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• Local authorities and community partners across the UK invited to apply for grants totalling 拢15 million.听

• Councils will be supported to put green infrastructure at the heart of their plans and priorities, improving the climate resilience of their places and enabling access for all.听听听

• Initiative backed by a new partnership between the National Trust, The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Natural England, working closely with NatureScot, Natural Resources Wales and the Northern Ireland Environmental Agency.听

• Seeking further investment鈥痶o help Councils and communities achieve their ambitions to create greener, fairer, connected neighbourhoods that give communities pride in their place.

A new initiative announced today will enable at least 100听towns听补苍诲听cities听across the UK to become better places to live and work, by putting听nature听and green spaces at the heart of their plans and priorities. The initiative is starting in 鈥榖eta phase鈥� to enable Councils, communities, partners and funders to shape it together. It aims to attract further investment and support for greener and fairer urban communities, improving people鈥檚 health and wellbeing, creating better connected and more climate-resilient neighbourhoods. It will focus on those currently lacking听nature听and access to parks and open green space.听

Pressure on budgets and competition for urban space has meant that听nature, historic parks and green spaces have been neglected or lost from many neighbourhoods over the last few decades. Many urban communities are suffering the effects 鈥� limited outdoor spaces to play, relax or socialise and streets that can be too hot, with polluted air or higher flood risk. Latest government data reveals well over 40 million people don鈥檛 have access to a green space a short walk from home.听听

Nature听Towns听&听Cities,听a new initiative set up by The National Trust, The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Natural England aims to help Councils and communities tackle this by bringing听nature听and green space into their urban communities and places. The three organisations are also working closely with NatureScot, Natural Resources Wales and Northern Ireland Environment Agency to take the initiative UK-wide.听听听

Local authorities and their partners, including community and other civic organisations, are invited to apply for capacity-building grants as part of the initiative.听 From early next year there will also be the opportunity to join a peer network to share learning and practical solutions and take advantage of schemes to attract new investment.听听

Nature听Towns听&听Cities听builds on the legacy of the Future Parks Accelerator, a previous partnership between The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the National Trust, as well as closely aligning with Natural England鈥檚 Green Infrastructure Framework and standards. It will also help local authorities to develop and implement Local听Nature听Recovery Strategies, identifying the best opportunities to recover听nature听in their urban areas.听

From 1 October, local authorities and their community partners will be able to apply for鈥痝rants of between 拢250k to 拢1million, with The National Lottery Heritage Fund making 拢15m in funding available UK-wide. Grants have been designed to provide organisations with capacity and headspace to think and plan their urban green space for the long term. Grants will help to develop partnerships, leadership and capability and build the foundations for change, help to attract new income and investment for delivery and sustainability.鈥�听

From early 2025, organisations will also be able to connect to a UK-wide network of peers working on similar challenges, sharing answers and expertise to tap into best practice, and unlock the benefits of green spaces and听nature听for residents and communities. The network will serve local government, community organisations, charities and professionals across the UK, with access to a programme of events and training, a library of resources and tailored support.鈥�鈥�鈥�听

Linda Anglin, Edinburgh听City听Council, said:

鈥淩ethinking our parks, green spaces and the ways they connect across the听city听has been transformational in Edinburgh over the last 5 years. We were part of the Future Parks Accelerator programme, a precursor to this听Nature听Towns听补苍诲听Cities听initiative, which helped us find new ways of maximising听nature鈥檚 contribution to the wellbeing of our communities. We are now pioneers of Scotland鈥檚 first听Nature听Network. With over 200 actions identified to manage, restore and enhance the urban landscape in Edinburgh, we鈥檝e seen tangible changes on the ground which are making a difference for both people and听nature.鈥澨�听

Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, says:

鈥淲e are delighted to be part of this partnership initiative to ensure听nature听is championed across our urban environments and across the UK. It fits with our ambitions to increase our support for strategic projects that help habitats and species thrive, reducing and mitigating the impacts of climate change, while helping people and communities connect to our unique natural heritage and supports our vision for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future.鈥澨�

Hilary McGrady, Director-General of the National Trust said:

鈥淭here is overwhelming evidence that access to green space improves our mental and physical health and wellbeing. Yet in England well over 40 million people don鈥檛 have access to green space close to home. Councils are uniquely placed to tackle this, working with their communities and local partners. We understand the difficulties caused by long term cuts to budgets and capacity, and we hope this initiative gives them the inspiration and support they need to improve everyday access to听nature听and the outdoors for all.听听

鈥淲e have seen from our work over the last decade what amazing results can be achieved by Councils working with their communities and civic partners to bring听nature听into neighbourhoods and across their听towns听补苍诲听cities. We know many other places have similar ambitions to enhance the lives of their residents, bringing hope and aspiration for their futures and we want to help make these a reality.鈥澨�

