What is a sustainable backcourt?

Firstly, for those who aren’t familiar with tenements, a backcourt is the area of private, but common land ‘out the back’ of a tenement building. Backcourts come in all different sizes, shapes and conditions – some are small oasis of lively, communal green space, others are semi-derelict and vandalised. Some are divided into smaller greens, one for each stair. Some are fully open-plan so they can seem like a little private park. Some of the nicest backcourts are in otherwise deprived areas, and some of the most exclusive tenements have a wilderness out the back.

Then, sustainability is the principle of including environmental and social issues, as well as economic considerations, into any development or project. This includes community consultation and involvement, biodiversity, efficient resource use, etc. Sustainability tries to consider not just the immediate activities and improvements, but also the long term effect and viability of the project.

Put them together and you get a Sustainable Backcourt – where the local residents are involved and engaged in improvements and maintenance, where the environment is considered through the planting and the materials used, and where the best use is made of the funding available.

The SBI is developing a Good Practice Guide for Sustainable Backcourts which will illustrate the concept with practical examples which have been carried out recently. This will be available in Sept 2007. There is also this feasibility study commissioned by the SBI in 2004 which looks at this question in more detail.