Sustainable and Accessible Urban Landscapes (SAUL) is a transnational partnership programme part-funded by the European Union’s Interreg IIIB programme for North West Europe. Interreg encourages closer co-operation and integration through transnational spatial development initiatives which promote sustainable development.
Six Metropolitan regions of North West Europe are represented in the SAUL partnership: London (with two partners); Saarland; Frankfurt/Rhein-Main; Rhein-Ruhr (with two partners); the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg; and the Municipality of Amsterdam.
SAUL with a total budget of €22 million, 45% funded by the European Regional Development Fund, tackles a key issue of transnational relevance:
The vital role of socially inclusive spaces in the sustainable development of metropolitan regions: including the essential part played by the quality of the public realm in improving people’s quality of life; providing opportunities for leisure and recreation in densely populated urban areas under pressure from housing and commercial development; and the contribution which good quality, socially-relevant, and well-managed public spaces can make to a strong economy, social equity and sustainable development.
Three contributory issues common to metropolitan regions have also been identified.
Groundwork London is the lead partner for SAUL. The other partner in London is the Greater London Authority.
