The Connecting to Nature project Phase 1 was carried out using funding from Homes England for Newton Abbot & Kingsteignton Garden Community. It involved a review of existing and proposed new green spaces that are important to local people for enjoying the natural outdoor environment, and included a stakeholder workshop and public consultation to understand local priorities.

You can view the recommendations for enhancing these green spaces for nature and for the public to connect with nature. You can also view a summary of the findings and an interactive map on the Connecting to Nature website.

Phase 2 of Connecting to Nature will begin in June 2022, following further funds being awarded to Garden Community projects. This will involve a more detailed review of the green spaces put forward from Phase 1, as well as of other suitable green spaces in the wider area (taking account of the Devon Nature Recovery Network mapping), to select and prioritise sites where biodiversity net gain can effectively be delivered, and to understand where this can include public access or not. This will feed into the Local Plan review as evidence to support good quality delivery of biodiversity net gain, which must ensure uplift for nature as the core outcome.