community green: using local spaces to tackle inequality ... · community green: using local spaces...

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Community green: using local spaces to tackle inequality and improve health

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Contents

1 Introduction 3

2 Literature and project review 9

3 The household survey 18

4 Key findings and conclusion 40

Bibliography 45

Appendices 49

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1 Introduction

Thereportdemonstratesthatimprovingurbangreenspacerepresentsanimportantandcost-effectiveopportunityforpeopletotransformtheirlocalneighbourhoodsandimprovetheirqualityoflife.Localpeoplearebestplacedtoknowthebenefitsthatgood-qualitygreenspacescontributetotheircommunity.Buttheyhavenotalwayshadtheopportunitytodirectimprovementstotheirlocalenvironment.

Achangedpoliticalandeconomiclandscapewillincludeafundamentallydifferentrelationshipbetweenlocalpeopleandlandowners,includingregisteredsocialhousingprovidersandlocalauthorities.Themostobviousopportunityisimprovingtheopenspaceonsocialhousingestates.Chapter4setsoutthefindingsfromthestudy.

Background to the study

Sustainedinvestmentinrecentyearsarrestedthehistoricdeclineofpublicurbangreenspaces,especiallyparks.Peopleareusingtheirparksandgreenspacesmore,andvaluethemmore.Almostnineoutof10peopleuseparksandgreenspacesandvaluethisusefortheirhealthandwellbeing.2Butevenduringthisperiodofrelativeprosperity,noteverywherebenefitedequally.

ThisstudyfollowsearlierresearchcommissionedbyCABE,Urban green nation: building the evidence base,whichexploredover70majordatasourcestodiscoverwhatthequantitativedatasaysaboutEngland’spubliclyownedandmanagedurbangreenspace.Itfoundthatifyouliveinadeprivedinner-cityareayouhaveaccesstofivetimesfewerpublicparksandgood-qualitygeneralgreenspacethanpeopleinmoreaffluentareas.3

Inthissecondpieceofresearch,Community green: using local spaces to tackle inequality and improve health,wefocusedonethnicitybecausediversityisincreasing.Itisnolongeraccuratetotalkaboutethnic‘minorities’insomeareas.Inthelastdecadetherehasbeenalargeincreaseinthepercentageofblackandminorityethnicyoungpeople.Forinstance,halfoftheBangladeshipopulationinBritainisundertheageof21.4

Community green uniquely investigates the inter-relationship between urban green space, inequality, ethnicity, health and wellbeing. It is the largest study of its kind in England.1

Some of the most acute effects of deprivation are felt by black and minority ethnic communities living on a low income in urban areas. The poor quality of their local environment has a considerable impact on their health and wellbeing.

People living in deprived urban areas recognise and appreciate the value of local green spaces, but they underuse the spaces that are most convenient because these spaces are often poor quality and feel unsafe. The study found, for instance, that less than 1 per cent of people living in social housing reported using the green space on their estate.

‘ Cultural diversity enriches and vitalises collective life, and is desirable not only for minority communities but also for the society as a whole. It adds a valuable aesthetic dimension to society, widens the range of moral sympathy and imagination, and encourages critical self-reflection…When the public realm prizes uniformity, diversity tends to be devalued throughout society’5Professor Bhikhu Parekh

1 ResearchbyOPENspaceresearchcentre,EdinburghCollegeofArt,incollaborationwithHeriot-WattUniversity.

2 Urban green nation: building the evidence baseCABE,20103 Urban green nation: building the evidence baseCABE,2010

4 Ethnicity and family: relationships within and between ethnic groups,Platts,2009

5 Link expired

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Health, ethnicity and inequality

Urban green nationalsorevealedthatinareaswheremorethan40percentofresidentsareblackorminorityethnicthereis11timeslessgreenspacethaninareaswhereresidentsarelargelywhite.Andthespacestheydohavearelikelytobeofapoorerquality.

Althoughwhereyouliveandtheservicesyoureceiveisintimatelyrelatedtoincome,ourresearchfoundadifference,byethnicity,thatwasoverandabovewhatwouldbeexpectedforlevelofincomealone.

ThemajorityoftheUK’sblackandminorityethniccommunitiesliveinthemostdeprivedwardsinEnglishinner-cities.ThepovertyrateforBritain’sblackandminorityethnicresidentsoverallis40percent,doubletherateforwhiteBritishpeople.Furthermore,childpovertyishighest,upto74percentamongBangladeshichildren.6

Therelationshipbetweenlowincomeandpoorhealthfollowsasocialgradient.7Peoplelivingonalowincomearemorelikelytoexperienceworsehealthandbelessphysicallyactive.

The2010MarmotReviewofhealthinequalitiesrevealedthatthegapinlifeexpectancybetweentherichandpoorisgreaterinEnglandthaninthreequartersoftheOrganisationforEconomicCo-operationandDevelopment(OECD)countries.8

Inaddition,somegroupsreportworsehealth.BangladeshiandPakistanipeopleandAfrican-Caribbeanwomen,forinstance,aremorelikelytoreportbadorverybadhealthcomparedtothegeneralpopulation.9

Thisinequalitymatters.Somepeoplemustmanageagreaternumberofburdensyethavefewereconomicandenvironmentalassetsorresourcestodrawupon.

Historically,poorareasintownsandcitieshavebeenexposedtoalargershareofenvironmentalrisksanddangers.Inachangingclimatetheyarealsomostlikelytosufferdisproportionately.Forexample,theyaremorelikelytofloodandtoexperiencetheurbanheatislandeffect.

Planningforthefuturemusttakethisintoaccountandensuresomeareasarenotmorelikelytobehazardoustohealthandwellbeingthanothers.

Providinggood-qualitygreenspaceisahugelyeffectivewaytotackletheseinequalities.Greenspacehasbeenproventoreducetheimpactofdeprivation,deliverbetterhealthandwellbeingandcreateastrongcommunity.Thesimplepresenceofgreenspaceisrelatedtoareducedriskofseriousproblemslikedepressionandlungdisease.Livingclosetogreenspacereducesmortality,whichcanhelpreducethesignificantgapinlifeexpectancybetweenrichandpoor.10

TheLiverpool city green infrastructure strategyidentifiesareasofthecitywhereclimatechangemayhaveaparticularimpact.Ithighlightsarelationshipbetweenhighlevelsofcoronaryheartdiseaseandpoormentalhealthandlowquantitiesofgreenspaceinpartsofthecity.Thestrategy’sactionplansetsout37actionstoensurethatgreeninfrastructureisbuiltintoproposalstodeliverhealthandwellbeingbenefitsandhelpaddresspotentialissuesthat,ifnotaddressed,willariseinthelongterm.11

6 Ethnicity and family: relationships within and between ethnic groups,Platts,2009

7 Focus on health,BajekalandOsbourne,2006.8 Fair society, healthy livesTheMarmotReview,Strategicreviewofhealth

inequalitiesinEnglandpost-2010,2010.ForalistoftheOECDcountries9 The health of minority ethnic groups,HealthsurveyforEngland,2004

10 Effect of exposure to natural environment on health inequalities: an observational population study,Mitchell,RandPopham,F,TheLancet:372,2008.

11 The Liverpool city green infrastructure strategy,MerseyForestCommissionedbyLiverpoolCityCouncilonbehalfofLiverpoolFirstforHealthandWellBeing,2010.

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The study methodology

Thereislittleresearchinvestigatingincomeandraceinequalitiesinrelationtourbangreenspaceprovisionanduse.Whilealotisalreadyknownabouttherelationshipsbetweenincomeandethnicity,andincomeandhealth,therehavebeenveryfewstudiesthatlookathowgreenspace,ethnicityordeprivation,andhealtharerelated.Ahandfulofstudieshavelookedatthiswithinthecontextofurbanareas.Fewarelargescale.Thisstudyfillsasignificantinformationgap.

Thestudysetouttoinvestigate:

1.Howsignificantthequalityofurbangreenspaceistothehealthandwellbeingofdifferentsocio-economicandethniccommunitieslivinginsixdeprivedurbanareasofEngland

2.Theimpactofvaryingqualityofurbangreenspaceonhealthandwellbeingintheseareas.

Itfocusesonsixdeprivedandethnicallydiversestudyareas.However,wefoundlessonsthatareapplicabletoallneighbourhoods,regardlessoftheirlevelofmaterialdeprivationorsizeoftheirminorityethnicpopulation.

Pairsofurbanareaswerechosenfromthreeregions:

twointheGreaterManchesterarea–GreaterManchesterAandGreaterManchesterBtwointheWestMidlands–WestMidlandsAandWestMidlandsBtwoinLondon–LondonAandLondonB.

Theareaswerechosenbecauseoftheirhighlevelofdeprivation,highpercentageofblackandminorityethnicpopulationsandbecausetheycontainedgreenspacesofdifferentlevelsofquality.12Informationonthequantityandqualityofgreenspaceintheareaswasdrawnfrom Urban green nation.Thepairsofareasinthethreeregionscontainedsimilaramountsofgreenspace:nolessthan20percentandnomorethan45percentoftheirtotalarea.13

Thisstudyusedarangeofqualitativeandquantitativeresearchmethods:

Aliteraturereviewofover100publicationsandarticlesonurbangreenspace,deprivationandethnicityanditscontributiontohealthandwellbeing.Areviewof50projectsengagingpeopleinthedesign,ownershipandmanagementoflocalurbangreenspacesupplementedtheresultsoftheliteraturereview.Theresultsaresetoutinchapter2.

523face-to-face,45-minute-longfacilitatedinterviewswithwhiteBritish(22percentofinterviewees),Pakistani(22percent),Bangladeshi(17percent),blackAfricanandAfrican-Caribbean(12percent)andIndianpeople(11percent).14Peoplewereaskedhowimportanttheirlocalgreenspacesareinrelationtootherfactorsinmakinganarea‘agoodplacetolive’.Thesurveyalsoaskedpeopleabouttheirhealth,theiruseofgreenspace,thequalityoftheirlocalgreenspacesandhowimprovementstotheirlocalspaceswouldaffecttheiruse,andlevelsofphysicalactivity.

Focusgroupsdiscussinghowaccessto,anduseof,urbangreenspaceaffectshealthandwellbeingamongresidentsinfourofsixofthecasestudyareasandfacilitatedaudits,involvingcommunitymembersandprofessionals,toassessthequalityandprovisionofgreenspaceinallthecasestudyareas.Theresultsaresetoutinappendices3and4.

Wefoundthatpeoplewereverywillingtotalktousabouttheirlocalgreenspaces,especiallythosehouseholdswithchildren.15Theresultsofthesurveyaresetoutinchapter3.

12 Indicesofmultipledeprivationdata.Areaschosenfromthetop20percentofdeprivedneighbourhoods.

13 Informationonquantityofgreenspacewasderivedfromthegeneralisedlandusedatabase(GLUD)andCABEgreenspacedata.Urban green nationoutlinesthestrengthsandweaknessesofGLUDforcalculatingquantityofgreenspaceinurbanareas

14 16percentofpeoplewerefromotherblackandminorityethnicgroupsthatincludeddualheritagepeople,ChineseandTurkishpeople.African-CaribbeanandblackAfricanintervieweeswerecombinedintoonegroupforanalysisduetosmallstudynumbers.

15 68percentofpeopleweaskedagreedtotakepartinthesurvey.

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Environmental justice and inclusion

Theterm‘environmentaljustice’begantoappearwithinmainstreampoliticaldebatesintheUKinthelate1990s.Othercountrieshavealongerhistory.Forinstance,inIndiainthe1970s,theChipkoandAppikomovementswerefoundedtofightagainstdeforestationandfortherightsofthepeoplewhodependedontheforestfortheirlivelihood.

‘ A vital sense of belonging and ownership of the environment at large is a basic building block for the care of the environment….There is a whole field of work to be done with regard to the research and expression of the multicultural fact of Britain’s landscape.’ Judy Ling Wong, Director, BEN 18

ThedutytopromoteraceequalitywasenshrinedintheRaceRelations(Amendment)Act2000.Nonetheless,in2001,ProfessorJulianAgyemanarguedthatblackandminorityethnicpeoplecontinuetobe:

‘ Routinely short-changed by a systematic indifference to their environmental and planning needs.’19

Therecognitionofequityandjusticewithinenvironmentalmanagementandpolicyisintimatelyrelatedtosustainability.Forinstance,the1999UKSustainableDevelopmentStrategystatesthateverybodyshouldshareequallythebenefitsofacleanandsafeenvironment.Futuregenerations,andthoselivingelsewhereintheworld,shouldnotbetreatedunfairlyinthepursuitofourownneeds.20

‘ The principles of environmental justice are pretty simple. Living in a clean and healthy environment is everyone’s right. The most vulnerable people with the least power and money see these rights denied on a daily basis. For example, air pollution, the siting of hazardous installations, flooding, inadequate enforcement of environmental laws, bad urban planning; or simply not having any access to the natural environment’ Capacity Global16

16 CapacityGlobalisaUKbasednon-governmentalorganisationandsocialenterprisewhichworksonenvironmentaljusticeissues.Itworkswithpeopleandcommunitiesinurbanareaswhosufferfromsocial,environmentalandeconomicdeprivation,toensuretheirvoicesgetheardwww.capacity.org.uk/

17 www.ben-network.org.uk/18 All colours green,articleforNewground–themagazineofLabour’s

environmentalcampaignSpring1997.19 Ethnic minorities in Britain: Short change, systematic indifference and

sustainable development,Agyeman,J,2001,Journalofenvironmentalpolicyandplanning(3).

20 Link expired

InKenya,WangariMaataiestablishedtheGreenBeltMovementinthelate1970stopromoteenvironmentalconservationandcommunitydevelopmentwithwomenlivinginpoorruralareas.AndinAmerica,therecognitionofthesocialdimensionsofexposuretoenvironmentalriskemergedinthe1980sthroughtheworkofgrassrootscommunityactivists.Womenwereoftenprominentinthesemovements.

Priortothe1990s,workaroundinclusionintheenvironmentalsectorintheUKwasexpressedunderthebannerof‘equalityofopportunity’.In1989,workbyenvironmentalthinkerssuchasProfessorJulianAgyemanandJudyLingWongculminatedintheestablishmentoftheBlackEnvironmentNetwork(BEN).17

Establishedtofacilitateparticipationofallethnicitiesintheuse,enjoymentandprotectionoftheenvironment,BENchallengedthetraditionalfocusofnatureconservationandhighlightedtheimportanceoffocusingattentiononencouragingaccesstonatureforallpeople.BENarguesthatthereisnosuchthingasapurelyenvironmentalproject–thespecificsocial,culturalandeconomiccontextmustalwaysbetakenintoaccount.

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CABE’spublicationFuture health: sustainable places for health and wellbeingsetsouthowgooddesignmakeshealthyplaces.21TheVenndiagramshowstheinter-relationshipbetweenhealth,wellbeingandsustainability,andhowqualitydesigntoaddressonecanbenefittheothers.

HEALTH

WELLBEING SUSTAINABILITY

QUALITYDESIGN

Theagendaofenvironmentaljusticeorequitycontinuestoevolve.Forinstance,localauthoritysustainabledevelopmentstrategiesarenowrequiredtoaddressequityandjusticeissuesandensurethattheperspectivesofblackandminorityethnicgroupsareincorporated.Atanationallevelpolicies,suchasDEFRA’sOutdoorsforAllstrategy,aimstoimproveequalityofaccesstourbanandruralopenspaceoverthenext10years.22

Thefollowingchaptersofthisreportsetouttheresultsoftheresearch.

21 Link expired22 Link expired

Figure 1: Health, wellbeing and sustainability

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Defining deprivationDeprivationcanbedefinedintermsofincomepovertyandthedeprivationofmaterialgoodssuchashousing,clothingandheat,alongsidesubjectivemeasuressuchashowpeopleonalowincomefeel.23MostresearchinEnglandusestheindicesofmultipledeprivation(IMD)whichcombineseveralindicators,coveringarangeofeconomic,socialandhousingissues,intoasingledeprivationscore.24Thisstudyusedinformationfromtheindexofmultipledeprivationasonecriterionfortheselectionofthecasestudyareas.

