Climate Resilient Neighbourhoods

C L I M AT E R E S I L I E N T NEIGHBOURHOODS Unlocking Co-Benefits By Designing For Climate Change

Alex Greenwood Urban Design & City Planning MSc Bartlett School of Planning, UCL

CLIMATE RESILIENT NEIGHBOURHOODS As the world continues to warm, the impacts of climate change are becoming increasingly evident. Historically, mitigation rather than adaptation, has received the most research attention. However, despite the benefits of adaptation being felt at the local level there has been little research into design at the neighbourhood scale.

This project argues that through mainstreaming climate adaptation at the neighbourhood scale, not only can climate resilience be increased, but other core areas of the urban agenda can be progressed simultaneously.

The toolkit aims to offer accessible interventions which focus on the built environment and community, offering scope for both bottom-up and top-down action.

Application is demonstrated through designs for Harlesden, a neighbourhood in Northwest London that is vulnerable to climate change related risks.

Type of project: Individual Mark: Distinction (74%)

DESIGN FRAMEWORK & TOOLKIT Based on the learnings from the literature and case studies a toolkit was produced to improve climate resilience of a neighbourhood whilst unlocking environmental, health & well-being, social and economic co-benefits. It has been developed with a series of overarching design principals which should underpin future use.

REPLACE

Replace hot and impermeable surfaces

SPACE

Create year-round climate proof public spaces

CONNECT

Create the conditions for ongoing climate adaptation Design Principals //ACCESSIBLE

Many of these interventions are designed to be practical, pragmatic and not overly technical making them more accessible and achievable for individuals or community groups

Depaving

Mini Rain Garden

Tree Beds

Green Wall

Water Harvesting Street Furniture

Green Roof

Mini Raised Garden

Water Barrels

Reflective Paint

Swales

//COLLABORATIVE To achieve optimum results a mix of bottom-up and top-down support is required, so the interventions in the tool kit require a range of levels of support but collaboration between residents, local businesses and local government will likely be

//QUICK Speed is of the urgency with adaptation and therefore many of these interventions can be rolled out quickly and with limited expert knowledge

//MODULAR

Many of the Replace interventions can be combined as part of the Space category to simplify roll out across a neighbourhood

Resilience Centre

Adaptation Training Programme

Cool Building Network

Neighbourhood Communication Network

Large Rain Garden

Cool Route

Pedestrianised Rain Garden

Urban Farm

Cool Street

NbS Water Square

Linear Street Park

Permeable Paving

CLIMATE RISK & SITE ANALYSIS Harlesden was chosen for the project because the area is at high risk from the impacts of climate change due to a number of underlying vulnerabilities. It is also an example of an intensively developed urban area with higher than average density and little unused spaces.

Tokyngton Church End

Willesden Green

Climate Risk Analysis Climate risk across the neighbourhood is high, especially in the western areas. Key markers such as deprivation levels, access to open space and tree canopy cover are all elevated. Analysis allowed tailoring of interventions such as surface water flood risk around Furness Road Primary School.

Harlesden

Kensal Rise

North Action Old Oak Common

Overall Climate Risk Heat Risk

Deprivation Levels

Application Areas Based on the analysis, four areas were chosen within the wider neighbourhood as application areas, which were further analysed and toolkit demonstrated.

Surface Water Flood Risk

Tree Canopy Cover

Deficiency in Access To Open Space

Furness Primary School Application Area 4

Urban Analysis The neighbourhood contains a number of busy main roads, with cycle and walking routes limited. Access to open space is limited away from Roundwood Park in the north.

Density higher than Brent average, with many properties converted terrace houses, limiting open space further.

Harlesden Town Centre Application Area 3

.

Land Use Analysis 1 2

Central Harlesden Application Area 2

5 20 mins 5 2

4 1

3 6

4 3

Movement Analysis

Green Space Analysis

South West Harlesden Application Area 1

APPLICATION - AREA 1

Current Condition

Deficient in access to open space although Bramshill Open Space well used.

mand. Areas around traffic barriers underused. Inactive wall along southern Harley Road, especially adjacent to Bramshill Road.

Joining with Harlesden Healthy Neighbourhood

Existing Traffic Barrier Location

Inactive Wall Alongside Railway

Existing Cycle Path

Harlesden Primary School

50m

. Existing road closures mean streets are quiet and little parking de-

n edge inactive and currently fly tipping problem. Excellent shade along

Joining With Site 2

Bramshill Road

Bramshill Road Open Space

Tree Beds

Mini Rain Garden

Green Wall

Water Harvesting Street Furniture

Permeable Paving

Mini Raised Garden

Reflective Paving

Depaving

Linear Street Park

Cool Street

Pedestrianised Rain Garden

Resilience Centre Adaptation Training Programme

Cool Route

Communication Network

Existing well shaded section of Harley Road & traffic restriction

Co-Benefits Analysis rle

Ha

d

oa yR

• •

Harlesden Baptist Church

•

Promote local NbS projects

•

Increased proximity to nature

•

Promote local economy through

•

•

Reduces health complications of extreme heat stress

•

•

Reduce hospital costs associated

•

Promotes community cohesion

•

Inexpensive construction

•

New social spaces

Increase in proximity to nature

methods

•

Encouraging active travel

Connects to existing Healthy Neighbourhood Streets

with heat stress

Encouraging active travel

connecting local businesses, residents and council

•

Increase in biodiversity

•

Increased proximity to nature

•

Contributes toward reducing

•

Extension of well used local park

•

Create development and training opportunities for local people

• • •

Extension of Bramshill Road Open Space

•

Increase in biodiversity

•

Increase in biodiversity

Air pollution improvements Increased proximity to nature Encouraging active travel

