A Swedish Lesson for London?

The concept of the Green Space Factor (GSF) has been used in many places to improve environmental features associated with new housing. Locations where GSF has been invoked, include Berlin, Hamburg, Seattle, Southampton and Stockholm. The old Western harbour region of Malmo (Sweden) provides a particularly good, recent example of this approach (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/feb/05/malmo-sweden-success-rewild-london-aoe). This area of Malmo (designated BO01), now has 1,400 new, publically-owned homes. It was designed as a model community for a housing exposition. Its homes are mostly in 5 storey blocks, but each has green social spaces, that had to meet GSF requirements. Builders were given points for including items like green roofs, mature trees, bird boxes, ponds for frogs et cetera. The impressive consequence is that BO01's green social spaces are very diverse and all are part of the public realm (they are not fenced). A possible downside is that the housing is relatively expensive and is mainly occupied by comparatively wealthy folk. Adjoining areas of Malmo, catering for a more diverse population of Swedes, have not been so effectively 'greened' and made more biodiverse. Critics of the scheme have suggested that, although GSF gives the possibility of improving biodiversity, it does not guarantee it. It is suggested that the bottom line is that if you want to improve green spaces, you must get designers and architects to respond to local needs. The allocating points approach has a problem, as private developers soon find short-cuts in the process. They quickly identify, what items give them 'brownie points', so the developed green spaces become less diverse. Stockholm has built on the Malmo system, by giving scores for biodiversity, climate adaptation (including water management), as well as social and aesthetic factors. London is now involved in the Urban Greening Factor initiative. It is seeking to improve the green spaces in a number of areas of the City. London is especially taking its inspiration from the Malmo development (good) but might benefit by also looking at the Stockholm approach.