Green spaces

The health benefits of green space

Access to green space can have significant positive impact on physical and mental health and wellbeing. They include:

• formal parks
• recreation grounds
• countryside sites
• allotments
• play areas

Green spaces provide opportunities for people to be physically active by walking, running, cycling or playing. 

They promote community and social cohesion by helping people feel connected to their communities. Events, group activities and volunteering opportunities can all help to reduce social isolation.

Green spaces offer places for people to rest and relax, reducing stress, anxiety and fatigue. They allow community food production, in places such as allotments, community gardens and orchards.

Other forms of green infrastructure create liveable and healthy environments, which will also be more resilient to the impacts of climate change. For example:

• trees help to reduce levels of air pollution and provide vital shade and shelter
• connected, nature-rich spaces encourage people to be physically active and engage with nature, contributing to both physical and mental health and well-being
• green infrastructure can be designed to reduce flooding, relieving the stress and anxiety this can cause

National context

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee's recent Urban Green Spaces Inquiry (2024) reported 'the evidence is clear that urban green spaces are fundamentally important for improving mental and physical health'. However, the Committee also confirmed that 'both of which will have an impact on the health benefits delivered'. In addition, there can be significant inequalities in the quality, quantity and accessibility of greenspace.

Public Health England found that greener neighbourhoods can deliver a disproportionate health benefit to disadvantaged groups. However, many of these disadvantaged groups use green space less often and so continue to have less opportunity to benefit from it. These groups include:

• older people
• those in poor health
• those with a physical disability
• those with lower socioeconomic status
• ethnic minorities
• those who live in deprived areas

Therefore, addressing those barriers that prevent disadvantaged groups from accessing green space can be one approach to reducing health inequalities.

Local context

There is no quantitative data to demonstrate a decline in the quality of green space in Stockton-on-Tees, but budget pressures are impacting on the Council's capacity to maintain green spaces and associated infrastructure.

In addition, anti-social behaviour can discourage use of some areas of green space, and the Council has limited capacity to engage directly with park users and deliver events and activities. However, volunteer and community participation is encouraged and supported.

Valuations in 2020 estimated that £2.1 billion per year could be saved in health costs if everyone in England had good access to green space, due to increased physical activity in those spaces.

In Stockton-on-Tees there is no significant correlation between the quantity of open space provision and life expectancy for females and males when analysed on a ward-by-ward basis. This may partly be a result of these spaces being relatively inaccessible or unattractive to potential users, but more significant factors will also be influencing health outcomes within these communities.

In order to maximise the health benefits that can be delivered through the Borough's green spaces we need to:

• address those barriers which discourage people from accessing and enjoying green space
• maintain and increase the quality and accessibility of the Borough's green spaces and ensure they are managed and developed to meet the needs of local communities    

We know that green spaces can make a significant contribution to our health and wellbeing.

The evidence set out in this Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) suggests that while there are inequalities in the distribution of green space, overall Stockton-on-Tees has a high level of provision compared to other Borough's in the lower Tees Valley. Furthermore, there is no strong correlation between the quantity of green space provision and life expectancy.

Therefore, this JSNA suggests that to deliver improved health outcomes our focus should be on two main areas:

• addressing those barriers which currently discourage people from using their local green spaces
• measures to improve the quality of green spaces in those communities where this will deliver the greatest health benefits

How will we do this?

Support and encourage community-led action to increase use of local green spaces and empower communities to help shape and care for their local spaces. The Council's Powering Our Future initiative, the Place Partnership programme and (subject to a successful funding application) the Tees Urban Nature Network will all help to achieve this.

Implement measures to address anti-social behaviour and other factors that discourage people from using green spaces. Coordinated action across Council departments and with local communities is needed to help to tackle key issues and make green spaces attractive and welcoming.

Implement measures to improve the quality and accessibility of green spaces and create connected, nature-rich spaces. Externally funded schemes (including Section 106 agreements delivered through the planning process) can help to deliver new and improved green spaces.

Maintain and develop good quality play spaces, including measures to tackle significant inequalities in provision. The Council's strategy for outdoor play provision will seek to achieve this, while the new Stockton-on-Tees Waterfront urban park will provide a new 'destination' play space serving the Borough as a whole.

Provide better information on how people can access and enjoy green spaces. A series of walking and cycling trails have been developed in recent years, along with new on-site signage in parks linked to web-based information. This work should continue, in partnership with local communities.

In all cases we need to focus resources on those communities with the greatest health needs and where green spaces can make the most significant contribution to improving health outcomes.

1. Access to greeen space in England - Offical statistics
2. Urban green spaces inquiry, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, 2024: 
3. Stockton-on-Tees outdoor play strategy.