On the 25th June 2018, the Lead Partner for the PERFECT project, the TCPA, provided an interactive training session to planners, environmental officers and local politicians in the county of Essex on planning for green infrastructure. The event was an opportunity to disseminate the achievements of the PERFECT project and help other municipalities in England to learn about the work of the PERFECT partner, Cornwall Council.

During the session, planning and landscape architecture experts set out the UK evidence, policy requirements and practical examples of effective strategic planning for multi-functional green infrastructure and strategic and local delivery mechanisms. Rob Lacey from Cornwall Council joined other experts including from Essex County Council and introduced the benefits and impact of the PERFECT project on integrating green infrastructure into local plans in Cornwall. The outcome of this training is to help inform the green infrastructure chapter of the joint strategic spatial plan of this group of councils.  

The PERFECT project is aiming to raise awareness amongst policy makers about the importance of planning for green infrastructure at the earliest stages. Through this exercise, Cornwall Council has been able to share the learning from the PERFECT partners with members of its stakeholder group including other local authorities and delivery partners. The next steps will be for Cornwall Council and other PERFECT partners to use the learning in the project to prepare their Action Plans for maximising the multiple benefits of green infrastructure.