Hundreds of thousands ‘could lose access to parks and green spaces’
HUNDREDS OF thousands of people could lose their local green space in the next five years, a charity has warned, as it highlighted the importance of parks for people’s health during the Covid-19 crisis.
Research from green space charity Fields in Trust, in partnership with the Co-op, analysed how future population changes may impact parks and green spaces.
It estimated that 2.7m people currently lived more than a 10-minute walk away from a public park, and this figure could increase by a further 170,000 in the next five years.
The study, which coincides with Field in Trust’s annual green space index, suggests that the equivalent of 20,000 football pitches’ worth of green space could be lost in the next 20 years.
The findings come as thousands of people around the UK continue to utilise local parks and green spaces to exercise and relax during the pandemic.
Helen Griffiths, of Fields in Trust, said: “Parks and green spaces play a vital role in people’s health and wellbeing, and these benefits have been shown even more starkly during the really difficult times our country has faced in recent months. Our local parks and green spaces have been crucial during the crisis and they will have a significant part to play in our recovery.”
Earlier research from Fields in Trust suggested that the wellbeing value associated with the frequent use of local parks and green spaces is worth more than £34bn each year to the UK adult population.