The future of urban and rural green spaces took centre stage as the Garden Museum in London hosted a live-broadcast panel event focused on the proposed Green Spaces Bill.
The Green Spaces Question Time discussion, chaired by broadcaster Evan Davis, featured Caroline Voaden MP, the Bill's proposer, alongside a distinguished panel including Reverend Giles Goddard, Arthur Kay and gardener John Little.
The event, attended by a prominent audience of experts and industry leaders advocating for green spaces, served as a platform to discuss the key themes of the Bill. It aimed to identify practical steps to enhance and expand Britain's green infrastructure and address the obstacles to growing our urban green spaces.
Focusing on promoting the value of green spaces, particularly their role in improving environmental and social health and wellbeing, the Green Spaces Bill seeks to elevate the importance of green spaces by addressing the policy gaps that currently hinder their development and protection. A central proposal within the Bill, which echoes the Horticultural Trades Association's (HTA) manifesto, is the creation of an Office for Green Spaces. This dedicated office would aim to deliver structural change within government, ensuring a coordinated, cross-departmental approach to maximise the immense environmental, social, and economic benefits derived from green spaces, gardens, and horticultural businesses across the country.
Green spaces contribute billions to the UK economy, with environmental horticulture alone generating £8.4 billion in tax revenues and supporting over 720,000 jobs. Yet, these essential spaces and the industries that sustain them often fall between policy gaps. A coordinated, cross-government approach is needed to ensure their benefits are fully realised.
Fran Barnes, Chief Executive of the HTA, commented: “We were delighted to support the Garden Museum’s debate on Green Spaces and to promote the Bill, which recognises the need for policymakers to work in a new way to maximise the opportunity of environmental horticulture and green spaces in tackling climate change, improving public health, and driving economic growth. The UK’s gardens, parks, and green corridors are not just nice-to-have amenities but essential infrastructure.
“The HTA has long called for an Office for Green Spaces, which, if established, would oversee and champion these spaces, secure their future and unlock their full potential for communities and businesses alike. We at the Horticultural Trades Association look forward to growing our campaign and working to deliver change to support UK environmental horticulture to flourish.”
Speaking at the event, Caroline Voaden MP (Liberal Democrat, South Devon) commented: “As the MP for South Devon, I am acutely aware of how vital green spaces are to my constituents and communities nationwide. I initiated this Bill to stimulate debate on how to better coordinate different parts of the Government to champion green spaces, especially in urban areas. We know these spaces are critical for mental health, physical wellbeing, environmental resilience, and creating green jobs. Tonight’s discussion has significantly advanced this conversation, and I hope this is an ongoing conversation that results in actions by policy-makers to do more to deliver green spaces.”
Christopher Woodward, Director of the Garden Museum, added: “The Garden Museum was very happy to host an event which showed how horticulture reaches everyone, and to see how a new generation of gardeners really does believe that gardening can change the world.”
The event highlighted the growing momentum behind recognising and enhancing the value of green spaces and the urgent need for dedicated government focus to ensure their future sustainability and expansion.
