BALI responds to Andy Burnham’s Labour Party Conference speech

The British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) Policy team was in attendance at the Labour Party Conference today and welcomes a number of the themes emerging from Andy Burnham’s speech, particularly where they point towards greater investment in the UK’s infrastructure, housing, water and energy systems.

Water infrastructure must be fit for the future

BALI is encouraged by the discussions taking place around water management and sustainability and the need for reform.

For landscape businesses, water is not an abstract infrastructure issue, as reliable water supplies, effective drainage, sustainable surface-water management and resilient green infrastructure are all essential to the successful design, construction and maintenance of landscapes.

We believe that any future reforms should ensure that investment delivers tangible improvements to water quality, drainage capacity, flood resilience and the natural environment, while supporting rather than delaying responsible development.

More clarity on UK-EU trade

BALI also notes positively Andy Burnham’s commitment to developing a clearer, longer-term relationship between the UK and the European Union.

For the landscape sector, improving the UK’s trading relationship with Europe could have practical benefits, such as reducing unnecessary barriers to trade and improving the movement of goods would help businesses plan with greater certainty, control costs and access the products they need. BALI would welcome further detail on how the Government intends to develop this relationship.

Housing and construction need a landscape-led approach

Increasing housing supply must go hand-in-hand with investment in the places around those homes. New developments need properly funded green infrastructure from the outset – including parks, public open space, sustainable drainage, play areas, biodiversity measures and long-term landscape management.

BALI therefore supports a planning and development approach in which landscaping is treated as essential infrastructure rather than an optional addition at the end of a project.

The Government’s wider ambition to improve housing delivery should also be accompanied by a focus on quality. Building more homes is important, but so is creating attractive, resilient and sustainable places in which people want to live and communities can thrive.

Landscaping as a critical tool for local growth

A recurring theme in Burnham’s agenda is greater power and responsibility for local and regional government. For the landscape sector, this creates an opportunity to work closer to the heart of local economic development.

Landscape businesses are already delivering much of the infrastructure that makes communities healthier, more attractive and more resilient. With the right investment, procurement frameworks and skills support, the sector can make a significant contribution to housing delivery, climate adaptation, biodiversity recovery and the creation of better public spaces.

Long-term thinking should bring greater confidence

BALI also welcomes the emphasis on a longer-term approach through a 10-year plan. For the landscape industry, long-term certainty is particularly important: businesses need confidence that investment in housing, infrastructure, skills, water management and the environment will be sustained beyond individual political cycles. A longer-term approach could also support better planning for green infrastructure, ensuring that parks, trees, sustainable drainage, biodiversity and public spaces are properly considered, funded and maintained throughout the lifetime of a development.

BALI looks forward to next month's budget to solidify these details and press for BALI's asks of the Chancellor.

Image credit: Andy Burnham ©House of Commons