Defining wellbeingWellbeingisatermthatisusedinterchangeablywithqualityoflife,happinessandsatisfaction.ThisstudyusedtheWorldHealthOrganisation’sdefinitionofwellbeing: ‘health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’.25

Inaddition,thisstudydrewontheworkofMcAllisterwhichrecognisestheneedforbothobjectiveandsubjectivemeasuresofwellbeing.26Thisdefinesthemainareasofwellbeingas:

• physicalhealth• incomeandwealth• relationships• meaningfulworkandleisure• personalstability• lackofdepression.

Thestudyfocusedonphysicalandmentalhealth,relationshipsandmeaningfulleisure,asthesearetheareasknowntohavearelationshipwithaccesstoanduseofgreenspace.

Defining ethnicityKeycharacteristicsofethnicityareasenseofbelongingandasharedhistoryandculturalknowledge.AnethnicgroupisdefinedbyBhikhuParekhinThe future of multi-ethnic Britainas:

‘A group of people who share common historical experiences, a cluster of cultural beliefs and practices, a broad collective consciousness of belonging together, and see themselves and are seen by others as more or less distinct.’27

Ethnicityismoredifficulttocategorisethandeprivation.28Ithasanumberofingredients.Itmayincludeasharedreligionorlanguage,butitmaynot.Thereappearstobelittleconsensusonappropriatetermstousewhendescribingdifferentgroupsofpeoplethatoriginatefromdifferentpartsoftheworld.29Thisstudy’sliteraturereviewfoundthatvariouscategorisationsofethnicgroupwereusedacrossdifferentresearchstudies.Mosttypicallyitwasthe2001census’s15categoriesofethnicity.

Thisreportusestheterminology‘blackandminorityethnicpeople’butwhereverpossibleitidentifiesthespecificethnicgroup,forinstanceBangladeshiorAfrican-Caribbean,towhichtheresearchisreferring.Itisrecognisedthatthisisnotperfect–ethnicityisdynamic,openandfluid,constantlyundergoingadaptationandchange.30

Ethnicitywasself-reportedinourstudy’ssurvey.Intervieweeswereaskedwhichethnicgrouptheybelongedto.Thesurveywasflexible.Intervieweescouldnameanotherethnicgroupiftheyfeltthecategoriesofethnicityusedwereunsuitable.

23 Poverty and ethnicity in the UK,areportfortheJosephRowntreeFoundation,Platts,2006

24 Fromsevendomainsofdeprivation:income,employment,health,education,housing,livingenvironmentandcrime.

25 Link expired26 Wellbeing concepts and challenges: discussion paper,McAllister,F,2005. 27 The future of multi-ethnic Britain,Parekh,2001.28 Thestudyfocusesonethnicitytoallowawideranalysisawayfromvisible

physicaldifference.FormorediscussionontheconceptsofraceandethnicityseeThe new countryside?NealandAgyeman,2006.

29 Ethnic communities and green spaces: guidance for green space managers,BlackEnvironmentNetwork,2005.

30 Ethnicity, race and health in multicultural societies: foundations for better epidemiology, public health and health care,Bhopal,2007.

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2 Literature and project review: health, ethnicity and inequality

Ethnicity in England

TheethnicprofileoftheUKisinarapidstateoftransition–diversityisincreasing.ThewhiteBritishpopulationaregenerallyolderandtheirpopulationgrowthisgenerallyslowerthanthoseofotherblackandminorityethnicgroups.34Inthelastdecadetherehasbeenalargeincreaseinthepercentageofblackandminorityethnicyoungpeopleandtheynowconstitute20percentofunder-16-year-olds.35ThefastestgrowinggroupsareblackAfricanpeopleandBangladeshipeople–halfoftheBangladeshipopulationisundertheageof21.36

MostoftheUnitedKingdom’sblackandminorityethnicpeopleliveinEngland:ininner-cityurbanareasandinthemostdeprivedwards.The44mostdeprivedlocalauthorityareasinEnglandcontainproportionallyfourtimesmorepeoplefromblackandminorityethnicgroupsthanotherareas.37Forty-fivepercentoftheUnitedKingdom’sblackandminorityethnicpeopleliveinLondon,andtheWestMidlandshasthesecondlargestproportionat13percent.38

Someethnicgroupsaremorelikelytoliveincertainareas.Inparticular,BangladeshiandPakistanipeoplearethemostgeographicallyconcentratedandaremostlikelytoliveindeprivedneighbourhoods.39BlackAfricansarealsoconcentrated,with83percentlivinginfivecities(London,Leeds,Sheffield,LiverpoolandCardiff).40Theconcentrationofdifferentgroupsinspecificareasshouldnotbetakentomeanthatpeopledonotwanttomoveawaytomorediverseneighbourhoods.Issuessuchaslevelofincome,unwillingnesstomoveawayfromfamilyandfriends,fearandthreatofracismcontinuetorestrictchoice.41

Housingtenurealsovariesamongdifferentblackandminorityethnicgroups.IndiansandPakistanisaremostlikelytoowntheirownhomeandblackAfricansareleastlikelyto.42BlackAfricanhouseholdsaremostlikelytorentfromalocalauthority,registeredsociallandlordorprivatelandlord.Bycontrast,African-Caribbeanhousingpatternsshowamoresuburbandistributionandhaveamuchhigherlevelofhomeownership.Bangladeshisarethemostdisadvantagedintermsofhousing.43

To date, most of the research on race and ethnicity and access to green space has focused on rural contexts.31

This study’s literature review identified existing research relating to urban green space, deprivation and ethnicity, and how access to green space contributes to wellbeing. It explored around 100 publications and articles, including international research, and over 50 practical projects engaging people in urban green space.32 The findings from this review helped inform the household survey (chapter 3).

Overall, the review found that there is a lack of in-depth research. Although most black and minority ethnic people in England live in urban areas, there are only a handful of studies offering evidence of the relationship between income inequalities, ethnicity and access to urban green space.33 Little large-scale research has looked at the relationship between use of urban green space and ethnicity.

31 FormoreinformationseeThe new countryside?AgyemanandNeal(eds),2006.32 Databasessearchedincluded;Sciencedirect,Webofknowledge,Google

scholarandPubMed.SpecificjournalssearchedincludedEnvironmentandbehaviour,Environmentandplanning,Geoforum,Journalofurbanstudiesandlandscaperesearch.Arangeofsearchtermswereused:forexample,poverty/deprivationandethnicity/raceandurbangreenspace.

33 Enclaves, neighbourhood effects and employment outcomes: ethnic minorities in England and Wales,ClarkandDrinkwater,2002

34 Link expired35 Link expired36 Link expired37 Enclaves, neighbourhood effects and employment outcomes: ethnic minorities

in England and Wales,ClarkandDrinkwater,2002 38 Link expired39 Link expired40 Black Africans in Great Britain: spatial concentration and segregation,Daley

200241 Planning for the Future: Housing needs and aspirations of ethnic minority

communities,HousingCorporation,200842 The new countryside?AgyemanandNeal(eds),2006andBlack Africans

in Great Britain: spatial concentration and segregation,Daley2002. 43 Link expired

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Inequalities in income

Althoughtheeducationalachievementsandeconomicstatusofdifferentblackandminorityethnicgroupsareimprovingtherearestarkdifferencesinthepovertyrates,andintheexperienceofdeprivation,accordingtoethnicityintheUK.AllblackandminorityethnicgroupsexperienceagreaterlevelofdeprivationthanwhiteBritishgroups.45

ThepovertyrateforBritain’sblackandminorityethnicgroupsoverallis40percent,doublethatfoundamongwhiteBritishpeople.NearlyallminorityethnicgroupsarelesslikelytobeinpaidemploymentthanwhiteBritishmenandwomen.46

Table1showsthatratesofpovertyarehighestforBangladeshi,PakistaniandblackAfricanpeople,reaching65percentforBangladeshipeople.Furthermore,childpovertyratesarehighestamongBangladeshichildren(74percent).

Inequalities in the provision of urban green space

CABEresearch,Urban green nation,foundthatinurbanareasblackandminorityethnicpeopletendtohaveaccesstolesslocalgreenspaceandthespacetheydohaveisofapoorerquality.Wardsthathavealmostnoblackandminorityresidents(lessthan2percentofwardpopulation)havesixtimesasmanyparksaswardswheremorethan40percentofthepopulationarepeoplefromblackandminorityethnicgroups.Ifalltypesofpublicgreenspace,notjustparks,arelookedat,thedifferenceis11times.47

Werecognisethatthisisintimatelyrelatedtothecircularityofdisadvantagebutourresearchfound

adifference,byethnicity,overandabovewhatwouldbeexpectedforlevelofincomealone.

Theliteraturereviewforthisstudyidentifiedexistingqualitativeandquantitativeresearchoninequalityintheprovisionofurbangreenspace,deprivationandethnicity.Researchtodate,withintheUKandinternationally,haslargelyfocusedonthequantity(orpresence)ofgreenspaceinrelationtodeprivation.Thereisabiggapinresearchthatlinksthequalityofurbangreenspacetodeprivationandethnicity.ThereviewbackedupthefindingsofUrban green nation–thatpeopleindeprivedareas,wherevertheylive,receiveafarworseprovisionofparksandgreenspacesthantheiraffluentneighbours.48

ResearchbyMitchellandPophamfoundassociationsbetweenincomedeprivationandthepercentageofgreenspaceinEngland.Peoplewithlessexposuretogreenspaceweremorelikelytosufferfromdeprivationthanthosewithagreaterexposuretogreenspace.49InGlasgow,McIntyreetalfoundincomeinequalitiesinaccessinggreenspace;wealthierareashadaccesstomoreparks,tenniscourtsandbowlinggreens,althoughpoorerneighbourhoodshadahighernumberofplayareas.50

Ethnic group Percentage of UK population

Percentage of ethnic group living in

income poverty

Percentage of children by ethnic group living in

income poverty

African-Caribbean 1 30 37Bangladeshi 0.5 65 74BlackAfrican 0.8 45 56Dualheritage 1.2 32 40

Indian 1.8 25 32Pakistani 1.3 55 60White 92 20 25

Table 1: Ethnicity and poverty in the UK44

44 Link expired45 Link expired46 An anatomy of economic inequality in the UK – summary,ReportoftheNational

equalitypanel,GovernmentEqualitiesOffice,2010.47 Urban green nation: Building the evidence base,CABE,2010

48 Urban green nation: Building the evidence base,CABE,2010

49 Effect of exposure to natural environment on health inequalities: an observational population study,Mitchell,RandPopham,F,TheLancet:372,2008.

50 Do poorer people have poorer access to local resources and facilities? The distribution of local resources by area deprivation in Glasgow, Scotland,McIntyreetal,Socialscienceandmedicine:67:900-14,2008.

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Urban green nationexploredaccesstogreenspaceandtypeofspaceavailable.ThisshowedthatprovisionofplayparkswasrelativelybetterindeprivedareasacrossurbanEngland.Suburbanareasgenerallyhadabiggerquantityoflargeparksandgreenspaces.51

OurliteraturereviewfoundonlyonestudyobjectivelyassessingaccesstogreenspacebyethnicityintheUK.ComberetalanalysedaccesstogreenspaceinLeicesterusingNaturalEngland’saccessiblenaturalgreenspacestandardguidelines(ANGSt).52Thisfoundinequalitiesinproximitytogreenspacebyethnicity,withIndian,HinduandSikhgroupshavingsignificantlylessaccesstogreenspaceandMuslimgroupsgreaterthanexpectedaccess.53However,proximitytogreenspacedoesnecessarilyequatewithaccessto,andactiveuseof,greenspace.

Thereisevidencefromseveralqualitativestudiesoftherelationshipbetweenpoorer-qualitygreenspace,ethnicityanddeprivation.Forinstance,researchfromLingWongshowsblackandminorityethnicpeoplereporthigherlevelsofdissatisfactionwithneighbourhoodenvironments.54PowellandRishbethreportthatblackandminorityethnicgroupintervieweesperceivedtheirlocalneighbourhoodopenspaceasneglected,offeringpoorerfacilitiesandwithpoorergeneralmaintenance.55

Urban green nationanalysedlevelsofneighbourhoodsatisfactionbyethnicity.Halfofresidentsinwardswithmorethan40percentoftheirpopulationfromblackorminorityethnicgroupsaresatisfied,comparedwith70percentinwardswithfewerthan2percent.56

OutsidetheUK,relevant(Englishlanguage)researchlookingattheprovisionofurbangreenspacesinrelationshiptoethnicityanddeprivationappearstoberestrictedtoseveralstudiesfromAmericaandAustralia.Thisresearchshouldbeviewedcautiouslysincetheresultsarecontextspecific;geographicalpatternsofwherepeopleliveaccordingtoethnicityandincomevaryconsiderablybetweencountries,aswellasthetypeandqualityofgreenspaceavailable.

Definitionofgreenspacealsodiffers,withsomestudiesaggregatinggreenspacewithotherrecreationalfacilities.However,despitethesecaveats,theinternationalliteraturedoessupportthesamepatternoffindings,withinequalitiesaccordingtoincomeandethnicityevidentinthequantityofgreenspacepeoplecanaccess.

Appendix1setsouttheresultsofthereviewofinternationalresearch.

Inequalities in health

Someethnicgroupsreportworsehealth.TheHealthSurveyforEnglandin2004foundthatBangladeshiandPakistanipeopleandAfrican-Caribbeanwomenaremorelikelytoreportbadorverybadhealthincomparisontothegeneralpopulation.PakistaniwomenandBangladeshimenweremorelikelythanthoseinthegeneralpopulationtoreportalimitinglongstandingillness.57Otherresearchsuggestsspecificethnicgroupssufferfromspecifichealthproblems.Forinstance,African-Caribbeanmensufferdisproportionatelyfromhighbloodpressureandstrokes.58

ResearchbyGriewfoundevidenceofrelationshipsbetweenhealthinequalitiesandethnicityintheUK.BlackandminorityethnicchildreninadeprivedareaofBrent,London,werefoundtobelessactivethanother(mostlywhitechildren)elsewhereofsimilarsocio-economicstatus.Thisstudysuggestsethnicityishavingagreaterimpactthanincomeonphysicalactivitypatternsinchildren.Girlsweresignificantlylessactivethanboysacrossthewholesample,andAsiangirlssignificantlylessactivethangirlsfromotherbackgrounds.59

51 Urban green nation: Building the evidence base,CABE,2010

52 ANGStisNaturalEngland’saccessiblenaturalgreenspacestandardwhichsetsbenchmarksforensuringaccesstospacesneartowherepeople

53 Using a GIS-based network analysis to determine urban greenspace accessibility for different ethnic and religious groups,Comberetal,2008,Landscapeandurbanplanning,86:103–114.

54 Culture, heritage and access to open spaces,LingWong,Judy,2007.55 Flexibility in place and meanings of place among first generation migrants,

PowellandRishbeth(unpublishedpaper).56 Urban green nation: Building the evidence base,CABE,2010

57 Link expired58 Ethnic minorities in Britain: Short change, systematic indifference and

sustainable development,Agyeman,Journalofenvironmentalpolicyandplanning,3:15-30,2001.

59 To what extent do ethnicity and the built environment influence physical activity from a deprived area in London?Griew,2008.

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The health and wellbeing benefits of access to green space

Thisstudysetouttounderstandhowthequalityofurbangreenspaceisimportantandsignificanttopeople’shealthandwellbeingandhowthiscanbeusedtomitigateinequalitiesinurbanareas.Toinformthequestionsaskedinthehouseholdsurveyaroundhealthandwellbeing(chapter3),theliteraturereviewexploredexistingrelevantevidenceinthisarea.