Encourages active travel longterm flood risk

•

Contributes toward reducing longterm flood risk

•

Newly created social space and discourage flytipping through

•

Inexpensive construction methods activating use

APPLICATION - AREA 2

Current Condition

Area bounded by Harlesden High Street & Station Road. Avenue Road back alley behind houses opens out to Harlesde

Council owned car park located on Wendover Road. Currently unused strip of land adjacent to railway in the southeast end of Honeywood Road.

Wendover Road Car Park Joining With Harlesden Town Centre/Site 3

Wendover Ro ad

Stati o

n Ro

Junction of A400 and Honeywood Road

Honeywo

od Road

All Souls Parish Church

ad/A

4000

20m

Joining With Site 1

en High Street but underused.

t corner. Existing road closure at

Avenue Road Back Alley

Tree Beds

Mini Rain Garden

Green Wall

Water Harvesting Street Furniture

Permeable Paving

Mini Raised Garden

Reflective Paving

Depaving

Large Rain Garden

Cool Building Network

Urban Farm

Communication Network

Cool Route

Unused Railway Land

Co-Benefits Analysis • Increase in biodiversity • Air pollution improvements

• Increase in biodiversity • Air pollution improvements

• Inexpensive construction methods

• Encourages active travel by creating car free route to Harlesden Town Centre

• New social spaces • Community pride

• Increased proximity to nature • Promotes physical activity • Contributes toward reducing longterm flood risk • Driver of sustainable development • New social spaces • New play spaces

• • • •

Increase in biodiversity Low carbon local food produce Increased proximity to nature Promotes physical activity

• Opportunity to contribute toward local economy through food network • Community cohesion • Learning and education

• Reduces health complications of extreme heat stress • Reduce hospital costs associated with heat stress • Promotes community cohesion • Development of social networks

• Increase in biodiversity

• Inexpensive construction methods

• Increased proximity to nature • Promotes active travel

• New social spaces

APPLICATION - AREA 3

Current Condition

Harlesden Plaza dominated by large carpark an

Street that runs through the site semi-pedestria

Ma

no

rP ark

Harlesden Plaza Car Park

Ha

rle

sd

en

Hi

gh

Str e

et

Harlesden High Street

Harlesden Methodist Church

20m

Joining With Site 2

Ro a

d/A

40

4

nd supermarket buildings. Section of Harlesden High

anised and limited shading options.

Reflective Paving

Mini Rain Garden

Green Roof

Large Rain Garden

Pedestrianised Rain Garden

Cool Building Network

Cool Route

Communication Network

Harlesden Plaza Car Park

Harlesden High Street Junction

Co-Benefits Analysis • Reduces health complications of extreme heat stress • Reduce hospital costs associated with heat stress et

r

Ha

en

d les

e Str h ig

• Promotes community cohesion • Development of social networks

• Increase in biodiversity • Increased proximity to nature • Contributes toward reducing longterm flood risk • Driver of sustainable development • Integrates businesses into community resilience planning

H

• Increase in biodiversity • Air and noise pollution improvements • Wellbeing benefits from increased proximity to nature • Promotes active travel • Contributes toward reducing longterm flood risk • Driver of sustainable development • Increase footfall to high street businesses • New social spaces • Civic pride

• Increase in biodiversity • Air and water pollution improvements • Increased proximity to nature • Promotes active travel • Contributes toward reducing longterm flood risk • Driver of sustainable development • New social and community spaces, focal point for Harlesden Town Centre

APPLICATION - AREA 4 Furness Primary School

Furness Road Flood Risk Area

Furness Road Flood Risk Area

Palermo Road

Current Condition

High surface flood risk at the junction of Furness Road and Palermo Road, putting Fur-

Tree Beds

Mini Rain Garden

Wrottesly Road, along Furness Road.

Green Wall

Rain Barrels

Permeable Paving

Mini Raised Garden

Swale

Resilience Centre

ness Road Primary School at risk. Predicated flow of flood water east to west, from

s tte ro W ly

Pedestrianised Rain Garden

a Ro

oad ss R

d

ne Fur

Cool Route

Adaptation Training Programme Communication Network

Co-Benefits Analysis • Increase in biodiversity • Air pollution improvements next to school • Increased proximity to nature • Promotes active travel • Reduces flood damage to school • Driver of sustainable development • New social and play spaces • Promotes social interactions at school gates

• Promote local NbS projects • Create opportunities for residents to have more agency • Promote local economy through connecting local businesses, residents and council

20m

• Create development and training opportunities for local people • Develop and strengthen social networks

T H A N K YO U Alex Greenwood alex.greenwood9@gmail.com