Marshall is supportive of ambitious targets for green infrastructure provision within developments. As detailed in the response above related to biodiversity, Marshall is developing ambitious plans to accommodate green infrastructure that provides a high value biodiversity resource.

However, Marshall also recognises that biodiversity enhancement is only one part of the green infrastructure solution and therefore proposes to make green infrastructure multi-functional. The evolving proposals for Cambridge East support the inclusion of other ecosystem services including in particular: natural water management including sustainable drainage and natural filtration beds; carbon sequestration through new tree planting and other habitat and soil enhancement on-site and off-site; urban cooling; food growing; air quality amelioration; soundscaping; improving landscape character; urban greening; provision of formal and informal recreational space; and others. These meet well the themes of the GCSP as set out in the Green Infrastructure Recommendations Report.

In addition, Marshall is keen that Cambridge East helps support a further spatial theme: enhancement of the eastern fens, which is identified in the same GI Recommendations Report. Marshall is keen to discuss with the GCSP whether, for Cambridge East, any off-site (or on-site, if development was to occur east of Airport Way) BNG that may be sought, or carbon sequestration initiative, could also lead to helping support meeting of the key objectives, which include creating wildlife corridors and helping reduce negative impact from access, that relate to this spatial theme. Given the achievement of these objectives would require works being undertaken on land owned by others we would be keen to understand, and support the development if necessary, of a process that allows this to occur through development contributions.

Finally Marshall would welcome the Local Plan requiring all, or at least developments of a significant scale, to be required to seek green infrastructure accreditation, for example through the Building with Nature scheme.