ResearchbyCampbelletalidentifiesneighbourhoodqualityasanoverallindicatorofqualityoflifeinEngland.Theavailabilityofparksandgreenspaces,alongsideneighbourhoodappearanceandfeelingsafewerefoundtobekeyfactorsthatcontributetoanindividual’squalityoflife.Thestudydoesnotreportanydifferencesbysocio-economicstatus.60

Ourliteraturereviewdidnotfindanyspecificstudiesthatobjectivelyevaluatedthewellbeingofdifferentethnicitiesinrelationtogreenspace.However,theliteratureonhealthinequalitiesandaccesstogreenspaceismoredeveloped.61Overall,thereisapositiverelationshipbetweenhealthandgreenspace(presenceandaccess)butcausalevidenceisstilllacking.

Physical and mental healthImportantrecentresearchbyMitchellandPophamshowsthatthepresenceofgreenspaceisassociatedwithreducedmortalityregardlessofincomelevel– indicatingtheroleofgreenspaceinhelpingtoreducehealthinequalitiesbetweenrichandpoor.Theirstudyexplorestherelationshipbetweengreenspaceandmortalityrates(allcauses)andspecificmortalityrates(forcirculatorydisease,lungcancerandintentionalself-harm)acrossfourincomegroups.

Thepoorestincomegroupwasfoundtobenefitthemostfromproximitytogreenspaceintermsofreducedmortality,althoughthenatureofanycauseandeffectrelationshipcouldnotbeestablishedbythestudy.Thenegativerelationshipbetweenaccesstogreenspace(definedbyproximityratherthanuse)andpoorhealthwasparticularlystrongforcirculatorydiseases(cardio-vascular)wherestressandlackofphysicalactivitymayhavecausalroles.62

Inanearlierstudy,MitchellandPophamfoundlower-incomesuburbsinEnglandwithahigherpercentageofgreenspacealsohadpoorerhealth.Theimpactofproximitytogreenspacewasreducedhere,suggestingqualityaswellasquantityofgreenspaceinfluencesthelevelofbenefittohealth.63

SimilarepidemiologicalresearchintheNetherlandshasfoundsystematiclinksbetweenhealthandgreenspaceatlargepopulationlevels.Threestudiesfoundpositiverelationshipsbetweenhealth(physicalandmental)andthepercentageof,andproximityto,greenspace.64Forinstance,Maasetalfoundanassociationbetweengreenspaceandreducedriskfor15outof24diseasesexamined,andparticularlyinrelationtoanxiety,depressionandrespiratorydisease.65

Greenspacehasbeenlinkedwithenvironmentsthatarebothmorewalkableandmoreplayable,withaestheticsandstreetconnectivityinfluencingpatternsofuse.66Physicalactivityplaysakeyroleinthepreventionofspecificdiseasesthatincludecardio-vasculardisease,depressionandobesity.

RodgersandLyonsfoundtheprevalenceofobesity-relatedchronicdiseasewaslowerindeprivedareasthattheyassessedasmorewalkable,butnotinmoreaffluentareas.67RodgersandLyonsreinforcefindingsfromMitchellandPophaminshowingthatgreenspacehasgreaterhealthbenefitswithinthepoorestcommunities.Alandmarkstudyfrom

60 Measuring quality of life: Does local environmental quality matter?Campbelletal,2007.

61 Urban green nationfoundsmall,significanteffects(butmarginal)betweengreenspacequantityandproximity(includingprivategardens)inreducingtheincidence of ‘limiting long term illness’. Valuing parks or nature had a strongerbeneficialeffect

62 Effect of exposure to natural environment on health inequalities: an observational population study,Mitchell,RandPopham,F,TheLancet:

372,2008.63 Greenspace, urbanity and health: relationships in England,Mitchell,Rand

Popham,F,Journalofepidemiologyandcommunityhealth,61:681-683,2007.64 SeebibliographyfordeVries2003,Maasetal2006,Maasetal2008.65 Morbidity is related to a green living environment,Maasetal,Journalof

epidemiologyandcommunityhealth,2009.66 SeebibliographyforOwenetal2004,Nasar2008,DavisonandLawson2006.67 Does the built environment’s walkability help determine health?

RodgersandLyons,2008.

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Japan,showsalinkbetweenaccesstowalkablegreenspaceandlongevity.68GreenspacehasalsobeenlinkedwithreducedobesityinchildrenandyoungpeopleinalargestudyinAmerica.69

Severalstudiesinourliteraturereviewlookedatthevalueofgreenspaceforpsychologicalrestorationsuchasrecoveryfromfatigueandstress.Thereisnowconsiderableevidencethatcontactwithnaturecanpromoteimprovedmood,improvedattention,reducedstressandanxietyandreducedseverityofattentiondeficithyperactivitydisordersymptomsinchildren.70WithindeprivedcommunitiesinChicago,researchhasconsistentlyshownthebenefitofgreenspacetocognitiverestoration,self-discipline,reducedaggressionandreducedcrime.71

Thequantityofgreenspaceavailableisimportant.Maasetalfoundlessgreenspaceinpeople’slivingenvironmentcoincidedwithfeelingsoflonelinessandaperceivedshortageofsocialsupport.72Communityopenspaceandnaturalsettingshavebeenfoundtoenhancesocialtiesandsenseofcommunity:first,inolderadults;second,inresidentsofAmericanurbancommunities;andthird,inresidentsofalargepublichousingdevelopmentinChicago.73

Thereisevidence,then,ofhowurbangreenspaceimpactsonqualityoflifethroughimprovedhealth,withkeybenefitsincludingstressreductionandimprovedphysicalactivity.Howurbangreenspacecontributestoqualityoflifeatthelevelofthelocalneighbourhoodenvironmentisfarlesswellunderstood.

Ethnicity and the experience and use of urban green space

Ourliteraturereviewlookedatresearchintotheexperiences,perceptionanduseofurbangreenspacebyblackandminorityethnicpeople.

Appendix2setsoutthemainresearchstudiesintheUKexploringtheexperienceanduseofgreenspaceamongdifferentethnicgroupsandincludesinformationonthestudymethodologyandtheirsamplesize.Mostofthisliteratureconfirmedthatblackandminorityethnicgroupsmainlyaccessnatureinurbancontexts–becausethisisthespacethatislocaltotheirhomes.

Theexperienceofnatureforitsownsakedoesnotappeartodiffersubstantiallyacrossdifferentethnicities.Regardlessofethnicity,theexperienceofnatureisrestorativeandassociatedwithimprovedemotionalwellbeing.Forinstance,Askinsfoundrecreationinthecountrysideisasmuchapartofblackandminorityethnic‘culture’aswhiteBritishculture,butaccesswasinhibitedbybarrierssuchasfeelingsofalienationorlackofpublictransport.74

Perceptions of safety in green spaceThemainmechanismknowntoinfluencepeople’susageofopenspace,acrossallethnicgroups,andthereforetoimpactindirectlyonhealth,isperceptionsofpersonalsafety.Maasetalhaverecentlyshownthatagreaterquantityofgreenspaceinpeople’slivingenvironmentisassociatedwithenhancedfeelingsofsocialsafety,exceptinenclosedgreenspacesinurbanareas,whereitisassociatedwithreducedsafety.75

LingWongsuggeststhat,owingtofearofcrime,blackandminorityethnicgroupsexperiencedisproportionatelymoreillhealthconsequencesresultingfromisolationandsedentarylives.76

ResearchbyRavenscroftandMarkwellfoundpublicparksinReadingweremoreaccessibletoblackandminorityethnicyoungpeoplethanothertypesofleisurefacilitybutthataccessibilityishighlylocalisedandunevenlydistributed.Neighbourhoodparkswereperceivedasbeingmostimportantbystudyparticipants,butwerealsoperceivedtobemoreraciallysegregated.Lowerlevelsofsatisfactionwereassociatedwiththeseneighbourhoodparks,

68 Link expired69 Green neighbourhoods, food retail and childhood overweight: differences by

population density,Liuetal,Americanjournalofhealthpromotion,21(4),317-25,2007.

70 SeebibliographyforHartigetal2003,vandenBergetal2003OttossonandGrahn2005,Ulrichetal1991,GrahnandStigsdotter2003,Maasetal2008,FaberTaylorandKuo,2009.

71 SeebibliographyforKuo2001,FaberTayloretal2002,KuoandSullivan,2001aandKuoandSullivan,2001b.

72 Social contacts as a possible mechanism behind the relation between green space and health,Maasetal,Healthandplace,vol15(2):586-595,2009.

73 SeebibliographyforKweonetal1998,Sullivanetal2004,KimandKaplan2004,Sullivanetal2004.

74 Visible communities’ use and perceptions of the North York Moors and Peak District National Parks:ApolicyguidancedocumentforNationalParksAuthorities,Askins,2004.

75 Is green space in the living environment associated with people’s feelings of social safety?Maasetal,2009,EnvironmentandplanningA,Vol41(7),1763-1777.

76 Culture, heritage and access to open spaces,LingWong,2007.

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inparticularamongyoungblackpeople,reflectingconcernsaboutpersonalsafety.Thisstudysuggeststhat,ratherthanfacilitatinginclusion,parkscanexacerbateexclusionandisolation.77

Arangeofstudiesfocusingontheexperiencesofblackandminorityethnicgroupshighlightedspecificbarrierstoaccessingurbangreenspace.Forinstance:

• experienceofracismandanxietyinteenagerswhoreportparksandplaygroundsastheleastsafeurbanenvironment78

• fearofbullying,restrictingaccesstoplay79

• fearofdogs,particularlyamongAfrican-CaribbeanandAsiangroupsinonestudy80

• lackoftimeandresources(includingaccesstopublictransport),leadingtosomegroupsstayingclosetohome81

• issuesofexclusionarisingfromthedominationofurbangreenspacebyothergroupsofpeople.82

Ourhouseholdsurvey(seechapter3)looksinmoredetailattherelationshipbetweenperceptionsofsafetyanduseofgreenspace.

Preferences for green spaceEverybody,regardlessoftheirethnicity,valuesspacesthatareofahighqualityandarewellmanagedandmaintained.Forinstance,Rishbethfoundthatqualityofmaintenanceandmanagementofagardenorparkwerefoundtobemoredirectlyimportantthanmulticulturaldesign.83Butsomeauthorshavesuggestedthattheaestheticresponsetopublicopenspaceisdifferentamoungdifferentethnicgroups:forexample,thepreferenceforbrightlylitfountainspopularinparksinPakistanorthetrendforelectronicmusicbroadcastsinChineseparks,whichcontrastwithaUK-basedlandscapeaesthetic.84RishbethfoundAsianandAfricanresearchparticipantswerelesslikelytobeattractedto‘wildness’comparedwithwhiteBritishparticipants–suggestingwildnessmaybeperceivedasabarriertoaccessforsomepeople.85

Thus,thereissomeevidenceofculturaldifferencesintheexperienceofurbanlandscapes,althoughtheevidenceisbynomeansconclusive.Thisissuedoesneedfurtherresearch.

Use of green space for socialising and physical activity Thesocialaspectsofnaturedoappeartodifferbypeople’sethnicity.Severalstudieshavefoundthatthesocialuseofparksbyblackandminorityethnicpeopletendstobeinlargefamilyorfriendshipgroups.Researchundertakeninruralcontextshasfoundthatmanygroups,particularlyAsianpeople,connecttothelandscapethroughfoodandpicnics.86Forinstance,EdwardsandWeldonfoundthatuseofruralnaturewasperceivedasofferinggreateropportunitiesforfamilygatheringsandsocialbondinginblackandminorityethnicgroupsthanforwhitegroups.87

Rishbethfounddistinctivepatternsofuseamongdifferentblackandminorityethnicrespondents.AsianandAfricanstudyparticipantsweresignificantlylesslikelytouseaparkforexerciseincomparisiontowhiteBritish.88AstudybyRowefoundblackandotherethnicgroupsweremuchlesslikelytoparticipateinsportinanaturalsetting.89

Thereissomerelevantinternationalresearch.Forinstance,researchinAmericafoundthatwhiteparkusersweremorelikelytovalueopenspacesfortheirnaturalisticqualities,incomparisiontoHispanicandAfricanAmericans,whovaluedthesocialopportunitiesmore.90ResearchbyGobsterfounddistinctivepatternsofphysicalandsocialuseamongdifferentminorityethnicgroupsinChicago.91

77 Ethnicity and the integration and exclusion of young people through urban park and recreation provision,RavenscroftandMarkwell,Managingleisure5:135-150,2000.

78 SeebibliographyforMadge1997,Burgessetal1988,Rishbeth200,RavenscroftandMarkwell2000.

79 Pakistani teenagers’ use of public open space in Sheffield,WoolleyandAmin,Managingleisure4:156-167,1999.

80 Public parks and the geography of fear,Madge,1997.81 Ethnic minority groups and the design of public open space: an inclusive

landscape?Rishbeth,2001,Landscaperesearch,26(4):351–366.82 SeebibliographyforRishbeth2004andAmin2002.83 Ethno-cultural representation in the urban landscape,Rishbeth,2004,Journal

ofurbandesign,9(3):311–333.84 Ethnic minority groups and the design of public open space: an inclusive

landscape?Rishbeth,2001,Landscaperesearch,26(4):351–366.85 Ethno-cultural representation in the urban landscape,Rishbeth,2004,Journal

ofurbandesign,9(3):311–333.86 SeebibliographyforWorpoleandGreenhalgh1995andBurgessetal1988.87 Race equality and the Forestry Commission,EdwardsandWeldon2006.88 Ethno-cultural representation in the urban landscape,Rishbeth,2004,Journal

ofurbandesign,9(3):311–333.89 Social inclusion in sport: the social landscape of sport – recognising the

challenge and realising the potential,Rowe,2001.90 Urban form and social context: cultural differentiation in the use of parks,

Loukaitou-Sideris,1995,Journalofplanningeducationandresearch,14:89-154.

91 Managing urban parks for a racially and ethnically diverse clientele,Gobster,2002,Leisureservices24:143-159.

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Ourhouseholdsurveyincludedquestionsonuseofparksandaskedpeopleaboutthetypesofactivitytheyusetheirlocalgreenspacesfor(chapter3).

Ourliteraturereviewfoundverylittleresearchonhowdifferentminorityethnicgroups,ofdifferentages,usegreenspaces.WoolleyandAminshowedparkswerefrequentlyusedbyPakistaniteenagersinSheffield,withneighbourhoodparksmostvalued.Themainmotivationforvisitingwasinorderto‘bewithfriends’(48percent)followedbya‘goodatmosphere’(20percent).Themainphysicalactivitywasplayingcricketorfootball.Barrierstovisitinglocalopenspaceincluded‘nothingtodo’,lackoflocalopenspaces,lackoftimeandsafety.92

Elsewhere,researchinyoungpeoplehasshownthesefindingsarealsocommontowhiteBritishteenagerslivingindeprivedcommunities.93Agewouldthereforeseemtohavemorebearinginthiscontextthanethnicity.

Urban green space and social inclusion

Ourliteraturereviewidentifiedresearchintothewaytheurbanenvironment,andgreenspacesspecifically,promoteopportunitiesforculturalcohesion,socialintegrationandidentitydevelopmentthatweregreaterthanthoseprovidedby‘far-awaynature’.

