Scarborough enjoys high percentage of outdoor space

Throughout the lockdown, access to outdoor space has never been more valued.

But one in eight households across Great Britain do not have access to a private or shared garden.

That’s according to a new report published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which conducted an analysis of Ordnance Survey map data.

The report, which looked at access to gardens, parks and playing fields across Britain, found large regional and local differences.

Scarborough fared well in the data. In Scarborough 91 per cent of residential addresses have outdoor space, which breaks down to 96 per cent of houses and 78 per cent of flats.

In London more than one in five households (21 per cent) was found to have no outdoor space at home – the highest percentage of any region or country in Britain.

The next highest region, Scotland, was found to have 13 per cent of households with no garden at home.

However while Scots were found to have the largest gardens across the country, Londoners were found to have the smallest, at 26 per cent smaller than the national average size.

The analysis also found racial and occupational disparities, with people from minority ethnic groups and those working in manual occupations less likely to have access to a private garden.

Black people in England are nearly four times as likely as white people to have no access to a private or shared garden, a patio or a balcony.

Lockdown restrictions have been eased in England, with people now able to sunbathe or relax in public.

A spokesperson for the Government said: “We know that spending time in green spaces can support health and wellbeing. Our updated guidance means that people can now spend more time outdoors in parks and open spaces and enjoy a wider range of outdoor activities for any length of time, subject to social distancing.”