Coventry City Council has won a major grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, securing nearly £1 million to transform the city’s green and blue spaces.
The transformation will particularly occur in areas with limited nature through the ‘Green for All’ scheme. This will significantly improve public health and boost the city’s climate resilience.
Through the ‘Green for All’ scheme, nature will be a central part of Coventry’s future. The funding will help revitalise parks, create new community gardens, restore waterways and develop natural corridors bringing vibrant, accessible green spaces closer to where people live. The scheme will also support the creation of school allotments, offering children a hands-on experience with nature and inspiring the next generation.
The Council will be setting up a new partnership to deliver the project and will be working with partners to transform how we plan, manage and make best use of our green spaces for nature and people across the city. Local people will be at the heart of the work and activities will include empowering local people to take part, providing training to staff and volunteers to improve nature conservation across the city, alongside, practical projects, with children and young people playing a vital role in shaping the future of the city’s natural environment.
A comprehensive digital mapping initiative will also create an interactive resource on the council's website, helping residents discover and connect with nearby natural spaces while informing a pioneering Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy that will prioritise nature in future developments.
The ‘Green for All’ initiative, in partnership with local organisations, community groups and schools, will deliver:
- new green corridors and revitalised urban parks as part of Coventry’s Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy.
- co-designed green spaces with under-represented communities, empowering residents to shape and take ownership of local natural areas.
- upskilling the city’s workforce through new training programmes, apprenticeships and educational resources for schools and community groups.
- developing sustainable funding and innovation to protect and expand Coventry’s green spaces for the long term.
- supporting nature restoration of 30% of the city’s land by 2030, driving biodiversity and climate resilience.
Cllr Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change, said: “This successful bid demonstrates our commitment to a greener, healthier and more sustainable future for Coventry. The funding will help us to ensure every resident can access green spaces and nature within their local community.
“Whether it’s transforming neglected front gardens, upgrading shared alleyways and frontages or using digital tools to make nature more accessible, the project will create new opportunities, improve well-being and encourage community spirit.
“This is a significant step to ensure Coventry becomes a national leader in the movement to re-green our towns and cities, proving that urban nature can be a powerful force to connect local communities, improve our local landmarks and create a greener Coventry.”
A range or organisations from across the city will help to deliver the project including Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, John Muir Trust, National Trust, Historic Coventry Trust, Grapevine Coventry and Warwickshire, Garden Organic and Coventry and Warwick Universities.
Cllr Patricia Hetherton, Cabinet Member for City Services, added: “Our green spaces are vital to the city, not only for our environment and wildlife, but for the well-being and health of residents. This new funding empowers us to make these natural spaces more inclusive, accessible and inspiring for residents and visitors.
“With this support, we’ll be able to plant more trees, enhance walking paths and create welcoming community spaces that offer peaceful escapes within our city. These improvements will help transform everyday spaces into places of tranquillity, improving the daily well-being of residents.
“We are committed to ensuring that every corner of Coventry can share in the benefits of green spaces. This investment marks a meaningful step forward in our mission to make nature an important part of daily life in Coventry.”
Margot James, Chair of the Coventry Independent Climate Change Board said “The Coventry Climate Change Board comprises a wide range of partners across the city and has a clear vision for a cleaner, greener and more sustainable Coventry. Thanks to this funding that vision will become a reality sooner rather than later. A huge amount of work went in to winning this funding and I would like to congratulate, and thank, everyone involved in the process.
“Introducing green spaces, restoring biodiversity and improving our city’s ability to be resilient to the effects of climate change are central pillars to our strategy. This funding will not only help in the short term but it will also help us set the foundations to ensure that nature is at the heart of Coventry’s future”.
Green for All community events will be held later this year, and local people will be able to get involved. People can find out more on the Council's website.