Social integrationAthemeacrosstheexistingresearchistheabilityofurbanspacetopromotesocialintegration.94Regularencounterswithdifferentpeoplecanbeseenasthebeginningsofacommunity.MadanipourcitesexamplesacrosstheUKandEuropewhereopenspaceinitiativeshavereducedtensionsamongdiverseanddisadvantagedcommunities.95

ResearchbyDinesetalexplorestheopportunitiesthatpublicopenspacesofferfordifferentethniccommunitiestoengageinpubliclife,findingthatpublicoutdoorspacesweremostlyvaluedassocialarenas.Residentialstreets,thelocalparkorthelocalmarketarevaluedforbothcasualandorganisedencountersandareoftenakeyelementinpeople’sattachmenttoanddecisiontostayinaneighbourhood.Thevibrancyofstreetsandmarketsisupliftingandassociatedwithcuriosityandnovelty.96

Nostalgiaandopportunitiestoreminisceformedastrongthemeintheresearchreviewed,withthe

experienceofnostalgiafoundtobeparticularlystronginfirst-generationmigrants.Particularfactorsthattriggernostalgiaarespecificplantsandtheopportunities(especiallyforAsianwomen)inparksforsocialgatherings.97Topia-Kellyhighlightsgardeningasparticularlyimportantinconnectingfirst-generationAsianwomenwiththepast.98

Theabilityoflandscapetotriggermemoriesofsomethingfamiliarhelpsfacilitateasenseofbelonging.Someresearchstudieshavelookedatthefeaturesofnaturethatmayholdimportanceforsomeethnicgroups.Forinstance,Topia-KellyfoundthatEnglishroses,fuchsias,specificvegetablesandthecolourofthesoilwerefeaturesthatresonatedwiththeAsianwomenstudied.99LingWongnotesthatplantscanstimulateasenseofcontinuitybetweendifferentcultures,highlightingtheimpactofplantsfromoverseasonlandscapeswithinBritain.100

PowellandRishbethfoundfirst-generationmigrants’experienceofnegotiatingtheurbanlandscapewasakeyaspectintheprocessofacclimatisationandassimilation.Throughactiveinteractionwiththeurbanlandscape,migrantsareforcedtolearnessentialnewskills(forinstancenegotiatingpublictransportandshops).101

Rishbethdrawsanimportantdistinctionbetweenthevalueoffurther-awayurbanlandscapes,whichofferopportunitiestoexperimentortestoutnewlifeoptionsandidentities,andthelocallandscapewhichhelpscreatefeelingsofbelongingandopportunitiesforinteraction.102

92 Pakistani teenagers’ use of public open space in Sheffield,WoolleyandAmin,Managingleisure4:156-167,1999.

93 Free range teenagers: the role of wild adventure space in young people’s lives,WardThompsonetal2006.

94 SeebibliographyforMadanipour2004,PowellandRishbeth(unpublisheddraft),Dinesetal2006andBurgessetal1988.

95 Marginal public spaces in European cities,Madanipour2004,Journalofurbandesign:9(3),276-286.

96 Public spaces and social relations in East London,Dinesetal,2006.97 SeebibliographyforPowellandRishbeth(unpublisheddraft),Topia-Kelly,

2004andBurgessetal1988.98 Landscape, race and memory: biographical mapping of the routes of

British Asian landscape values,Topia-Kelly,2004,Landscaperesearch:29(3),277-292.

99 Landscape, race and memory: biographical mapping of the routes of British Asian landscape values,Topia-Kelly,2004,Landscaperesearch:29(3),277-292.

100 Culture, heritage and access to open spaces,LingWong,2007.101 Flexibility in place and meanings of place among first generation migrants,

PowellandRishbeth(unpublisheddraft)102 Ethno-cultural representation in the urban landscape,Rishbeth,2004,

Journalofurbandesign,9(3):311–333.

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PowellandRishbethstress‘beingaway’inthecontextofgreenspaceisparticularlyimportant,relatedtotheneedforanonymityamongfirst-generationmigrants.Theimmediatepublicneighbourhoodcanplacepressuresofobligationoncertainpeoplesuchasexpectationsofrespectability,hospitalityandservice,fromwhichurbangreenspacecanoffertemporaryescape.103

Development of tolerance Atpresentthereiscontradictoryevidenceastowhetheropenspacehelpsorconfoundstheprocessofdevelopingtolerance,andmoreresearchisneededinthisarea.

Amin,reportingondeprivedneighbourhoodsinthenorthofEngland,stressesthelimitationsofpublicspaceingenerating‘interculturaldialogue’ascomparedtootherplaces(suchaswork,school,leisure)andfounddominationofthestreetbydifferentethnicgroupsatdifferenttimesofthedayworsenedracialtensions.104

ThisischallengedbyDinesetal,intheirstudyofNewham,EastLondon,whichfoundstreetspromotedethnicinteractionandtolerance.105

Projects engaging communities in urban green space

Inadditiontotheexistingliterature,over50recentprojectswerereviewedinordertoprovideinsightintohowpeopleexperiencegreenspace,whatspecificattributesofurbangreenspacearevalued,andthebenefitsfrom,andbarriersto,accessingurbangreenspace.106

Theseprojectswerechosenbecausetheyaimed,indifferentways,toengagedeprivedcommunitiesordifferentethnicitieswiththeirlocalurbangreenspace.Thereviewexploredhowtheprojectswerefacilitatedandhowthequalityofgreenspacewasevaluated.Appendix3setsouttheprojectsreviewed.107

Methodsofcommunityengagementusedbytheprojectsincluded:

eventsandactivitiessuchasurbanfarmingandcompetitionstodrawinthelocalcommunity

creativeplayandaudio-visualmethodstoengageboththeyoungandolderpeople

revealinga‘hiddenstory’behindthelandscapethatresonatesculturallyorhistorically

communityconsultationthrougheventson-site,designworkshops,discussiongroups,orvisitstoqualitygreenspaces.

Urbanfarmingandfoodwasakeymethodofengagementwithintheprojectsthatwerereviewed.

SomeprojectmanagersusedtheBlackEnvironmentNetwork(BEN)tofacilitateconsultationwithdifferentcommunities.TwoprojectsusedCABE’sSpaceshapertooltoengagewithcommunities.

‘ These park improvements have improved our quality of life. Where we were scared to walk in the park in fear of being robbed due to overgrown trees and hedges, we can now sit on comfortable seats and enjoy the open space and the flowers without being in fear” Local resident, Leyton Manor Park (Groundwork East London)

Severalprojectsreportedthatengagingwithblackandminorityethnicwomenwasaneffectivewaytoalsoengagemenandyoungpeople.Thiswasparticularlythecasewithhealthinitiatives,whereAsianwomen,forinstance,wereseenashavingauthorityinthisfield.Anotherprojectreportedthatlateafternoonwasagoodtimetocarryoutdoor-to-doorsurveys,whenchildrenandteenagerswereathomeandable,ifneeded,totranslatefortheirparents.

Mostprojectsdocumentedthebenefitsandoutcomesforareasandindividualparticipants.Theseinclude:

promotionoftheuseof,andaccessto,localgreenspace

improvedcommunitycohesionandareductioninanti-socialbehaviour

103 Flexibility in place and meanings of place among first generation migrants,PowellandRishbeth(unpublisheddraft)

104 Ethnicity and the multi-cultural city: Living with diversity,Amin,2002.105 Public spaces and social relations in East London,Dinesetal,2006.106 Projectssubmittedbyresearchadvisorygroupmembers,fromorganisations

directlycontactedbyOPENspaceandviawebsearches.OnlyprojectstakingplaceinurbanandEnglishareaswerereviewed.Asummaryoftheprojectsreviewedisinappendix3.

107 Thedataisself-reported,andthereforesubjective.Futureresearchcouldcollectobjectivedataonhealthandaccessto,andquantityof,greenspace.

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improvedmentalhealthandopportunityforrelaxation,self-expression,releaseofenergy,funandenjoyment

improvedphysicalhealthandmotivation increasedskills(forexampleinhorticulture)

andconfidence thepromotionofsustainabilitysuchasthe

reductionofcaruse improvementsinthequalityofspecificspaces.

‘ I went to celebrations, festivals – anywhere where I knew that people were gathering. A lot of persuading and convincing was needed and I had to make a great many visits…it was a question of getting on friendly terms with people and gradually building up trust’. Asian community walking facilitator

Someprojectsdidexperiencebarriersinengagingpeople.Barriersincludedalackoffunding,andtheneedtomaintaintheenergyandmotivationtoengagespecificcommunitiesandsustainthisinvolvement.Furthermore,therewasalackoftrustincommunitieswherechangeshavebeenpromisedinthepast,butnotdelivered.Aminorityofprojectsreportedproblemswithlanguagebarriersandalackofconfidencewithinsomeparticipants.

Conclusion and research gaps

Theethnicprofileofoururbanareasischanging.MostoftheUK’sblackandminorityethniccommunitiesliveinEngland,ininnerurbanareasandinthemostdeprivedwards.Povertyratesarehighestinblackandminoritycommunities,doublethatfoundamongwhitepeople,andsomeminorityethnicgroupsreportworsehealth.

Atthesametime,inurbanareas,wardswithpopulationsofover40percentblackandminorityethnicpeoplecanhaveupto11timeslessgeneralgreenspacethanwardswithalmostnoblackandminorityethnicresidents.Andthegreenspacethattheydohaveisofapoorerquality.

Yetitisthemostdeprivedneighbourhoodsthatwillbenefitthemostfromaccess(andproximity)togreenspace.Ourliteraturereviewfoundthat

accessto,anduseof,greenspaceinurbanareaspromoteshealthandwellbeing.Furthermore,existingresearchshowshowgreenspaceplaysaroleineasingracialtensionsandbringingdiversegroupstogether,forinstancetoplayfootballorcricket,andpromotingintegrationbyprovidingspacefororganisedandcasualencounterswithneighboursanddifferentethnicgroups.

Regardlessofethnicity,theexperienceofnatureisrestorativeandassociatedwithimprovedemotionalwellbeing.Everybodyvaluesgood-qualitygreenspacethatiswellmanagedandmaintained.However,thesimplepresenceofgreenspacewithinareasdoesnotnecessarilymeanitwillbewellused.Oneofthemaininfluencesonanindividual’suseofgreenspaceishowsafetheyfeel.Researchsuggeststhatblackandminorityethnicpeoplearemorelikelytofeelunsafeandthisimpactsontheirlevelofuse.Ourhouseholdsurveyexploresthisinmoredetail.

Thesocialaspectsofaccesstogreenspacedoappeartodifferbyethnicity.Existingresearch,bothwithintheUKandinternationally,hasfounddistinctivepatternsofuseamongdifferentblackandminorityethnicpeople.However,aperson’sagedoesseemtobemoresignificantthanethnicgroup,withyoungpeoplemorelikelytoreportcommonreasonsforvisiting,andcommonbarrierstouse.Ourhouseholdsurveyaskedpeopleaboutthewaystheyusetheirlocalgreenspaces.

Overalltheliteraturereviewfoundalackofquantitativeresearchusinglargesamplesizes.Instead,mostoftheresearchreviewedtookacasestudyapproach–usingqualitativemethodsinsmallsamples,focusingonadultsratherthanonchildren.

Thereisapositiverelationshipbetweenhealthandgreenspacebutcausalevidenceisstilllacking.Ourliteraturereviewdidnotfindanystudiesthatobjectivelyevaluatedthewellbeingofdifferentethnicitiesinrelationtogreenspace.

Moreresearchisneededonthebarrierstoaccessinggreenspacesthatareatplaywellbeforesomeonedoesordoesnotuseaspecificspace.Finally,ourreviewfoundlittleresearchonpatternsofphysicalbehaviourandhowtheydifferamongdifferentethnicgroups.

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3 The household survey: green space, ethnicity and health in six communities

Thischapterisdividedintofoursections:

1.Anoverviewofthepeopleinterviewed–includingtheirethnicity,income,tenureandself-reportedassessmentoftheirhealthandwellbeing.

2.Theroleofgreenspaceinmakinganareaa‘goodplacetolive’–ascomparedtoanumberofotherenvironmentalfactors.

3.Useoflocalgreenspace,bytypeofspaceandbyethnicity,andsatisfactionwithneighbourhoodandlocalgreenspace.

4.Linksbetweengreenspacequalityanduseandhealthandwellbeing–includingperceptionsofsafetyandchangingbehaviour.

1. The survey respondents

Theviewsof523people,fromwhiteandblackandminorityethnicgroups,werecollectedandanalysed.Between85-88peopleineachcasestudylocationagreedtotakepart,whichwascarriedoutasacomputerassistedinterview,face-to-faceinpeople’shouseholds.Thistookaround45minutestocompleteandpeoplereceiveda£5voucherfortakingpart.

Thesurveywasaimedatastructuredsampleofpeopleinthecasestudyareas.Eacharea’s‘target’samplewasconstructedtoreflecttheethnicityoflocalresidents.TheviewsofAfrican-Caribbean,Bangladeshi,blackAfrican,Indian,PakistaniandwhiteBritishpeopleweresought.Onthewholepeoplewerewillingtotalktous.Some68percentofthepeopleweaskedagreedtotakepart.Householdswithchildrenweremorelikelytoagree.

Respondentsfromdifferentethnicitieswerenotevenlydistributedacrosstheareas;forinstance,allBangladeshiintervieweeswerefromthetwoGreaterManchesterareas.

Figure2belowsetsoutthesurveyrespondentsbyareaandbytheirethnicity.Ethnicitywasself-reported.Peoplewereaskedwhichethnicgrouptheybelongedto.

Toassistwithdataanalysis,theclassificationofpeople’sethnicityisdividedintosixgroups.African-CaribbeanandblackAfricanintervieweeswerecombinedintoonegroupforanalysis.Thiswasapragmaticsolutionowingtosmallstudynumbers.

We interviewed over 500 people in the six case study areas to explore the relationship between the quality of their local green spaces, use of these spaces and their health and wellbeing.

The survey did this in two ways. First, it asked interviewees how important they thought access to green space is in relation to other factors in making an area ‘a good place to live’.

Second, interviewees were asked about their health, their use of green space, the quality of their local green spaces and how improvements to their local spaces would affect their use, and levels of physical activity. This was aimed at gaining insight into how improvements in the quality of local green space can impact on people’s use of, and levels of activity within, these spaces, and consequently their health and wellbeing.

The survey was unique in this approach. To date no other English research project of this scale has explored these issues. In addition, there is no precedent for exploring how improving green space provision might result in changing behaviours.

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Aroundhalfofthesurveyrespondents(51percent)werenotinanyformofpaidwork,and40percentwerefindingitdifficulttocopeoncurrentincome.

Thosefindingitmostdifficult(difficulttoverydifficult)tocopeontheirpresentincomewerePakistanipeople(52percent)followedbyIndianpeople(44percent),whiteBritish(39percent),Bangladeshipeople(37percent),African-CaribbeanandblackAfricanpeople(33percent)and‘other’blackandminorityethnicpeople(32percent).

Housingtenuredistributionwasmixedamongthosewhorentedfromaprivatelandlord(24percent),homeowners(24percent)andthoselivinginsocialhousing(21percent).Sixteenpercentofthesamplewerehomeownersviasharedownership.Indianintervieweesweremostlikelytoowntheirownhome,andotherblackandminorityethnicpeopleandAfrican-CaribbeanandblackAfricanpeopleweremostlikelytorent(privateorsocialhousing).

Self-reported health and wellbeing Table2showsthatthepercentageofintervieweesreporting‘good’or‘verygood’healthwaslowerinthestudyareasthantheaveragerecordedforthelocalauthority.110Thisisnotunexpectedowingtothelevelofdeprivationinthecasestudyareas.However,astable2shows,thepicturewasmixed.InGreaterManchesterB(BangladeshiandPakistaniinterviewees)andWestMidlandsAandB(whiteBritish,IndianandPakistaniinterviewees)thelevelsofreportedgeneralhealthwerehigher.

Indianintervieweesreportedthehighestoverallhealth(88percentverygoodandgood)andthiswasmarkedlyhigherthananyotherethnicgroup.

TherateofgeneralhealthwasverylowinGreaterManchesterA(BangladeshiandPakistaniinterviewees)bothcomparedtootherlocationswithinthisstudyandcomparedtotheaverageforthelocalauthority:41percentascomparedto69percent.

Figure 2: Percentage of survey respondents (by their area of residence and ethnicity)108

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PercentageofBangladeshirespondents

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PercentageofwhiteBritishrespondents

Percentageofrespondentsfromotherethnicgroups

Thesamplewasslightlybiasedtowardswomen(60percent)andyoungeragegroups(70percentofintervieweeswereagedbetween16and44yearsold).109Astheliteraturereviewforthisstudydemonstrated,theageprofileofblackandminorityethnicpeopleisyoungerthanthatofthewhiteBritishpopulationsotheagebiaswasfelttobeappropriate.

Thecasestudyareaswereselectedonthebasisoftheirhighlevelsofeconomicdeprivation(seechapter1formoreinformationontheareasselected).

