Research reveals shocking levels of inequality of access to safe, well maintained green spaces, despite proven benefits to wellbeing and quality of life.
People living in Britain’s most deprived communities are more than twice as likely to describe their local park as ‘unsafe’ compared to those in the most affluent areas, according to new research by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, published to mark the 30th anniversary of the Green Flag Award.
The findings reveal a growing ‘Green Divide’ across Britain, with those who stand to benefit the most from access to safe green spaces the least likely to have them.
The nationally representative YouGov survey of more than 2,000 adults found stark differences in the quality and safety of local green spaces between the richest and poorest areas in the country:
- Just 27% of people in the most deprived areas describe their local park as ‘safe’, compared to 46% in the least deprived areas
- 21% say their local park is ‘run-down’, compared to just 9% in the least deprived areas
- Only 39% rate their local park as ‘good’, compared to 49% in the most affluent communities
The research also reveals that parks in the most deprived communities are most likely to fail to meet basic human needs, in contrast with those in affluent areas. The top priorities for park improvements in the most deprived areas are cleanliness (27%), toilets (25%), safety (23%) and maintenance (23%). In more affluent communities however, the top priorities are enhancements such as community activities (29%) and nature areas (17%), with almost a third (30%) saying their local park needs no improvements at all.
This inequality has widespread implications for wellbeing, community safety and economic opportunity. Evidence shows that parks are one of the most cost-effective public assets available; every £1 invested delivers more than £7 in wellbeing benefits. Yet, despite physical inactivity costing the UK £7.4 billion each year, investment in parks has accounted for less than three per cent of local authority budgets in recent years.
Separate polling by More in Common revealed the extent of public support for investment in parks. According to its research, more than half (51%) of Britons say funding high-quality green spaces should be a priority for their local council, while 93% believe councils should be responsible for maintaining them.
Keep Britain Tidy’s findings are published as this year’s Green Flag Award winners are announced, recognising a record 2,391 of the UK’s best-managed parks and green spaces.
Among this year’s winners are Sponden Sensory Garden, managed by Trees for Spondon in the East Midlands, and Hillsborough Walled Garden managed by the Hillsborough Walled Gardeners, demonstrating the positive impact that sustained investment and high standards can have on communities across the country.
Paul Todd MBE, Green Flag Award Manager at Keep Britain Tidy, said: “Parks are essential public spaces that support our wellbeing, our communities and our economy. Yet for millions of people, particularly in the most deprived areas, local parks simply don’t feel safe or welcoming.
“In an age of rising concern about community cohesion, young people’s wellbeing and time spent online, safe local parks are becoming more important than ever. Yet the communities who need them the most are sadly the least likely to have them.
“With public services under pressure, investing in parks is not a luxury, it’s a practical, preventative solution and one of the most visible ways councils can improve people’s quality of life.
“Every pound invested in a park, particularly in a deprived community, delivers real returns - improving wellbeing, bringing communities together, reducing loneliness, giving people somewhere safe and free to spend time and, ultimately, reducing pressure on public services like the NHS.
“Today’s Green Flag Award winners show what can be achieved when parks are properly supported and managed. As we celebrate 30 years of the Green Flag Award, we want every community to have access to green spaces that are safe, welcoming and maintained to the highest standards.”
The Green Flag Award is the international benchmark for quality, recognising sites that meet rigorous standards for safety, accessibility, environmental management and community engagement. Keep Britain Tidy is calling on local authorities to prioritise investment in parks in areas of greatest deprivation and to use the Green Flag Award as a benchmark standard to drive improvement.
