‘Designing tomorrow’s Glasgow through nature-based solutions, subsurface data and inclusive design’

As cities face mounting pressures from climate change, urbanisation and social inequality, town planners are increasingly tasked with creating urban environments that are both sustainable and resilient.

Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city, offers a powerful example of how these goals can be harmonised through strategic planning, nature-based solutions and community-focused development.

Defining the balance

Sustainability involves reducing environmental impact, promoting equity and ensuring long-term viability. Resilience is the city’s ability to adapt to and recover from shocks, whether environmental, economic or social.

Glasgow’s planning documents and initiatives, particularly the City Development Plan (2017), Open Space Strategy (2020) and the Forestry and Woodland Strategy (2024), demonstrate how these goals are not only compatible but mutually reinforcing.

Placemaking and compact urban growth

The City Development Plan promotes placemaking and compact growth to reduce car dependency, regenerate derelict land and create vibrant walkable communities. This approach supports sustainability by lowering emissions and enhances resilience by fostering strong adaptable neighbourhoods. A prime example is the regeneration of Sighthill, where new homes, open spaces and active travel routes have transformed a previously disconnected area into a resilient urban hub. This development integrates housing with nature-based solutions and sustainable transport, embodying the principles of compact climate-conscious urban growth.

Nature-based solutions

The Open Space Strategy and Forestry and Woodland Strategy highlight the importance of integrating nature into the urban fabric. Glasgow’s planners are promoting the expansion of green corridors, the restoration of waterways and tree planting to mitigate climate impacts and enhance biodiversity.

The 2024 Forestry and Woodland Strategy identifies over 175ha of land within the council’s estate as suitable for tree planting, with a focus on areas such as Bridgeton, Dalmarnock, Govan, Levern and District and Possilpark, where canopy cover is below 15%.

These areas are prioritised not only for their environmental potential but also for their social need, bringing nature into communities that have historically lacked access to open space. This targeted planting improves air quality, supports biodiversity and enhances community wellbeing and resilience to climate change.

Environmental digital twin: data-driven resilience

Glasgow has developed an Environmental Digital Twin, a 2D and 3D digital representation of the city’s natural assets. The twin maps a range of environmental and spatial data. By using real-time data and spatial analysis, the city can make smarter and more targeted interventions that enhance both sustainability and resilience. This approach ensures that resources are directed where they are most needed and that interventions remain responsive to changing environmental conditions.

Equity and access to open space

The Open Space Strategy and Forestry and Woodland Strategy emphasise equitable access to quality open space, especially in underserved areas. This supports social sustainability and builds resilience by reducing health disparities, encouraging active lifestyles and strengthening community ties. For example, investment in parks and play areas in Pollok has improved access to nature for families and older residents, contributing to both physical and mental wellbeing. Similarly, the Forestry and Woodland Strategy identifies vacant and derelict land as a key opportunity for tree planting, particularly in areas of deprivation. By transforming these underused spaces into green assets, the city not only enhances biodiversity but also uplifts communities.

Liveable neighbourhoods and the 20-minute city

Glasgow is embracing the liveable neighbourhoods’ concept, aiming to ensure residents can access most daily needs within a 20-minute walk or cycle. This approach reduces emissions, supports local economies and builds community resilience. The Liveable Neighbourhoods Toolkit is guiding a 10-year programme that empowers communities to shape their own spaces, with tree planting and nature-based solutions playing a central role. Projects such as the Avenues Programme, which includes tree-lined streets like Sauchiehall Street and Argyle Street West, demonstrate how integrating greenery into public realm improvements can enhance walkability, reduce urban heat and support local businesses.

Foundations of resilience: the role of subsurface and geotechnical knowledge

Beneath Glasgow’s visible transformation lies a critical layer of planning: understanding the city’s subsurface conditions. Geotechnical and ground investigation data underpin many of the city’s sustainable and resilient initiatives, from tree planting and nature-based solutions to compact urban development. For example, regenerating brownfield sites such as Sighthill requires detailed knowledge of soil stability, contamination and drainage to ensure safe, long-lasting construction. Similarly, the success of green corridors and urban forestry depends on selecting appropriate species and planting methods based on soil composition and groundwater levels. By integrating geotechnical insights into early planning stages, Glasgow ensures its sustainability efforts are not only visionary but also structurally sound and climate resilient from the ground up.

Conclusion: a city built for the future

Glasgow’s integrated planning approach shows that sustainability and resilience are not separate goals but interdependent pillars of a thriving city. Through nature-based solutions, data innovation and inclusive design, town planners are crafting a Glasgow that is not only greener but also stronger, fairer and more future ready.