108 Peopleinthisgroupincludedualheritagepeople,ChineseandTurkishpeople.Thegroupingofadiverserangeofpeoplewasapragmaticsolutiontosmallstudynumbers.

109 23percentwereaged16-24yearsold,26percentaged25-34,21percentaged35-44,16percentaged45-54,7percentaged55-64and6percentaged65orover.

110 ComparedwithPlaceSurvey2009dataongeneralhealth.ThePlaceSurveyalsocollectsinformationaboutresidentsatisfactionwithneighbourhoodqualityandlocalauthorityservices

20

Figure3setsoutlevelsofphysicalactivityintheareas,againstnationalfigurestakenfromSportEngland’sActivePeopleSurvey(2005/06)whichisalarge-scalesurveyofpeople’sleisureandphysicalactivity.111TheLondonAandGreaterManchesterAcasestudiesaremuchlowerthanthenationalaverageshereandWestMidlandsAishigherwithregardtomediumlevelsofactivity(atleast30minutesofmoderatephysicalactivityon8-14dayspermonth).Theothercasestudiesarespreadacrossaspectrum.

LevelsofphysicalactivitywerethelowestamongblackAfricanandAfrican-Caribbeaninterviewees– 83percentreportedexercisingonlessthan7dayspermonth.PhysicalactivitywashighestamongIndianinterviewees–12percentreportedexercisingonmorethan22dayspermonth.

Thesamepatternswerefoundforqualityoflife,socialwellbeingandplaceattachment,withIndianintervieweesscoringhighandblackAfricanandAfrican-CaribbeanandBangladeshiintervieweesthelowest.

Table 2: Percentage of respondents reporting that their health is either ‘very good’ or ‘good’

Case study area CABE data

(2009)

Average for local authority

(Place Survey data, 2009)

GreaterManchesterA 41 69GreaterManchesterB 76 69LondonA 61 78LondonB 60 83WestMidlandsA 85 71WestMidlandsB 84 74

111 Link expired

21

Figure 3: Levels of physical activity undertaken per month: CABE study compared with the Active People Survey (percentage of people)112

100

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Atleast30minutesofmoderatephysicalactivityon8–14dayspermonth

Atleast30minutesofmoderatephysicalactivityon15–21dayspermonth

Atleast30minutesofmoderatephysicalactivityonmorethan22dayspermonth 112 Sumtotalsmaynotaddupto100percentbecauseofrounding.

22

The survey methodologyThehouseholdsurveyaskedaseriesofquestionsdesignedtoexploretherelationshipbetweenthehealthandwellbeingofinterviewees,andperceivedqualityoftheirlocalgreenspaceandcurrentuseofgreenspace.Italsoexploredpeople’sattitudestoimprovementstotheirlocalgreenspacesandhowthiscouldaffecttheirbehaviour–specificallytheirlevelsofuseandphysicalactivity.

Thedesignofthesurveywasshapedbyourreviewoftheexistingliterature(seechapter2)andfocusgroups(seeappendix4).Interpretationofthesurveydatawasaidedbyinformationgatheredbyauditsofenvironmentalqualityinthecasestudyareas(seeappendix5).

Thesurveydrewonacombinationofquestionsdemonstratedtobereliableinpreviousresearchstudies,andexistingvalidatedscalesforhealthandwellbeing.Whereveritwaspossible,thesurveydrewonquestionsthathadbeenusedbeforetoexploretheuseofgreenspaceandperceivedqualityofgreenspaceandneighbourhood.

Informationfromfocusgroups,heldinfourofthesixcasestudylocations,wasusedtoconstructnewquestionsaroundgreenspaceuseandpeople’slikesanddislikes.Thefocusgroupsalsohelpedtoprovideadditionalbackgroundinformationonthequalityofgreenspaceprovisioninthecasestudyareas.Greenspacewasdefinedbythesurveyas‘anypublicspacearoundherethatissomewheregrassyandgreentowalk,sitandplay,excludingaprivategarden’.Thisdefinitionwasinformedbydiscussionswithinthefocusgroupsinwhichgreenspacewasunderstoodtoincludeparks,grassyareas,hillyplacesandopenspaces,aswellasareassuchascanaltowpathsandsportspitches.

QuestionsongreenspaceuseweretakenfromnationalsurveyssuchasSportEngland’sActive people surveyandbestvalueperformanceindicators(BVPI).QuestionsonneighbourhoodsatisfactionweredrawnfromBVPI.WherenoEnglishequivalentwasavailable,questionsfromtheScottish social attitudessurvey(2009)wereused.

Therewerenoprecedentsinpreviousresearchforquestionsexploringhowperceivedwellbeingchangesinrelationtogreenspaces.Thisaspectofoursurveywasapproachedbyaseriesof

newquestionsdesignedtotapintopeople’saspirationsforgreenspacequalityanduseandthethingsthataremostmeaningfultothem.

TheuseofquestionsreplicatedfromothernationalsurveysenabledcomparisonoftheCABEdatawithnationalbaselines.Urban green nation: building the evidence basesetsoutmoreinformationonnationaldatacollectionrelatingtourbangreenspace.113

Measuring health and wellbeing

Questionsusedinthesurveytomeasureperceptionsofhealthandwellbeingexaminedavarietyofvariablestocaptureinformationongeneralhealth,physicalhealth,self-reportedqualityoflifeandwellbeing.

Physical health Onequestionused‘in the past week/month, how many days have you done a total of 30 minutes or more of physical activity, which was enough to raise your breathing rate e.g. getting slightly out of breath?’114

General health Onequestionused‘in general would you say that, for a person of your age, your health is...’(scaleofverygoodtoverypoor)115

Self-reported quality of life Measuredusingafive-itemscaleonsatisfactionwithlife.116

Social wellbeing Acombinationofquestionsmeasuringlevelsofcommunitycohesion,trust,loneliness,attachmenttoplaceandsenseofbelonging.117

Objective measures and self-reported indicators of wellbeing

Demographicandsocio-economicquestionsaskingaboutlevelofincome,housing,educationalattainments,perceivedaccessto,anduseof,publicservices.118

113 Urban green nation: building the evidence base,CABE,2010

114 BritishHeartFoundationNationalCentre,2008.115 Generalhealthquestionusedinotherrelevantresearch,forexampleby

Maasetal,2008.116 SeebibliographyforDieneretal,1985.Wellusedinotherresearchexploring

relationshipbetweengreenspaceandwellbeing,forinstanceSugiyamaandWardThompson,2009andScottish environmental attitudes and behaviours survey,2008.

117 MeasuresofcommunityandcohesiontakenfromtheScottish social attitudes survey,2009andtheUniversityofCaliforniaLoneliness scale.

118 QuestionstakenfromPLURELwww.plurel.net

23

2. Understanding the role of green spacein making an area a ‘good place to live’

Urban green nationfoundastronglinkbetweenpeople’ssatisfactionwiththeirlocalparksandopenspaces,andtheirsatisfactionwiththeirneighbourhood.Ifpeoplearesatisfiedwithlocalparks,theytendtobesatisfiedwiththeircouncil.However,indeprivedareas,andareaswithhighblackandminorityethnicpopulations(over40percentofwardpopulation),bothneighbourhoodsatisfactionandsatisfactionwithparksandopenspacesislowerthaninmoreaffluentareas.

Asfigure4shows,thisdifferencecanbeupto30percentbetweenthepeoplelivinginthemostandleastaffluentareas.

Thismatters,bothforthewellbeingofindividualcommunitiesandforthewayinwhichlocalauthorities’overallperformanceisassessed.

Satisfactionwithneighbourhoodisakeynationalperformanceindicator(NationalIndicator5)andauthoritiesthatchoosethisaspartoftheirlocalareaagreementwillneedtoprioritiseimprovements.

Anarea’slocalgreenspaceisaresourcetousetomitigateinequalitiesfacedbydifferentcommunities.Thehouseholdsurveythereforesetouttoexploretheindividualinfluencesonresidentsatisfactionandtounderstandhowpeoplemakedecisionswhenconsideringwhatmakesanareaa‘goodplacetolive’.Thiswastoincreaseknowledgeonthespecificroleofanarea’sgreenspace,inrelationtootherservices,inshapingareasthatpeoplewillwanttolivein.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs Inthe1940sAbrahamMaslowproposedatheoryoffivelevelsofneedsthathumansrequirefulfilledinordertopositivelydevelopandtobesatisfiedinlife.

Thebottomtierofneeds,thephysiologicalorbiological,arethosethingsthatpeoplemusthaveinordertosurvive:forinstance,oxygen,foodandwater.Oncethesebasicneedsaresatisfied,thesecondtierofMaslow’shierarchybecomesactive–theneedforsafetyandsecurity.Anindividualprogressesthroughtheseneedsinorder.Therefore,whenanindividualfeelssafe,thenextclassofneedsbecomeactive–theneedforloveandbelonging,andsoonandsoforth.

Theprovisionoflocalgreenspaceisfundamentalinmakingurbanlifeliveableandournation’sgreeninfrastructureprovidesvaluablebasicenvironmentalservicessuchascleaningtheair,storingfloodwaterandamelioratingtheheatislandeffect.ThePlaceSurveyshowsthatalmostnineoutof10peopleuseparksandgreenspacesinurbanareasandtheyvaluethem;ninety-fivepercentofpeoplethinkitisveryorfairlyimportanttohavegreenspacesneartowheretheylive.119

Ourresearchprovidesfurtherevidencethataccesstolocalgreenspace,alongsideaccesstohousing,healthandeducation,isabasicrequirementorneedthatisfundamentaltoagoodqualityoflife.Analysisofoursurveydataalsorevealsarelationshipbetweenuseofgreenspaceandindividualperceptionsofsafety–thosewhousegreenspacelessalsotendtofeellesssafeintheirarea.

Figure 4: Percentage neighbourhood satisfaction by level of deprivation

Worst10% 11-20% 21-40% 41-60% 61-80% Leastdepr England

Levelofdeprivation

Per

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Source:BVPI2006survey.Informationforurbanauthoritiesonly.


24

The PLUREL methodology ThehouseholdsurveydrewonaquestionnairedevelopedaspartofaEuropeanUnion-fundedprojectentitledPLUREL(Peri-urbanLandUseRelationships:StrategiesandSustainabilityAssessmentToolsforUrban–RuralLinkages)andusedquestionsthathavebeendevelopedaspartofthisEuropean-wideprogrammeofresearch.120

PLURELexamineshowimportantaccesstogreenspaceisinrelationtosevenotherenvironmentalattributes:

airqualitysuitabilityofhousingareasafetyandsecuritynoisepollutionshoppingfacilitiespublictransportwastedisposal.

Theseattributesareconsideredtobeamanageablesetofphysicalenvironmentalfactorsthatarelikelytobemostpertinenttopeople’swellbeingandaremostrelevantinmakinganeighbourhoodagoodplacetolive.121

PLURELdevelopedandpiloteditsquestionsacrossseveralEuropeancountries.IthasgatheredresponsesinsixEuropeanregions

(GreaterManchester,denHague,Koper(Slovenia),Warsaw,LeipzigandMontpellier),oneareainChinaandinEstonia.

UsingPLURELasitsbasis,thehouseholdsurveyexploredtherelativeimportanceofurbangreenspaceinrelationtotheotherenvironmentalattributesusingacomputerisedsimulatedexercisewherebyparticipantsareaskedtoselectwhatwouldmakeagoodplacetolive.Thesimulatorpresentsdifferentscenariosofa‘good’placetolivebasedonthreedifferentlevelsofeachattribute:forinstancepoor,moderateorexcellentairquality.Greenspaceaccessoptionsrangedfromashortwalktogreenspace,alongwalktogreenspace,ortransportneededtoreachgreenspace.Usingthismethod,itispossibletoanalysetheresultsoftheexercisebyethnicity,levelofeducationorincomeandlocation.

Thistypeofanalysisisdifferentfromconventionalpreferenceorratingtasksbecausepeople’sjudgementsaboutwhatmakesaparticularareaagoodplacetolivearebasedonarangeofattributesincombination,comparabletothewaypeoplemakechoicesinreallife.Forinstance,whenpeoplearechoosingwheretolive,theyweighuplocation,typeofhouse,schoolqualityandsoon,aspartofthesamedecision,ratherthanasdiscreteindividualcomponents.122

120 www.plurel.net121 BasedonSustainable communities indicatorsandthe

European quality of life survey122 TheNationalInstituteforHealthandClinicalExcellence(NICE)has

recommendedthatresearchersmovetochoicemethods,suchasthemethodusedinourstudy,forqualityoflifeassessmentinmedicineandhealth.

25

Results

Overall,areasafetyandsecuritywereconsideredmostimportantinmakinganareaagoodplacetolive.Whenallenvironmentalattributeswereequalandthesafetyattributeisvaried,‘raresafetyproblems’wasthemostpreferredscenarioacrossthesample.Accesstogreenspacewasrankedsixthinimportanceandcontributedapproximately10percenttomakingtheareaagoodplacetolivewithinthecontextoftheotherattributesevaluated.Areasafetyandsecuritycontributed16percentandwasapproximately1.6timesasimportantasaccesstogreenspace.

Thedifferencesintheimportanceofattributestestedweremostlynotverygreat.Figure5belowsummarisestheresults.

Results by ethnicityTheroleofsafetyinchoosingaplacetolivevariesinimportanceaccordingtoethnicity.WhiteBritishinterviewees,Indian,Pakistaniandotherethnicblackandminorityethnicgroupsratedsafetyasthemostimportantattributecomparedtosevenothers.BangladeshipeopleandblackAfricanandAfrican-Caribbeanpeoplerateditasthesecondmostimportantattributeafterdesignandconstructionofhousing.

Therelativeimportanceofaccesstogreenspaceforagoodlivingenvironmentwassimilaracrossallethnicgroups,althoughimportanceratingswereslightlyhigherforwhiteBritish,PakistaniandIndianinterviewees.

Results by level of physical activityThosethatweremorephysicallyactive(self-reported)placedaccesstogreenspacehigherinimportancethanmost.Thisunderlinesarelationshipbetweenphysicalactivityandthevalueofgreenspacethatappearstobemoreevidentinthisstudy’ssamplethaninthewiderpopulationofBritain.

Frequencyofpeople’sestimatedactivitylevelsandfrequencyofgreenspaceusewererelatedto:higherimportanceofairquality;higherimportanceofgreenspacebutlowerimportanceofnoiseandlowerimportanceforsafety.Itisperhapsnotsurprisingthatthosewhousegreenspacemoreratethisaccesshigherinimportance.However,itisofnotethattheyplacelowerimportanceonsafety.

Figure 5: Relative importance of the tested environmental qualities in making an area ‘a good place to live’ (percentage)

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26

Results by level of green space useConversely,thosewhousegreenspacelessoftenratesafetyandnoiseattributesmorehighly,andairqualityandgreenspaceaccesslower.Althoughitisnotpossibletoisolateacauseandeffectrelationshiphere,itisofnotethatthosewhousegreenspacelessalsoplaceagreaterimportanceonsafety.Thisrelatestotheliteraturereviewedinchapter2whichshowedthatthemainmechanisminfluencingpeople’susageofopenspaceistheirperceptionofsafety.

International comparisonTheresultswerecomparedwithPLURELdatafromothercountries.Thisdataincorporatesarangeoflocations,frominnerurbantorural,andawiderspectrumofrespondents.Thisisincontrasttothisstudy’snarrowerfocusondeprivedareaswithahighpopulationofblackandminorityethnicpeople.

Comparisondoeshoweverrevealsimilarresults.123InthewiderPLURELdatasetgreenspaceisalsorankedsixthandtheoverallaverageimportanceofgreenspacealsoremainsrelativelyconstant(around10percent).Thisisimportantinindicatingthataccesstogreenspaceisabasicandconsistentenvironmentalattributeinmakinganareaagoodplacetolive,regardlessofwhoyouareorwhereyoulive.

