New research shows the need for urban green space
The three steps that are needed to re-introduce green spaces
The research mapped the most deprived and greyest areas of Britain. It also looked at the costs and benefits of three steps that are needed to level up access to quality green spaces:
- Greening urban streets and neighbourhoods, creating street parks and connecting up local green spaces to enable safe and attractive walking and cycling for everyone, whether that’s to school, work, for leisure or shopping on the high street
- Upgrading poor quality parks and green spaces so they’re fit for the 21st Century, with more trees and wildlife, cycling routes, and with facilities for communities to significantly boost recreation, play and sport
- Creating large regional parks and forests in the urban fringe, on green belt land, connected into the city, to give millions of people the freedom to explore and play in wild natural spaces, without needing a car
The future of urban green spaces
Examples of the sort of projects that could be created by this investment nationally include:
• Turning an under-used side road into a local street park and 'edible walkway' like the one planned for Freeling Street in Islington, North London, led by the community
• New green boulevards and public squares to bring people back to high streets and city centres, as proposed for the Millbay area of Plymouth
• Green, traffic-free routes from Manchester city centre to out to wilder countryside sites via Borough towns
• A new regional park for the West Midlands covering more than seven towns and cities, and creating hundreds of miles of green space, conservation areas and new cycle routes