Lancaster University experts are set to work with local authorities seeking to improve soil sustainability in their area.

The sustainable management of soil plays a major role in our environment by supporting green infrastructure, flood mitigation and carbon sequestration. Yet soils have often been overlooked in urban planning and development.

Experts say it is crucial that we not only stem the damage done to these vital ecosystems, but also consider how better planning and management of soil can result in better environmental and societal outcomes, and the creation of better places to live.

This new project, co-led by Jessica Davies, Professor of Sustainability at Lancaster Environment Centre, and design expert Dr Mirian Calvo, from design-led research centre Imagination Lancaster, has received £32,000 to help work with local authorities – Lancaster City Council and Cornwall Council - to develop a blueprint for further action.

The funding, from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Impact Acceleration Account and the project partners, will enable the development of an open toolkit that helps local authorities embed soil sustainability in local planning policy.

Professor Jessica Davies, from Lancaster Environment Centre, said: “Soils have been too long overlooked in planning and construction – past development has caused a great deal of damage to soils leading to contamination, increased flood risks, and habitat loss.

“The flipside to this though is that there is a huge opportunity for change and to think about how we can work with soils so that we retain soil carbon helping with net zero targets, support biodiversity and realise many of the other benefits that living alongside healthy soils bring.

“We are really excited to work with fantastic forward-thinking local authority partners in Lancaster and Cornwall and develop a blueprint for how to include soils in local planning policy.

“But we’re really keen that this opportunity doesn’t stop there – by working with design expert Dr Mirian Calvo we’ll be developing an open toolkit that can help other local authorities to embrace soils in their local plans.

“We welcome councils to get in touch with us and we’ll keep you informed about the process and the free toolkit that we’ll develop.”

The project will explore and accelerate the adoption of soil sustainability principles in local planning policy. This will be of primary benefit to those engaged in planning in local authorities, helping them navigate this new area of sustainability and explore how they can create robust policy in partnership with others in the development chain and deliver positive climate, food, water and biodiversity outcomes for their citizens and local economies.

Paul Hatch, Principal Planning Officer at Lancaster City Council, said: “Lancaster City Council welcome the opportunity to work collaboratively and proactively with our partners to investigate how soils can be better protected through the development process.”

The project builds on the work by a Soils in Planning and Construction Task Force – a collaboration between academics, local councils, architects and landscape professionals. Lancaster Environment Centre experts, alongside partners at Lancaster City Council, Cornwall Council, architects JTP and Farrer Huxley, and The Landscape Institute collaborated to release a new report earlier this year, which highlights the importance of sustainably managing soil.

The report also recently featured as a case study for best practice in a new Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) guide for local authorities on planning for climate change.