3. Use of green space and satisfactionwith neighbourhood

Thesurveyaskedpeoplewhichlocalgreenspacestheyusedandhowtheyperceivedthequalityofthesespacesandthequalityoftheirwiderneighbourhood.

Thepublicparkwasthemostfrequentlyvisitedspaceofallthetypesofgreenspaceincludedinthesurvey–recordedat90percentofoveralluse.124Themajorityofinterviewees(78percent)visitedtheirnearestspacebywalking,indicatingthatitisthelocalneighbourhoodparkthatisofmostsignificanceforpeople’suseofgreenspace.

Thisalsomirrorstheresultsoffocusgroupsthatwereheldinthecasestudyareastohelpdevelopthehouseholdsurveyquestions.Thesegroupsdiscussedpeople’suseoflocalgreenspaceandtheirperceptionofthequalityofthesespaces.Here,again,themostfrequentlymentionedgreenspaceswereparksand,inGreaterManchesterB,sportspitches.

Furthermore,inthefocusgroups,mostparticipantsreportedgoingonfoot,usuallywithfriendsandfamily–especiallyyoungfemalePakistaniandBangladeshiwomen.

However,inlocationswithahigherqualityofpark,forinstanceaGreenFlag-awardedpark,peoplereportedtravellingfurther.Appendix4includesmoreinformationonthefindingsfromthefocusgroups.

Thepatternofvisitingpublicparkswasthesameacrossallthesurveyrespondents.Significantly,lessthanonepercentofthoselivinginsocialhousing(21percentoftheoverallsample)reportedusingthegreenspacesinthehousingestatetheylivedin.

Asfigure6belowshows,thesespaceswererecordedatonly3percentofoveralluse(thisincludespeoplewholiveinprivatehomesonhousingestates),indicatingthatforthemajorityofpeoplethesespacesarenotconsideredalocationtouseorvisit.

Yet,inEngland17percentofhouseholdsaresocialtenantslivinginnearlyfourmillionhomes,uptohalfwhomarelikelytobeagedunder16.125Sociallandlordsareresponsibleforthesignificantquantitiesofgreenandopenspacesthatsurroundthesehomes.Indeed,insomeareas,especiallyinsomepartsofLondon,theirgreenspacestockmaybeequaltoorgreaterthan,theamountofgreenspacesownedandmanagedbythelocalauthority.

Sociallandlordsthereforehavecontroloverasignificantgreenspaceresource.CABEandtheNationalHousingFederationhavesetoutapracticalactionplanthatidentifies10prioritiestohelpimprovethequalityofthesespaces.TheNeighbourhoodsGreenpartnership,whichaimstohighlighttheimportanceofgreenspacesforsocialhousingresidents,willworkwithsociallandlordstotaketheseforward.126

123 Itshouldberememberedthatsamplingframesarenotdirectlycomparableintermsofsamplesizeortargetedpopulations.

124 Thesurveyalsoincludedsportsandrecreationalareas,playareas,greenspacesonsocialhousingestates,woodlands,opencountryside,greenspacealongsidecanalsorrivers.Respondentswerealsoabletonameanothertypeofgreenspace.

125 8percentofsocialhousingismanagedbyhousingassociationsand9percentbylocalauthorities

126 ThePartnershipissupportedbyCABE,theNationalHousingFederation,NaturalEngland,Peabody,Greenflagpluspartnership,GroundworkUK,LandscapeInstituteandtheWildlifeTrusts.Formoreinformationontheactionplanwww.cabe.org.uk/social-landlords

27

Green space use by ethnicity Aperson’sethnicitywasthestrongestindicatoroftheirgreenspaceuseinthesurveydata.AndforallethnicgroupsasidefromwhiteBritishandIndianpeople,generalhealthwasthenextbestpredictorofuse.

Thus,thefrequencyandnatureofindividualgreenspaceusewasexaminedinmoredetailtoseeifitispossibletodeterminepatternsofdifferenceandsimilaritybetweendifferentethnicities.Analysisofthedatashowsthattherearehighlysignificantdifferencesbyethnicity–withphysicalactivityandsocialpatternsofusegenerallystrongeramongblackandminorityethnicinterviewees.127

Use of green spaceNationally,48percentofpeopleusegreenspacesatleastonceaweek.128Inourstudylevelsofgreenspaceuseforallethnicities,withtheexceptionofwhiteBritish,weremuchlowerthanthenationalaverage.Thiswasexpectedbecauseofthelevelofdeprivationoftheareasstudied.DeprivedareasinEnglandrecordthelowestlevelofgreenspaceuse.129

Surveyintervieweeswereaskedtochoosefromthefollowingoptions:

relax,thinkandenjoythepeaceandquietseewildlifegetfreshairmeetfriendseatanddrinkforafamilyouting(forinstancepicnicorbarbecue)

takechildren/grandchildrenouttobeinaplacewherethereareotherpeopleexercisewalkthedogenjoyentertainmentenjoythebeautyofthesurroundingsgrowthings.

Perceptions of green space qualityOurstudyfoundthatthelevelsofquality,andthevalue,peopleattachtoaparticulargreenspacearedifferentaccordingtothecircumstancesinwhichtheyareasked.Peopletendedtobemorepositivewhenvisitinginpersoninagroupcontextandlesssowhendiscussingaspace’scharacteristicsatadistance.Formalenvironmentalauditswereundertakeninallofthecasestudyareastoassessthequalityofthegreenspaceswithintheseareas.Thirteenspaces,mainlyparks,wereauditedandtheinformationgatheredaidedtheinterpretationoftheresponsestothehouseholdsurvey.Appendix5providesmoreinformationontheaudits.

People’sperceptionsofgreenspaceon-siteweremuchmorepositivethaninfocusgroupsandmoreconsistentwiththeensuingsurveydatagatheredfromindividuals.

Itispossiblethatbeinginagreenspaceonasunnydaywithinasocialcontextinfluencedtheresults.Orthatfocusgroupopinioncanbeswayedbythegroupdynamic.Thisshowstheimportanceofcarryingouton-siteassessmentswiththecommunity,andthatvaluejudgementsvaryaccordingtocontext.

Figure 6: Types of local green space used by respondents

90%

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127 Ascomparedtotheotheroptionssetoutinthesurvey,forinstance‘forpeaceandquiet’or‘toseewildlife’.Intervieweesalsohadtheopportunitytostateanactivitynotincludedinthesurveyoptions.

128 TheDEFRAtrackerstudyPublic attitudes and behaviours towards the environment,2009


28

Figure 7: How often do you visit your nearest green space in summer? (percentage of respondents)

African-CaribbeanandblackAfrican

Banglaldeshi

Indian

Pakistani

Respondentsfromotherethnicgroups

WhiteBritish

Ethnicity

40

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NeverinthisseasonSeldomOnceamonthOnceeverytwoweeksOnceortwiceaweekMostdaysEveryday

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29

Figure 8: How often do you visit your nearest green space in winter? (percentage of respondents)


Banglaldeshi

Indian

Pakistani


WhiteBritish

Ethnicity

80

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NeverinthisseasonOnceamonthOnceeverytwoweeksOnceortwiceaweekMostdaysEveryday Seldom

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AcrossintervieweestheuseoflocalurbangreenspacewashighestinwhiteBritishpeople(41percentvisitmostdays)followedbyPakistanipeople(21percentofwhomvisitmostdays).

Therewereverydifferentpatternsofusebyethnicitybetweenthesummerandwinterperiods(figures7and8).Inwinter,whiteBritishpeopleareagainmostlikelytovisitonaregularbasis,whereasBangladeshiandPakistanipeoplearemostlikelyto‘seldom’or‘never’visiturbangreenspaceinwinterandsummer.

Ourliteraturereview(chapter2)exploredresearchintotheuseofgreenspacebydifferentcommunities.Here,severalstudieshadfoundthattheuseofparksbysomeethnicgroupstendstobesocial;inlargefamilyorfriendshipgatherings.

Figure 9: What do you normally do when you visit a green space? (percentage of white British respondents)

60

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Thehouseholdsurveyalsofoundsignificantdifferencesinthenatureofgreenspaceusebyethnicity.BlackandminorityethnicintervieweesweremorelikelytovisitgreenspaceforsocialreasonsthanthewhiteBritishinterviewees.

PatternsofusedifferedmostbetweenBangladeshiintervieweesandallotherinterviewees,particularlywhiteBritishpeople.Asfigures9and10show,whiteBritishpeopleweremorelikelytovisitgreenspaceforrelaxationandtoenjoythepeaceandquietofthespace.Bangladeshipeopleweremorelikelytovisittogetfreshair,meetfriendsandforphysicalactivity.

31

Figure 10: What do you normally do when you visit a green space? (percentage of Bangladeshi respondents)

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Indianintervieweeshademergedelsewhereinthedataasaninterestinggroup,reportinghighlevelsofreportedhealthandhighlevelsofphysicalactivityandlevelsofsatisfactionwithneighbourhoodandgreenspacesimilartothoseofthewhiteBritishinterviewees.

HerewefoundIndianpeoplearemostlikelyoutofallintervieweestovisitgreenspaceforsocialreasonssuchastotakechildrenorgrandchildrenoutandtovisitforphysicalactivity(figure11).Althoughacrossallinterviewees,BangladeshiandPakistanipeoplealsoreportedhighusageofgreenspaceforphysicalactivity.

32

Figure 11: What do you normally do when visiting a green space? (percentage of Indian respondents)

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Satisfaction with neighbourhood and green spaceSatisfactionwithneighbourhoodandwithlocalgreenspace,despitethelevelofareadeprivation,wasconsistentlyfairinallthecasestudyareas.PercentageresponsesforbothsatisfactionwithgreenspaceandneighbourhoodsatisfactionwereparticularlyhighintheMidlands.

Figure12setsoutpeople’ssatisfactionwiththeirlocalgreenspace.Figure13comparesthesewiththeBVPIandPlaceSurveyaveragesfortheareas.130However,careshouldbetakenincomparingtheseresults.ThisstudylookedatsmallareaswithinlocalauthoritiesandusedadifferentmethodologytotheBVPIquestionnaireandPlaceSurvey,wherediscussionaboutsatisfactionwaspartofamuchwiderandstructureddiscussionaboutenvironmentalqualityandwellbeing.Allsurveystookplaceatdifferenttimeperiods.

130 Oursamplespecificallytargetedtwowardsineachlocalauthorityarea,sowedidnotexpectscorestomatchthelocalauthorityaverages.

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Figure 12: Respondents’ satisfaction levels with the quality of their local green space (by case study area)

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Theseresultswereanalysedbyethnicity.WhiteBritishpeople(88percent)andIndianpeople(87percent)weremostsatisfiedwiththeirlocalneighbourhood.Pakistaniinterviewees(77percent)andBangladeshiinterviewees(73percent)wereclosesttothenationalaverage.BlackAfricanandAfrican-Caribbeanpeopleweretheleastsatisfiedwiththeirneighbourhood(62percent).

Onqualityofgreenspace,thepatternswereverysimilartothedifferentgroups’satisfactionwithlocalneighbourhood.Again,whiteBritish(90percent)andIndianinterviewees(86percent)scoredthehighestonsatisfactionwiththequalityofgreenspacenearesttotheirhome(verytofairlysatisfied).

TheseresultswereaboveaverageforurbanEngland;thePlaceSurveyfoundthatin2009generalsatisfactionwithparksandopenspacesinurbanEnglandwas69percent.131

Bangladeshiintervieweesscoredthelowestwhenaskedaboutsatisfactionwithqualityoflocalgreenspacewith55percentveryorfairlysatisfied.Ourresultsrelatetothelocationofthedifferentethnicgroupssampled.Forexample,IndianpeoplewerethemostsatisfiedandIndianintervieweeswerepredominantlydrawnfromtheMidlandscasestudyareaswheresatisfactionwasmuchhigher.BangladeshiintervieweeswereleastsatisfiedandweredrawnfromtheGreaterManchesterareaswheresatisfactioninoneareawasmarkedlylowerthanaverage.

4. Linking green space quality andhealth and wellbeing – perceptions of safety and changing behaviour

Asdiscussedearlierinthischapter,surveyrespondentsrankedperceptionsofpersonalsafetyasmostimportantinmakinganarea‘agoodplacetolive’.Analysisofthedataalsorevealedarelationshipbetweenuseofgreenspaceandindividualperceptionsofsafety–thosewhousegreenspacelessalsotendtofeellesssafeintheirarea.Thisindicatesacircularrelationship–thosewhofeellesssafearealsolesslikelytousegreenspace.

Toexplorethisinmoredetailoursurveyaskedpeoplehowsafetheyfeltusingtheirlocalgreenspacesinthesixcasestudyareasandiftheyexperiencedbarriersinaccessingthesespaces.

Italsouniquelyaskedpeoplehowtheythoughtimprovementstothesespacescouldpotentiallyimpactontheiruseofthesespaces–whichinturncouldbenefithealthandwellbeing.

Perceptions of safety using local green spaceThehighestscoresonsafety(verysafetosafe)wereinWestMidlandsAwhichat93percentweremarkedlyhigherthanintheotherareas.ThetwoGreaterManchesterareasscoredthelowest(55percentinGreaterManchesterAand58percentinGreaterManchesterB).

Thedatawasanalysedbyethnicity.Indian(79percent)andwhiteBritish(75percent)peoplereportedfeelingmostsafe(verysafetosafe).Ofallinterviewees,Pakistani(64percent)andBangladeshi(53percent)peoplereportedfeelingleastsafe.

Thisrepeatspatternsofresultsfoundelsewhereinthesurvey.WhiteBritishandIndianintervieweesrecordedhighsatisfactionandconsistentlysimilarresultsonbothperceptionsofsafetyandquality,whileBangladeshiintervieweeswereleastsatisfiedwiththequalityofgreenspaceandwithsafety.

131 Link expired

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Figure 14: How safe do you feel using your local green space? (by ethnicity)

Barriers to usePeoplewereaskediftheyexperiencedanybarrierstousingtheirlocalgreenspaces.Thebiggestsinglereportedbarriertoaccessingurbangreenspacewassafety.Thiswasexpressedbothintermsofthephysicalenvironment(denseovergrownvegetation,lackoflighting)andthethreatofothers(gangs,drinkinganddruguse).Thirty-sevenpercentofpeoplereportedtheywoulduseurbangreenspacemoreifsafetywereimproved.

Theseresultswereanalysedbyethnicity,andstatisticaldifferenceswerefound.WhiteBritishandIndianintervieweesagainshowedsimilaritiesintheirresponses,reportinglitteranddogfoulingasmajorbarrierstouse.

Barriers to the use of green spaceBarrierswerealsodiscussedaspartofthestudy’sfocusgroups.Theyincluded: Fearandfeelingsofinsecurityresultingfrom

anti-socialbehaviour,drug-dealingandtaking,andfearofpersonalattackorracism

Presenceofdogs–eitherfoulingorfearofattack(thiswascitedparticularlyamongblackandminorityethnicwomen)

Poordesignsuchashighperimeterwallspreventingviewsinandout,heavyvegetationandlackoflightingpromotingfeelingsofinsecurity

Inadequatemaintenanceandmanagementleadingtovandalism,litter,graffitianddrugparaphernalia

Failuretoacknowledgeandprovideforthediverseneedsofamixedcommunity,forinstancenowhereprovidedinalocalgreenspaceforMuslimwomentomeetawayfrommen

Lackoffacilities,particularlylackoffacilitiesforyoungchildrenandteenagers,andtheremovalofwell-usedandvaluedfacilitiessuchasfootballandcricketpitches.Allgroupscitednowheretositasabarriertouse.

Changing behaviourIntervieweeswereaskedwhatwouldencouragethemtomakebetteruseoftheirlocalgreenspaces.Themainresponseswere:

asaferenvironment morefacilitiessuchasacafé,toilets,sportsandplay

areas,particularlyforchildrenandyoungpeople moreevents betterpaths.

Thesedidnotdifferbyethnicity.Theywereprioritiesallintervieweesheldincommon.Forty-sixpercentofintervieweessaidtheywoulduseurbangreenspacemoreifithadbetterfacilities.Thistallieswithourliteraturereview,whichfoundthatacrossallethnicitiesthequalityofgreenspace,anditsgoodmanagementarehighlyvalued.

