The Government has announced a total of £39 million to refurbish parks in areas of the country with the lowest access to green space has been welcomed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy.
Alongside the existing £9m UK-wide Levelling Up Parks Fund which provides direct grants to deliver over 100 green spaces in the communities with the lowest access, a new £30m parks fund will deliver up to £1m to at least 30 local parks in England for refurbishment with an emphasis on facilities for young families.
Over the past two years, we have seen how essential parks and green spaces are to people’s well-being and this much-needed investment was described by the charity’s Chief Executive today as a welcome first step in the drive to ensure that everyone in the country has access to a quality park, regardless of where they live.
Keep Britain Tidy manages the Green Flag Award on behalf of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and, while the number of parks reaching the international Green Flag Award standard – the mark of a quality green space – has increased each year, there are far more award-winning parks in London and the South-East than in the rest of the country.
The charity’s Chief Executive Allison Ogden-Newton OBE said: “It is fantastic to see the Government recognise that access to quality parks and green space must be part of the levelling-up agenda.
“We know from our research that for parks to be able to contribute to improvements in health and wellbeing, they must be accessible, well-managed and maintained and offer something for everyone within the community.
“Parks funding has been significantly reduced over time but this targeted money is a first step in the right direction and an acknowledgement that parks are a vital part of our country’s green infrastructure.”
Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Culture, Tourism and Sport Board, said councils were pleased to see culture, heritage and sport recognised for their impact in communities and be placed among the list of priorities in the white paper.
“As well as making a fundamental contribution to pride of place, they support local literacy and skills, and boost wellbeing, productivity and innovation,” he continued.
“They also form a crucial basis for the creative and visitor economies which help form our international reputation and bring our places to the world stage.
“The specific funding investments, such as for football, will make a local difference, but it is important that councils are given the funding flexibilities to invest in the facilities and activities that will make the biggest difference for their community.
“We look forward to working with government to ensure the insight of local councils contributes to the Levelling Up Advisory Committee and its sub-groups.”
Meanwhile, James Clark, Director of Policy & Communications at the Horticultural Trades Association said the horticulture industry has a vital role to play in reducing imbalances between areas and social groups in this country.
“Our industry is present throughout the country from city centres to the suburbs, through to hard to reach rural areas,” he explained. “With the majority of our members being Small and Medium Sized businesses they are the backbone of local economies.
“We want to see nature-based solutions better recognised in this ‘levelling up’ agenda through a greater role in cross-government policymaking. With the potential for the industry to grow from £28.8bn to c.£42bn by 2030, we can drive economic and social change - providing the plants and gardens which improve local air quality and environments, improve physical and mental health, while supporting people to take pride in their local communities.
“We need to see progress on the white paper mission promises to improve local infrastructure and public transport – particularly in rural areas - skills and productivity. Putting horticulture at the heart of ‘greening our economy’ will help deliver a happier, more sustainable society and economy.”
