Think tank Policy Exchange has launched a report on policies to improve the UK’s urban green spaces.
The report highlights the importance of urban green spaces to the social and economic wellbeing of the country and makes recommendations to protect and improve them.
Green Society: Policies to improve the UK’s urban green spaces sets out the value of parks and other urban green spaces, namely that they provide free space for exercise, socialising and relaxation, and can improve both physical and mental health.
However, Policy Exchange also found that on average local authority spending on open spaces was cut by 10.5% between 2010/11 and 2012/13 and there is no ring-fence protecting the budget spent on maintaining green spaces.
Combined with the increasing demand for housing and other urban development there is a risk that the UK’s parks will deteriorate or become spaces that are the preserve of wealthy areas.
The report contains proposals to improve local green spaces, including:
Author of the report, Dr Katherine Drayson, said:
"Britain’s parks are the lungs of our great cities. They are an oasis of calm and tranquillity in an increasingly fast-moving world.
"However, as local authority budgets have been squeezed, public funding for parks, cemeteries and allotments has declined sharply."
The Sport and Recreation Alliance welcomes Government’s commitment to investing in community sport, recreation and physical activity, and its recognition of the social and economic value it provides.
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