Iftheirlocalgreenspaceweremademorepleasantandtheybegantouseitmore,60percentofpeoplethoughtitwouldimprovetheiroverallphysicalhealth,48percentperceiveditcouldimprovetheirmentalhealth,and46percentthoughtitcouldimprovetheirsocialrelationshipswithfamilyandfriends.


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Statisticaldifferencesbyethnicitywerefoundinallthreerespects,andespeciallyinperceptionsofthebenefitsofgreenspaceformentalrestoration.TherewassomeconsistencyamongthewhiteBritish,IndianandPakistaniintervieweesinattachingahighvaluetothephysicalandmentalhealthbenefitsofgreenspace.PatternsamongblackAfricanandAfrican-Caribbeanintervieweesandotherblackandminorityethnicgroupsalsoappearedsimilar.

Physical activityAllIndianintervieweesand98percentofPakistaniintervieweesreportedtheywouldfeelbetterabouttheirphysicalhealthiftheybegantousegreenspacemore.132Eighty-ninepercentofBangladeshipeopleand92percentofwhiteBritishreportedhighresponseshere.Responseswerelowestintheotherblackandminoritygroupsat68percentandblackAfricanandAfrican-Caribbeanintervieweesat76percent.Whilephysicalactivitydidnotfeaturehighlyincurrentusepatterns,intermsoffutureuse(baseduponanimprovedqualitygreenspace)itfeaturedmuchmorehighly.

Mental health AllIndianintervieweesreportedthatanincreaseduseofgreenspacewouldbenefittheirmentalhealth,asdid90percentofPakistaniintervieweesand85percentofwhiteBritish.ThefigurewasalsohighforBangladeshiinterviewees(73percent).Thiswassurprisingastheircurrentusepatternsdidnotreflectuseofgreenspaceforrestoration.PercentageswerelowestagainintheblackAfricanandAfrican-Caribbeangroup(41percent)andotherblackandminorityethnicgroups(54percent).

Social wellbeingAgainIndianintervieweesreportedthehighestperceivedbenefits(97percent),withwhiteBritish(87percent)andPakistaniinterviewees(73percent)alsohigh.BlackAfricanandAfrican-Caribbeanperceptionswerehigherontheperceivedbenefitsofgreenspaceforsocialuse(62percent)thanformentalhealth,butotherblackandminorityethnicgroupsperceivedsocialbenefits(54percent)similarlytomentalhealthbenefits.Bangladeshiintervieweesscoredthelowestonthiscategory,at46percent.

Aspirations for green spaceThestudyliteraturereviewidentifiedagapinknowledgeaboutwhichspecificphysicallandscapeattributesmattertoparticularcommunities,althoughexistingresearchhashighlighteddifferentaestheticpreferenceswith‘wild’greenspacehavinglessappealamongsomeethnicgroups.People’saspirationsfortheirlocalgreenspaceswereexploredaspartofthestudy’sfocusgroups.Herepeople’s‘wish-lists’fortheirlocalurbangreenspaceswerelargelybasedonpositiverecollectionsofgreenspaceexperiencedintheiryouth,whichtheyfrequentlytalkedaboutwithnostalgia.

Focusgroupparticipants’wishlistsforlocalgreenspaceincluded:

events(festivals,fireworks) wildlife,water,longgrass colourandflowers sport(cricket,football,hockey)supported

bytraining urbanfarming(fruitfarms,allotments) seatingforsocialisingandfamilyareas facilities:toiletsandcafés,cleanandsafeplay cleanlinessandsafety,wardens consultationbylandownersandurbangreen

spacestrategiesthatembracediversity dog-freearea female-onlyareas(citedbyBangladeshi

andPakistaniparticipants).

YoungPakistaniparticipants(maleandfemale)particularlywantedmoresportfacilitiesappropriatetotheirculture,askingforcricketandfootballasopposedtoskateboarding.Muslimyoungwomensaiditwasessentialtoaccessseparatesocialspacesawayfrommen.

Ourhouseholdsurveyfoundstrongpreferencesamongallintervieweesforlotsoftreesandgreenery(34percent)andtoalesserextent,forattractiveviews(24percent).Theliteraturereviewhadsuggestedurbanfarmingwasofspecialinteresttosomegroups,butthiswasnotsupportedinthesurvey(only2percentofintervieweesreportedtheywoulduseurbangreenspacemoreiftheycouldgrowthings).

132 Respondentsansweredeither‘yes,definitely’or‘yes,abit’.

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Statistical analysis of the relationship between satisfaction and health and wellbeingAnalysisofthisstudy’ssurveydataconfirmedthatindividualperceptionoflocalgreenspacequalityisapredictorofsatisfactionwiththelocalneighbourhoodasanareatolive,andthatthelevelofsatisfactionwithgreenspaceisapredictorofitsuse.133

Thevariablesthatarestatisticallysignificantinpredictingsatisfactionwithanareaare:location,ethnicity,andlevelofincomeandeducation.Ethnicitywasfoundtobeastrongerpredictorofsatisfactionanduseofgreenspacethanlevelofincome.Thesurveydatawasfurtherscrutinisedtoexplorewhethersatisfactionwithneighbourhoodandlocalgreenspaceispositivelyrelatedtobetterhealthandindividualwellbeing.

Statisticallysignificantrelationshipswerefoundbetweenbothsatisfactionwithgreenspace,andsatisfactionwithneighbourhood,and:

betteroverallgeneralhealth(self-reported)abetteroverallqualityoflifehigherphysicalactivitylevelshigherlevelsofsocialwellbeing.

Theattractivenessofgreenspacewassignificantlycorrelatedwithphysicalactivity,socialwellbeingandqualityoflife.Thus,perceptionsofthequalityofgreenspaceareasignificantinfluenceonwhethersomepeopleuseit.

Therewerehighlysignificantrelationshipsbetweenqualityofurbangreenspaceandmanyofthehealthandwellbeingvariables(seepage22forthevariablestested).Thiscannotbeinterpretedasacausalrelationship,butthestrengthoftherelationshipwasparticularlystrongforwellbeing.

Variablesassociatedwithsocialwellbeingwerestronglyrelatedtosatisfactionwiththelocalneighbourhoodasaplacetolive.Furthermore,satisfactionwithyourareaasaplacetolivesignificantlycorrelateswithlevelsofuse,satisfactionwithgreenspace,perceptionsofsafetyandhowattractiveandpleasantanareaisperceivedtobe.

Significance of safetyFeelingsafeingreenspacewasrelatedtoalmostallofthehealthandwellbeingvariablesincludedinthissurvey,includingphysicalactivity,generalhealth,qualityoflifeandsocialwellbeing.134Thereisalsoahighlysignificantcorrelationbetweenthelevelofuseofgreenspaceandperceptionsofsafety;thisrelatestofindingsfromthefirstsectionofthestudy.135Lackofsafetyisoneofthemostimportantbarrierstogreenspaceuse.

Conclusion

Ourhouseholdsurveywasuniqueinitsapproachandscaleinanalysingtheviewsofover500Bangladeshi,African-Caribbean,blackAfrican,Indian,PakistaniandwhiteBritishpeople.Overall,ourresearchshoweddifferencesamongethnicgroupsinperceptionsofareasafety,thequalityofgreenspace,andlevelandtypeofgreenspaceuse.

Acrossallintervieweesthepublicparkwasthemostfrequentlyvisitedspace–recordedat90percentofoveralluse.Seventy-eightpercentofpeoplereportedvisitingtheirnearestspaceonfoot,indicatingthatitisthelocalneighbourhoodparkthatisofmostsignificanceforpeople’suseofgreenspace.

Significantlylessthan1percentofthoselivinginsocialhousing(21percentoftheoverallsurveysample)reportedusingthegreenspacesinthehousingestatetheylivedin.Overall,areasafetyandsecuritywasthemostimportantfactorinmakinganareaagoodplacetolive.Buttheroleofsafetyinchoosingapreferredplacetolivevariedinitslevelofimportancewhenethnicitywastakenintoaccount.

Therelativeimportanceofaccesstogreenspacetoagoodlivingenvironmentwassimilaracrossallethnicgroups,contributingapproximately10percenttowardsmakingtheareaagoodplacetolive.ThisresultwascomparedtodatainsixEuropeanregions.Acrosstheboard,theresultswereconsistent,indicatingthataccesstogreenspaceisabasicandconsistentenvironmentalattributeinmakinganareaagoodplacetolive,regardlessofwhoyouareorwhereyoulive.

133 Thistallieswiththeanalysisofnationaldata,reportedinUrban green nation: building the evidence base,CABE,2010

134 Itwasrelatedto11outof13variables.135 Thisisexplanatory.Itisnotpossibletoshowacausallink.

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Peoplewhoweremorephysicallyactiveplacedaccesstogreenspacethehighestinimportance.Conversely,thosewhousedgreenspacelessoften,ratedsafetymorehighlyandgreenspaceaccesslower.

Lackofsafetywasoneofthemostimportantbarrierstogreenspaceuseandthiswascommontoallinterviewees.Analysisofthedatarevealedarelationshipbetweenuseofgreenspaceandindividualperceptionsofsafety–thosewhousegreenspacelessalsotendtofeellesssafeintheirarea.

Ethnicitywasthestrongestpredictorofgreenspaceuseinthesurveydata.Analysisofthedatashowedhighlysignificantdifferencesbyethnicity,withphysicalactivityandsocialpatternsofusegenerallystrongeramongblackandminorityethnicinterviewees.BlackandminorityethnicintervieweesweremorelikelytovisitgreenspaceforsocialreasonsthanthewhiteBritishinterviewees.

Thesurveyuniquelyaskedpeoplehowtheythoughtimprovementstothesespacescouldpotentiallyimpactontheiruseofthesespaces,whichinturncouldbenefithealthandwellbeing.

Acrossallinterviewees,thebiggestsinglereportedbarriertoaccessingurbangreenspacewassafety.Thiswasexpressedbothintermsofthephysicalenvironment(denseovergrownvegetation,lackoflighting)andthethreatofothers(gangs,drinkinganddruguse).Thirty-sevenpercentofpeoplereportedtheywoulduseurbangreenspacemoreifsafetywereimproved.

Surveyrespondentswereaskedwhatwouldencouragethemtomakebetteruseoftheirlocalgreenspacesandresponsesdidnotdifferbyethnicity.Allintervieweeswantedasaferenvironmentandbetterandmorefacilities.Some46percentofpeoplesaidtheywouldusetheirlocalgreenspacemoreifithadbetterfacilities.

Overall,iftheirlocalgreenspaceweremademorepleasantandtheybegantouseitmore,60percentofpeoplethoughtitwouldimprovetheiroverallphysicalhealth,48percentperceiveditcouldimprovetheirmentalhealth,and46percentthoughtitwouldmakethemfeelbetterabouttheirrelationshipswithfamilyandfriends.Furthermore,theattractivenessofgreenspacewassignificantlycorrelatedwithphysicalactivity,socialwellbeingandqualityoflife.

Thus,perceptionsofthequalityofgreenspaceareasignificantinfluenceonwhethersomepeopleuseit.

Finally,animportantquestionraisedbythisstudyiswhatmakesmostdifferencetoperceptionsofgreenspacequalityanditsuse,andhowthisinfluenceswellbeing:isitethnicityordeprivation?

Overall,ethnicitywasfoundtobemoreimportantasapredictorofgreenspaceuseandofneighbourhoodsatisfactionthanincome.Ethnicity,therefore,appearstobe‘containing’incometosomeextent;inotherwords,ethnicityseemstobetheprincipalfactorbutethnicityisrelatedtolikelyincome(howwellpeoplearecopingontheircurrentincome)andthereforethetwoarelinked.Thusincome,aswellasethnicity,isasignificantpredictorofurbangreenspaceuse.

Thenextchaptersetsoutthekeyfindingsofthisresearch.

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4 Key findings and conclusion

The way our urban areas look and feel and how they work is changing. This research follows work published by CABE, Urban green nation, which showed that in our urban areas, poor communities have a worse quantity and quality of local green space than those who are better off.

As environmental concerns have become mainstream, so has the issue of environmental equity – ensuring that it is not just the well off who benefit from a good environment and, related to that, a good quality of life.

Historically, poor areas in our towns and cities have been exposed to a larger share of environmental risks and hazards, and in a changing climate they are also most likely to suffer disproportionately. The study shows that providing good-quality local green space is a hugely effective way to tackle inequality.

People living in deprived urban areas view green space as a key service, alongside housing, health, education and policing – one of the essentials in making aneighbourhood liveable.

The environment is a key resource, a basic service to use to ensure that those areas already experiencing a mismatch in provision do not get worse.

Tackling inequality through local green space

Peoplegreatlyvaluelocalgreenspaces,fromparks,pitchesandrecreationgroundstowoodlandandplaygrounds.Theyappreciatethebenefitsintermsofrelaxationandstressalleviationandtheopportunitygreenspaceprovidesforexercise,socialcontactwithfriendsandfamilyandplayingwithchildren.

Community Greensuggeststhereisavirtuouscircle:wherepeopleperceivegreenspacequalitytobegood,theyarealsomoresatisfiedwiththeirneighbourhoodandhavebetterhealthandwellbeing.Whenpeoplevaluetheirlocalgreenspaceandfeelsafeinit,theyuseitmoreandaremorephysicallyactive.Thisrelatesstronglytoethnicity:forexample,Indianintervieweesweremostlikelytovisitgreenspacestoexercise,andreportedthehighestperceivedbenefitsiftheirlocalgreenspaceswereimproved.

Thedesireformorepleasantandattractivegreenspaceswithmorefacilitieswascommontoallintervieweesregardlessoftheirethnicity.Almosthalf(46percent)saidtheywouldusetheirlocalgreenspacemoreifithadbetterfacilities.

Ourreviewofpublishedresearchshowsthatgreenspaceplaysaroleineasingracialtensionsandbringingdiversegroupstogether,forinstancetoplayfootballorcricket,andpromotingintegrationbyprovidingspacefororganisedandcasualencounterswithneighboursanddifferentethnicgroups.

The opportunitiesThestudyrevealedanumberofbarrierstobetteruseofpublicgreenspacebyblackandminorityethnicgroups.OnlyhalfofBangladeshipeoplesaidtheyfeelsafeusingtheirlocalgreenspace,comparedwiththreequartersofwhitepeople.

Thestudyexposeshowmuchgreenspaceswhichareonthedoorsteparestillunderusedbecauseoftheirpoorquality.Lessthan1percentofthoselivinginsocialhousingreportedusingthegreenspacesontheirownestates,andthebiggestbarrierswerefearaboutpersonalsafety,lackoffacilitiesandpoorquality.

SeventeenpercentofhouseholdsinEnglandaresocialtenants,uptohalfofwhomarelikelytobeagedunder16,livinginnearlyfourmillionhomes.136Sociallandlordsareresponsibleforthelargeareasofgreen136 Link expired

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spacethatsurroundthesehomes.Insomeareas,particularlyinLondon,thisgreenspacestockmaybegreaterthantheamountownedandmanagedbythelocalauthority.Whiletherearesomeexamplesofgoodpractice,sociallandlordscouldmakemuchmoreofthisextraordinaryassetandthebenefitsofexploitingit.

Ways forwardThecommunityisbestplacedtoknowthespecificneedsandprioritiesfortheirneighbourhood’sgreenspace,andlocalpeoplecanplayacentralroleindrivingtheimprovementsweneed.Forexample,therearemanyneighbourhoodgroups,suchasresidents’associationsorfriendsofparks,whichhavetakenanactiveroleinthemanagementorownershipoflocalgreenspaces,decidinghowtheyareusedandimproved.Landowners,includinglocalauthoritiesandsocialhousingproviders,coulddomoretoencouragethisandtoensurecommunitygroupshavetheresourcesandskillstomakeithappen.

