What to do with the spaces in between? The social-ecological value of informal green space and the challenge of planning the unplanned

Abstract

The evolving discourse around IGS – the unplanned and unintended green spaces in our cities – has developed to a point where we have a strong and growing understanding of their diverse social-ecological value. With our growing understanding of IGS comes the capacity and responsibility to think more critically about how these spaces should be more actively considered in land use decision making to improve social and environmental justice outcomes. The paper explores this concept, outlining three strategies to assist planners and managers make more informed decisions regarding IGS. The three strategies include the strategic hands-off approach, formalisation approach, and temporary use approach. No single approach is suitable in all circumstances, and the paper discusses the strengths and weakness of each. The strategic hands-off approach allows IGS to develop naturally with minimal intervention, making it suitable for sites with existing ecological or social value. The formalisation approach converts IGS into more formal green spaces – such as parks – capitalising on the potential of an IGS site, while possibly destroying any existing value in the process. The temporary use approach strikes a balance between these two methods, allowing and supporting some smaller scale installations while ensuring the most valuable existing site features are retained. Finally, I outline several key outstanding questions to guide future research in the field of IGS and green space planning. This paper guides decision-makers by discussing the advantages and limitations of each approach and suggests future research directions to enhance IGS planning and management in the urban environment.