Extensive road, rail and energy network developments are planned across the Northern Powerhouse area. At the same time Nature Recovery Networks are being defined in response to the Environment Bill.  This concept aims to connect up the Nature Recovery networks across the North and link them in to Transport and Energy Infrastructure plans so that they can complement each other. Natural solutions have the capacity to provide a considerable financial return on investment due to protection of critical infrastructure from issues and constraints e.g. flooding and erosion.

Here there is an opportunity to ensure biodiversity and environmental net gain work across these networks whilst also improving their resilience to climate change. There is also the opportunity to identify and create new green infrastructure to provide a range of benefits including mitigating the adverse effects of the networks, improving ecological connectivity and providing ecosystem services.

As of Summer 2025, the Green Northern Connections team are currently progressing work on the project pipeline, informed by responses to a recent questionnaire circulated across Northern Wildlife Trusts. Feedback has helped identify potential project areas, with initial mapping submissions already received and further updates anticipated. This process continues to support regional engagement and the development of future opportunities.

To further support project viability, GNC has allocated seed funding to enable project development to be resourced in those projects that align with GNC’s overarching goals while engaging its primary funding audience—service operators within Linear Infrastructure sectors.

Through stakeholder engagement and early-stage project support, the GNC team aims to lay the groundwork for future investment, ecological restoration, and long-term environmental resilience.