Parents concerned over future of green spaces, report finds

A report by The Parks Alliance has found that 70 per cent of parents with young children are concerned that council budget cuts could impact the future of parks and green spaces.

The study, entitled The National Playground: growing the next generation, outlined the importance of parks to family life. It suggested that parents with children under the age of 10 are most concerned about the future of parks, with 80 per cent of these parents visiting parks at least one a month.

The data found that 48 per cent of children in England visit local urban parks, and estimated that such parks had been visited a total of 827 million times in 2014-15.

Mark Camley, chairman of The Parks Alliance, said: “The case for maintaining parks is clear but their future is under threat. Since 2010, 86 per cent of parks managers’ report cuts to revenue budgets.

“The Park’s Alliance is concerned about the risk of closures, sell-offs and a drop in the quality of our green spaces and calls for a public Inquiry in to how parks are funded.”