbed and riverbank) in Poznan along the entire length of the river within the city area (excluding private and inaccessible areas). The initiative aimed to clean the stream and to increase the attractiveness of the riverside. The action was implemented with the voluntary help of the residents as a way of promoting ecological behaviours [1].

The project BEETE & BIENEN (Beds & Bees) in the Eastern part of Karlsruhe is an awarded sustainability experiment where garden beds, flower beds and beehives create a new urban greenspace for humans and animals and increase the urban bee population. Residents - in collaboration and under the guidance of gardeners – plant herbs, flowers, vegetables, fruits and trees that provide food for humans and thereby provide a natural habitat for the urban bee population to thrive. Residents shall take over ownership of maintenance and cultivation of the garden in the long run. (Ref. 1). The project is not about honey yield, but about enabling the bees to live as naturally as possible. Hives and garden beds are established in several small gardens in the city, including one Marstallgarten and another in Grötzingen. (Ref. 8)

In Frankfurt, on the banks of the Main, visitors are surrounded by a breath of the Mediterranean. In the Park called "Nizza”, Mediterranean plants thrive on 4.42 hectares thanks to its south-facing position, sheltered from the wind, the favourable solar radiation and the heat storage of the Main (2).
Between 1999 and 2006, the Mediterranean park was reconstructed based on a historical model (6). The renovation project was carried out by the Green Space Office of Frankfurt according to the concept of Rainer Gesell-Schulte as part of the green development project of the inner city (1,6). The Frankfurt Green Spaces Office has been in operation since 1999 with urban qualification and refurbishment entrusted to the banks of the Main. The project aim was to transform the inner city area called Mainufer into a contiguous open space system. The project comprises many different sub-area developments that have different uses, especially on the central promenade and include green spaces, museums, sports and leisure facilities. The spatial anchor point of the project was the “Nizza” Mediterranean Park.
As part of this redevelopment, the "Nizza" was redesigned and renovated. This process included the plantation of winter-resistant Mediterranean plants and other plants with a migration background that have been delighting walkers and visitors to the Main metropolis ever since. (2).

46.5 hectares of nationally-important habitat was restored in Doncaster as part of an Environment Agency-led project benefiting communities and wildlife. The work across seven woodland areas was designed to help improve water quality, reduce flood risk, and enhance natural habitats for protected species. By providing additional flood storage the project is able to help attenuate both peak and flood flow from rainfall events, reducing flood risk and damage and reducing the financial and carbon cost of pumping water from the Torne catchment. Although this project extended beyond Doncaster, Sandall Beat in Doncaster was part of the key sites (Ref 1).

The project revitalized beaches around three lakes near Poznan: Kierskie, Strzeszynskie, and Rusalka. Over 1000-ha of forest and three lakes located within the city borders make this a unique recreational area for the inhabitants of Poznan and its surroundings. The project aims to modernize the neglected beaches and build basic infrastructure and communication paths. The plans involved cleaning of the area, planting greenery, regulation of the lake beachline, introducing environmentally friendly solutions (e.g. solar lamps), open-air playgrounds and gyms, and renovation/installation of the new bridges over the lakes [1].

In 1995 the city of Munich decided to implement a new green residential district in the derelict area of the former Munich-Riem airport which was closed in 1992. (Reference 9) The area was designed to have an intensively used residential area in the north and an extensively used green recreational area in the south. The project was completed in 2005. It is 210 hectares large, making it the third-largest public park in Munich. (Reference 1) The park includes a 10-hectare large artificial lake, a 15-hectare large forest and two 20 meter high artificial observation and toboggan hills made from the demolition material of the former airport. (Reference 9) The park is appreciated by people but concerns about the loss of biodiversity have been raised. Citizens use the park for walking, cycling, swimming in the lake or simply for relaxation. (Reference 4)

The Green Belt in Frankfurt am Main spans in the inner area of the city and covers almost a third of the city's wider area which is around 80 square kilometres, around half of which is the city forest (6). In 1991, as stated in the city council's Green Belt Constitution, the Belt has been declared a protected open space while it also outlined the long term goal of securing and developing it (1). The green belt with its landscapes, excursion destinations and the large network of paths is important for the quality of life in Frankfurt and at the same time offers a place of retreat for plants and animals. It is essential for a good urban climate (1).

The Desjoyaux ZAC in the Crêt-de-Roc district, was created in 2005. Since then, this three-and-a-half-hectare site, which is involved in the process of receiving the "eco-district" national label certification since 2015, has metamorphosed (Ref. 1). Some works aim to renew and embellish the public spaces located near the residences of the street and the impasse Desjoyaux to preserve biodiversity in the city center of Saint Etienne and for the well-being of citizens. (Ref. 1, 2 and 3). Community gardens, park, ephemeral gardens, swales and sustainable water filtration system are being developed in this project (Ref. 1, 2 and 3).

The restoration of the Nesttun watercourse was made in order to secure the watercourse’s surroundings against damaging floods and to develop its urban qualities as a blue/green structure traversing this part of the city. The City of Bergen has exploited possibilities in flood control measures to develop the watercourse’s natural qualities and improve accessibility. A number of measures were completed in order to give the watercourse a positive ecological status and make it into an attractive recreation corridor, learning arena and secure ‘blue-green’ urban structure. (Ref 1, 2)