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Housing priorities are depriving UK children of green space

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Brighton, UK
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With urban planners racing to meet housing demands, a generation of UK children – particularly in deprived areas – faces growing up without safe, accessible spaces to play.

In towns and cities across the UK, children are increasingly missing out on safe outdoor spaces. New research published by Cities and Health has found that urban planners are prioritising housing developments over playgrounds and parks, with serious consequences for childhood development and social cohesion.

Emily Ranken, of University College London’s Institute for Education and corresponding author of the study, says that this issue extends far beyond play equipment.

‘Our study offers a deep analysis of the challenges in embedding play into urban policy. Well-designed play space has many positive knock-on effects. For children, it encourages physical activity and cognitive development. For parents, it helps build community ties and social networks.’

The research identifies several systemic pressures driving this trend, most notably government-level policy misalignment which leaves councils uncertain about priorities. Financial constraints are also forcing developers and authorities to cut back on play spaces.

Government focus on housing shortage, especially in urban and economically deprived areas, creates strong incentives to prioritise housing over parks. As a result, many children grow up with little more than streets or small front gardens or driveways for outdoor activity.

This might not sound like a pressing issue in the grand scheme of things. But the consequences of inadequate outdoor spaces in childhood is closely tied to social inequality and has rippling consequences throughout wider society.

Playgrounds support informal social networks, community safety, and local connections. Without these spaces, both children and adults lose opportunities for engagement, reducing social cohesion. Yet councils often face pressure to meet housing targets, leaving outdoor play as a secondary concern.

Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) has addressed the need to prioritise outdoor play areas for young children, citing a decline in children and young people’s physical and mental wellbeing as a result of lacklustre green areas.

‘Giving every child the best start in life is critical to reducing health inequalities across the life course. Where a child lives – the built and natural environment around them – is crucial,’ the TCPA states on their website.

 

‘Yet whilst the planning system and built environment professionals are obliged to consider statutory equality groups and issues like wildlife habitat, they rarely acknowledge the needs of children.’

The organisation has urged the government to enhance access to nature and green spaces where young people feel welcome, ensuring these areas are a safe 15-minute walk from home.

It’s a focus that correlates with the findings of Cities and Health research. The study points to ‘well-intentioned but fragmented’ urban planning policies within the UK, which leave local authorities blind to the needs of the collective, particularly when it comes to shared public areas and ‘in-between’ or third spaces.

‘Compared to their parents’ generation, the amount of time today’s children play outside has declined by 50%’ says Dr Amanda Seims of Bradford Institute for Health Research. ‘But this downward trend doesn’t have to be inevitable. Thoughtful planning, which listens to the voices of children and young people, can produce accessible, enriching environments where children can develop.’

The tension between housing and play is not simple. Affordable housing is crucial, especially given overcrowding and homelessness in many UK cities. But focusing solely on shelter overlooks other factors that contribute to a neighbourhood’s health and well-being. Areas designed primarily for housing risk creating environments that do not support social interaction or long-term development.

Ultimately, prioritising play in urban planning is an investment in wider societal wellbeing. A city that houses its population but neglects play is incomplete. If planning continues to favour housing over green space, children risk growing up in environments that limit outdoor activity and social interaction.

Ensuring accessible play spaces is essential – not optional – for the development of healthy, connected communities.

Senior Remote Writer Brighton, UK

I’m Flo, (She/Her) a Senior Remote Writer at Thred. I recently completed a Masters in Visual Anthropology, and seek to interrogate the ways digital spaces can amplify marginalised voices in the arts and cultural sectors. Follow me on LinkedIn or ping me some feedback via email.

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