Protecting nature, biodiversity and green spaces
Performance reflections
Improvements were made to 128,000m² of grassland and hedgerows across the city, plus 830m of habitat restoration along the Coventry Canal to support water vole recovery, in partnership with the Canal & River Trust and Warwickshire Wildlife Trust.
Seven park sites were identified for targeted biodiversity enhancement, with reduced mowing enabling natural vegetation recovery, increased pollinator-friendly planting, and improved habitat quality.
Tree planting was expanded across multiple sites using a mix of whips and semi-mature trees, supporting both long-term canopy growth and immediate amenity value. Over 1,600 trees were planted through biodiversity S106 funding at a cost of £40,570.
A baseline for access to green and blue space is being established through the Council's Green for All programme. At present, access to green space is uneven across parts of Coventry, presenting a significant challenge. The city's Green Space Strategy (2019 to 2024) highlights that some of the inner-city wards have access to less than 0.5ha green space per 1000 people, compared to 6ha in other areas.
This is the best baseline data we have at present, but we are working to improve the data sets so that they are more comprehensive, including capturing access to blue space (rivers and canals), quality of green space, biodiversity and climate resilience.
During the year, 6 Tiny Forests were delivered in nature‑deprived areas of Coventry, each comprising approximately 600 trees. These dense native woodlands have increased tree cover, improved local biodiversity, and expanded access to nature in some of the city’s most deprived communities.
The initiative also achieved strong community engagement, with schools and local groups directly involved in planting activities. In addition, progress has been made in expanding opportunities for community food growing, with 4 new community growing sites in development across the city. These sites will bring underused land into productive use and increase local access to green space and community-led environmental activity.
Actions taken in year
During the year, the Council secured significant external funding and established the foundations for a long-term programme to address inequalities in access to green space. This includes just under £1m from the Nature Towns and Cities Fund to deliver the 3-year Green for All programme, alongside Local Authority Tree Fund support for tree planting and E.ON funding for community growing initiatives. These resources have enabled the Council to work in partnership with environmental organisations, academic institutions and community groups to build capacity, improve data, and develop a comprehensive plan to tackle unequal access to green and blue space across the city.
Through Green for All, work has begun to strengthen the evidence base, develop new policy approaches, and design practical interventions to improve connectivity to nature in urban areas. The programme sets out clear ambitions, including ensuring all residents can access quality green space within a 15-minute walk and increasing tree canopy cover so that every household can see at least 3 trees. Delivery planning is already underway to support these ambitions, including expanding street tree planting and launching a new community growing programme from 2026 to 2027, enabling residents and community groups to transform underused council-owned land into community gardens.
In parallel, the Council has progressed delivery-focused initiatives, including the Coventry Grows pilot, which is converting underused land into 4 community growing sites, with completion planned for 2026 to 2027. To support long-term sustainability, a new Community Growing Policy has also been developed, backed by £100,000 per year from 2026 to 2027, ensuring ongoing investment in community-led green space provision and local environmental improvement.