Breda

Like many other cities in Europe, Breda is struggling with the choices of unsustainable urbanization from the past, deterioration of urban ecosystems and a lack of resilience to climate change. This requires innovative solutions that ensure that residents of cities can continue to live in a liveable city in the future. 
The quality of urban environment in Europe is at serious risk due to intense urbanisation in the last decades (74% of people living in cities), which is expected to increase to 83.7% by 2050. An increasing number of cities struggle with the challenges of unsustainable urbanisation, degradation of urban ecosystems, lack of resilience to climate change and non-inclusive urban planning. This calls for local authorities to act swiftly, providing citizens with healthy and liveable conditions through sustainable development and regeneration, to mainstream and promote nature-based solutions as a tool to create sustainable, resilient and liveable cities. There is a growing need for better urban management in the context of scarce land resources and the potential benefits of using nature to address the challenges of cities.
The drivers of urban degradation vary according to the ecosystems and locations, but the key pressures include grey infrastructure expansion, pollution of land, hydrological modifications to water bodies, and climate change in general. These affect the ecosystems’ ability to function, deliver ecosystem services and meet other challenges, such as flood damage control, and the provision of liveable places and recreational opportunities.

The GreenQuays project aims to develop and test "green" technology, specifically designed to support the development of a vertical ecosystem and to create conditions for the growth of herbaceous plants, ferns and mosses. The Green Quays project is a nature-inclusive development of the quays and surrounding (green) public space. Various techniques are used to achieve this, such as tree sections in the quay walls, material choices and drainage system. The combination of these different techniques applied in an inner-city context makes this project unique. 

• Municipality of Breda
• The Baronie Area Federation of Nature Associations
• Stadshart-Valkenburg Residents' Association 
• Delft University of Technology
• Wageningen University and Research
• Waterboard Brabantse Delta - regional water authority
• Van den Berk Nurseries - private company
• RAVON - NGO

GreenQuays project’s MAIN OBJECTIVE is the realisation of sustainable urban renaturation in Breda using nature inclusive regenerative solutions - green quays linked to public green spaces - as part of a bigger scheme targeting the urban restoration of the river Mark. Expected results:
•    new technical solutions and approaches for implementation of regenerative urban renewal in the river Mark
•    a participatory planning process for inclusive co-creation of public space to adequately address the needs and desires of citizens, and to contribute to the strengthening of local communities
•    an optimal green environment for flourishing flora and fauna through renaturing the grey infrastructure currently surrounding the river based on technical solutions and participatory inputs
•    a network of green public areas alongside the river establishing a living cohabitation between nature and people 
•    optimization of said solutions 1) to be scaled-up throughout the New Mark urban renewal strategy adopted by Breda; and 2) to be replicated elsewhere in Europe 
•    showcase a sustainable urban river renaturation process in densely built urban areas aiming at the restoration of ecosystems; the greening of urban environment

April 2020: Small scale is build in the Nieuwe Mark
May 2020: Launch event
April 2021: Start building real life pilot
December 2020: Detailed holistic design of the network of green infrastructure in the pilot site
August 2022: Real-life pilot is realized
August 2022:  Municipal Guide on Renaturing the New Mark