Marian Spain, Chief Executive, Natural England said:听听

鈥淓verybody should be able to connect with听nature听in their neighbourhood, and that includes people living in urban areas. Improved access to green spaces at the heart of our听towns听补苍诲听cities听creates healthier and better places to live which are resilient to climate change, and it provides huge support for people鈥檚 mental and physical wellbeing.听

鈥淣ature听Towns听补苍诲听Cities听will offer local authorities and community groups the resources and expertise that they need to bring people closer to the natural environment and give them more opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors.鈥澨�

For further details on听Nature听Towns听&听Cities, please visit听. Find out more about applying for a grant听.鈥�舛寞听

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Notes to Editors听

For further information or images please contact xxx听

For media queries for Natural England, please contact the Defra Newsdesk team:听0330 041 6560听newsdesk@defra.gov.uk听

For media queries for The National Lottery Heritage Fund, please contact Hannah Dolby听07511 216812听Hannah.Dolby@heritagefund.org.uk听

For media queries for the National Trust, please contact the National Trust Press Office听0344 8004955听Press.office@nationaltrust.org.uk听听

About The National Lottery Heritage Fund听

As the largest dedicated funder of the UK鈥檚 heritage, The National Lottery Heritage Fund鈥檚 vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future as set out in our strategic plan,听.听

Over the next ten years, we aim to invest 拢3.6billion raised for good causes by National Lottery players to bring about benefits for people, places and the natural environment.听听

We help protect, transform and share the things from the past that people care about, from popular museums and historic places, our natural environment and fragile species, to the languages and cultural traditions that celebrate who we are.听

We are passionate about heritage and committed to driving innovation and collaboration to make a positive difference to people鈥檚 lives today, while leaving a lasting legacy for future generations to enjoy.听听

Follow @HeritageFundUK on听,听听补苍诲听听and use #NationalLottery #HeritageFund听听听

About the National Trust听

The National Trust is an independent conservation charity founded in 1895 by three people: Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter and Hardwicke Rawnsley, who saw the importance of the nation鈥檚 heritage and open spaces and wanted to preserve them for everyone to enjoy. Today, across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, we continue to look after places so people and听nature听can thrive.听
听
We care for more than 250,000 hectares of countryside, 780 miles of coastline, 1 million collection items and 500 historic properties, gardens and听nature听reserves. In 2023/24 we received 25.3 million visitors to our pay for entry sites. The National Trust is for everyone - we were founded for the benefit of the whole nation, and our 5.38 million members, funders and donors, and tens of thousands of volunteers support our work to care for听nature, beauty, history for everyone, for ever.听

About Natural England听

Natural England (NE) is the government鈥檚 adviser for the natural environment in England.听听

Its mission is鈥痓uilding partnerships for听nature鈥檚 recovery. This reflects the need for NE to work with and through a wide range of people and the need for rapid action to re-build sustainable ecosystems and thereby protect and restore habitats, species and landscapes.听

NE鈥檚 vision is of鈥痶hriving听nature听for people and planet. Its ambition is not just to improve听nature, but to see it thriving everywhere. This is because NE recognises that a healthy natural environment is fundamental to everyone鈥檚 wealth, health and happiness.听

About Future Parks Accelerator听

Future Parks Accelerator was a collaboration between the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the National Trust.鈥疶his 拢15m programme helped places redefine the role urban green space, working with 8 local authorities, covering a combined population of 5m people, to develop new approaches to improve and secure quality green space networks for the next generation.听

By working with Local Authorities and their partners from places across the UK, the programme was designed to protect and develop natural resources in urban areas, making sure quality green space is accessible for everyone to enjoy, now and into the future.鈥�听

About the Green Infrastructure Framework听

When听nature听is built into urban planning, the evidence shows the huge societal, environmental, and economic benefits it unlocks. Green Infrastructure (GI) is the foundation to building good quality听towns听补苍诲听cities.鈥� It can support better planning for good quality GI and help to target the creation or improvement of GI, particularly where existing provision is poorest.听

The Green Infrastructure Framework (GIF) provides a structure to analyse where greenspace in urban environments is needed most. It aims to support equitable access to greenspace across the country, with an overarching target for everyone being able to reach good quality greenspace in their local area.听

From parks to green roofs, and increased tree cover, the Green Infrastructure Framework will make a significant contribution to听nature听recovery by embedding听nature听into new developments. Increasing the extent and connectivity of听nature-rich habitats will also help increase wildlife populations, build resilience to the impacts of climate change, and ensure our听cities听are habitable for the future.