Landownerscantakeamoreproactiveandinnovativeapproachtotheirgreenspacesmoregenerally,workingwithlocalpeopletocreatesaferandmoreattractivegreenspaces.Intheareasthatsufferfromashortageofgreenspace,thecreativeuseoftemporarilyvacantspaces,suchasdevelopmentsites,shouldbesupported.

Thismattersforlocalauthorityperformance.Everybodyaspirestoabetterandsaferlocalenvironment,andCABEresearchshowsthatifpeoplearesatisfiedwiththeirlocalparksandgreenspaces,theytendalsotobesatisfiedwiththeircouncil.137

1. Green space is a public resource with a proventrack record in improving people’s health, buttoo many local green spaces remain unused

Thegreenspacethatmatteredmosttopeopleinourstudywasthelocalpark,whichreceivedaresoundingvoteofconfidencedespitevaryinglevelsofqualityanduse.Itaccountedfor90percentofthegreenspacesallpeopleused.

Themajorityofinterviewees(78percent)visitedtheirnearestgreenspaceonfoot,indicatingthatitisthelocalneighbourhoodparkthatisofmostsignificance.However,inlocationswithahigher-qualitypark,forinstancewithaGreenFlagaward,peopledidtravelfurther.

Wherepeopleperceivegreenspacequalitytobegood,theyaremoresatisfiedwiththeirneighbourhoodandaremorelikelytoreportbetterhealth.

Yetsignificantlocalgreenspaceresourcesremainunexploited.Publicparksarefarfrombeingtheonlygreenspacesintownsandcities.Lessthan1percentofthoselivinginsocialhousing(21percentofourinterviewees)reportedusingthegreenspacesinthehousingestatetheylivein.Thismaybeduetoconcernsaboutsafety,lackofaccessorpoorquality.

What CABE is doingCABEandtheNationalHousingFederationhavesetoutapracticalactionplanwhichidentifies10prioritiestoimprovethequalityofthegreenspacesonsocialhousingestates.TheNeighbourhoodsGreenpartnership,whichaimstohighlighttheimportanceofgreenspacesforsocialhousingresidents,willworkwithsociallandlordstotaketheseforward.138


138 Decent homes need decent spaces: An action plan to improve open spaces in social housing areas,CABESpaceandtheNationalHousingFederation,2010www.cabe.org.uk/social-landlords

Findings from the study

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2. People’s concerns about safety affect theiruse of local green space. This concern variesby ethnicity

Thereisstrongevidencethatwhenpeoplevaluetheirlocalgreenspaceandarelikelytofeelsafeinit,theyuseitmoreandaremorephysicallyactive.Concernaboutpersonalsafetyisthemostimportantbarriertotheuseofgreenspace,andperceptionsofindividualsafetydifferedbetweenethnicgroups.Forinstance,only53percentofBangladeshipeoplereportedfeelingsafeusingtheirlocalgreenspace.Thiscompareswith75percentofwhiteinterviewees.

Oursurveydatashowsarelationshipbetweentheuseofgreenspaceandperceptionsofsafety–thosewhousetheirgreenspaceslessalsotendtofeellesssafeintheirarea.

Barrierstousinggreenspaceswererelatedtoethnicity.Theyincludedfeelingsofinsecurityduetothefearofpersonalattackorracism;exclusionduetothedominationofaspacebyaparticulargroup;andthepresenceofdogs(dog-foulingorfearofdogs).Poordesignsuchashighperimeterwallsblockingviewsinandout,heavyvegetationandlackoflightingmadeaplacefeelunsafe,aswellasinadequatemaintenanceandmanagementleadingtovandalism,litter,graffitianddrugparaphernalia.

What CABE is doingCABE’sDecent parks? Decent behaviour? describesspaceswhereacombinationofgooddesign,managementandmaintenancehastransformedno-goareasbackintopopularassetsusedbythewholecommunity.Thiscanbeafarmoreeffectiveuseofresourcesthan,forinstance,blanketuseofCCTVorexpensivesecuritymeasures.139

‘ These park improvements have improved our quality of life. Where we were scared to walk in the park in fear of being robbed due to overgrown trees and hedges, we can now sit on comfortable seats and enjoy the open space and the flowers without being in fear’ Local resident, Groundwork East London park improvement project

3. Improving the quality of spaces willencourage more active use and exercise

Aspirationsforgood-qualitygreenspacewerecommontoeveryonewespoketo.Everybodywantedmorefacilitiessuchascafés,toilets,playandsportsprovision,andimprovedsafetyandmorecommunityevents.Forty-sixpercentofpeoplesaidtheywouldusetheirlocalgreenspacemoreifithadbetterfacilities.

Peoplementionedthelossofwell-usedandvaluedfacilitiessuchasfootballandcricketpitchesasreasonswhytheyusedspaceless.Thiswasespeciallytrueofyoungpeople.Havingnowheretositwasalsocitedasabarriertouse.

Overall,iftheirlocalgreenspaceweremademorepleasantandtheybegantouseitmore,60percentofintervieweesthoughtitwouldimprovetheiroverallphysicalhealth,48percentthoughtitcouldimprovetheirmentalhealth,and46percentthoughtitwouldmakethemfeelbetterabouttheirrelationshipswithfamilyandfriends.Indianintervieweesreportedthehighestperceivedbenefitsofbetterlocalgreenspace.Whilephysicalactivitydidnotfeaturehighlyinpeople’scurrentusepatterns,intermsoffutureuse(baseduponanimproved-qualitygreenspace)itfeaturedmuchmorehighly.Fifty-twopercentofthoseaskedsaidtheywoulddomorephysicalexerciseifgreenspaceswereimproved.

Indian,BangladeshiandPakistanipeopleweremorelikelythanotherethnicitiestoreportvisitingurbangreenspaceforexercise.Thissuggeststhatimprovedgreenspaceusebythesegroupswouldalsobemoreactiveuse,andcouldmakeanespeciallyimportantcontributiontobetterhealthinblackandminorityethnicgroups.

‘ One thing that got us together was football. We grew up playing together, it brought us together. No type of racial tension here, it was simply because of that football pitch. Several years ago it got demolished for flats. It’s a real shame. Now there’s lots of tension between whites and Asians’Young Bengali male, focus group participant, London

139 Decent parks? Decent behaviour? The link between the quality of parks and user behaviourCABEspace,2005

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4. Local people are best placed to know what they want from green space

Somegroupsvisitedgreenspacesmorethanothers,andfordifferentpurposes,withphysicalactivity(asreferredtoabove)andsocialpatternsofusegenerallymorepopularamongblackandminorityethnicinterviewees.Theyweremorelikelytovisitgreenspaceforsocialreasonsthanthewhiteinterviewees.Infact,inoursurvey,aperson’sethnicitywasthestrongestindicatorofthewaytheyusetheirlocalgreenspaces.

Theprovisionofgreenspaceservicesmusttakeintoaccountthepreferencesandneedsoflocalpeople.‘Onesizefitsall’greenspacedoesnotwork:onlyflexiblespaceswillmeettheneedsofadiversecommunity.Thecommunityshouldbegiventhechancetomakespacesfitforpurpose.Theunusuallyhighresponsetooursurveydemonstratedtheconcernpeoplehaveabouttheirlocalgreenspace.Greatervarietyandflexibilityinprovisionisrequiredaswellasconsistentlyhigherqualityinallareas.

AstheethnicandageprofileoftheUKchanges,greenspacemanagersneedtounderstandtheattitudes,needsanddifferentreasonsforgreenspaceuseamonglocalgroups.Theymustworkhardertoinvolvetheircommunityinthemanagement,planninganddeliveryofspaces,andexistingwaysofworkingmaynolongerbeappropriate.Activemarketingofsites;eventsandactivitiessuchascommunityfundays;guidedwalks;spaceforallotments;andconsideringalternativeusesofspecificareaswillallbolsterusageandresultinahealthierandmoresatisfiedcommunity.

‘ We don’t mix with boys. We need somewhere to go to be away from our parents, somewhere just for girls’ Young Pakistani female, focus group participant, Greater Manchester

‘ I want colour – flowers, all different colours. I want to be able to walk out there, sit down…enjoy the peace, quiet and enjoy the colour’ White male, focus group participant, London

What CABE is doingCABE’sSpaceshaperisapracticaltoolkitthatcapturespeople’sviewsaboutaspace.Resultscanbecomparedbetweendifferentgroupsandusedtoagreesharedprioritiesforactionbeforetimeandmoneyisinvestedinimprovements.Youngpeopleareoftenoverlookedincommunityengagement.Spaceshaper9-14canbeusedinschoolsandyouthclubs,enablingyoungpeopletogetinvolvedinimprovingtheirlocalparks,streets,playgroundsandotherspaces.140

140 www.cabe.org.uk/public-space/spaceshaper

44

The quality of your local green space is of fundamental importance. But some people are missing out. Access to decent green space, alongside housing, health and education, is a basic requirement for a good quality of life. Public green spaces are a local resource for exercise and socialising, community events and education, and offer respite from the pressures of urban living. Locally led green space improvements foster community pride and create spaces people feel safe and confident using. If spaces provide what local people want they will be better used and offer a far better return on investment. The current inequality of provision matters, especially as the ethnic and age profile of the UK changes. Everyone wants to live in an area that has a pleasant and safe environment. The individual and community benefits are immeasurable.

Our research concludes that it makes sense to focus on the people in the community who are worse off. Improving green space in urban areas benefits those that have most to gain.

Conclusion

‘ It’s high up, and there’s a lovely view of the city, a nice Italian café and a pergola. There’s a sense of being lost somewhere in time. There’s high grass, ponds, different people mixing and a family spirit. Children can play safely there; it’s always good for people-watching. I love it because it takes you out of the city. I walk and walk and I breathe. For me this park would have the top award’ White female, focus group participant, London

Why these findings matter to everyoneOurstudyaskedpeoplehowimportantaccesstogreenspaceistoagoodlivingenvironment.Theimportanceofthiswascomparedtosevenotherfactorstested,includingsuitabilityofhousingandareasafetyandsecurity.141

Accesstogreenspacecontributedaround10percenttowardswhatmadeanareaagoodplacetolive.

Thestudyalsofoundthattheneedforaccesstogreenspaceisabasicandconsistentfactor,regardlessofwhoyouareorwhereyoulive.142

Overall,areasafetyandsecuritywereconsideredmostimportant,contributing16percenttowardsmakinganarea‘agoodplacetolive’.Thisresultvariedinimportanceaccordingtopeople’sethnicity,withBangladeshi,blackAfricanandAfrican-Caribbeanpeopleratingsafetyasthesecondmostimportantattributeafterthedesignandconstructionofhousing.

141 Theotherfactorswereairquality,suitabilityofhousing,areasafetyandsecurity,noisepollution,shoppingfacilities,publictransportandwastedisposal.

142 OursurveyusedquestionsdevelopedaspartofaEuropean-wideprogrammeofresearch.TheresultswerecomparedwithdatafromsixEuropeanregions.Inthiswiderdatasetaccesstogreenspacealsocontributed10percent,indicatingthisisaconsistentattributeinmakinganareaagoodplacetoliveregardlessofindividualdifferencessuchaslevelofincome,ethnicityandcountryofresidencewww.plurel.net

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Appendix 1: Summary of international literature review

Abercrombieetal(2008)foundevidenceofincomeandraceinequalitiesinaccesstopublicparksbutnotinaccesstoprivaterecreationalfacilitiesinMaryland,America.Fewerparkswerefoundinresidentialareasthathavehighblackandminorityethnicpopulations(bothhighandlowincome).Thelargestnumberofparkswasfoundinethnicallymixed,middle-incomeneighbourhoods.Inthiscontext,incomedeprivationappearedtohavelessofanegativerelationshipwithparkdistributionthanrace.

Heynenetal(2006)revealbothraceandincomeinequalitiesinthedistributionofurbantreecanopycoverwithinMilwaukeeandfindastrongpositivecorrelationbetweenresidentialcanopycoverandmedianhouseholdincome.

GobsterandWestphal(2003)foundthequalityofopenspacesinlower-incomeAfrican-Americanneighbourhoodswasworsethaninothersocio-economicneighbourhoods,withalowerpercentageoftreevegetationandhigherpercentageofvandalism.

AGordon-Larsenetal(2006)studyonAmericanteenagersfoundthatthoseonalowincome,andthosefromablackorminorityethnicgroup,hadreducedaccesstorecreationalfacilities,includingparksandoutdoorfacilitiessuchastenniscourts.Similarly,Powelletal(2006)revealincomeandraceinequalitiesinaccesstorecreationalfacilities,butdidnotspecificallymeasureaccesstogreenspace.

Estabrooksetal(2003)alsofoundincomeinequalitiesinaccessingfreephysicalactivityfacilities,includingparks,withmorefacilitiesavailableinwealthierneighbourhoodscomparedtothosewithlowandmediumsocio-economicstatus.Kuo(2001)concludedthatlow-incomemulti-familyhousinglackedsurroundinggreenspacesandotherleisureamenities.

InAustralia,Temperioetal(2007)foundthattheavailabilityofpublicopenspace(percentageasmeasuredbyageographicinformationsystem)appearedtobeequitablydistributedacrossneighbourhoodsofvaryingsocio-economicstatus,suggestingequitableplanningguidelinesforopenspaceaccessinAustraliamaybeauniqueandinfluentialfactor.However,likemuchoftheresearchreviewed,thisstudyonlyconsideredtheavailabilityofparks,andnottheparkfeaturesthatmayinfluencepeople’smotivationstoaccessit.

Elsewhere,parkfeatures(suchasquality,amenity,safety)havebeenfoundtobeanimportantpredictorofwalkinginadultsinAustralia(Giles-Cortietal2005).ThenotionthatqualitymaybeafactorisfurthersupportedintheAustraliancontextbyCrawfordetal(2008)whofoundincomeinequalitiesinaccesstoparkandpublicopenspaceintermsoftheamenitiesoffered.Publicopenspaceinhighersocio-economicneighbourhoodshadmoreamenities,moretrees,waterfeatures,paths,lightingandsignage.

InAmerica,Cradocketal(2005)foundaccesstoplayfacilitiesinBostonwasreducedinlower-incomeneighbourhoodsandthosewithhighblackandminorityethnicpopulations.ButinAustralia,conflictingevidencewasfound:Crawfordetal(2008)foundnoincomedifferencesintheprovisionofplayfacilities,whereasVeitchetal(2008)foundchildreninpoorerurbanneighbourhoodshadlessaccesstoplayfacilitiescomparedtohigher-incomegroupsinurbanareas.

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Appendix 2: Summary of UK research on ethnicity and urban public space

Author Method Study group Main findings

PowellandRishbeth(unpublishedpaper)

Qualitative(audiomethodologies)

First-generationmigrants,Sheffield,anduseofurbanstreetscape

Culturaladaptation,socialintegration

Opportunitiesfortemporaryescapeandforpersonalchange

Developmentofnewskills(usingpublictransport)

Dinesetal(2006)

Qualitative(focusgroupsethnographicanalysis,semi-structuredinterviews)

Newham,London(cross-sectionofthelocalresidentialpopulationintermsofethnicity,age,genderandhousingtenure)

Opportunitiesfortemporaryescapeandforpersonalchange

Rishbeth(2004and2001)

Qualitativeandquantitative(2-yearproject,mixedmethods)

UsersofChumleighGardens(Southwark,London),CalthorpeProject(King’sCross,London).WhiteBritish,AsianandblackAfricanpeople.

Divergencebetweengroupsonvalueof‘wild’,convergenceonqualityandmanagement.

Nostalgia/reminiscingvaluedexperiences

Socialgatheringsandwelcomingspace

Topia-Kelly(2004)

Qualitative(biographies)

Asianwomen Nostalgiaviagardening/sensoryexperienceoflandscape

RavenscroftandMarkwell(2000)

Qualitative(interviewsofparkusersplusobservation)

Teenageusersof8parksinReading

BlackyouthsexperiencelowerlevelsofsatisfactionthaneitherwhiteorAsianyouths,greaterdissatisfactionwithneighbourhoodparks

Personalsafety,parksleastsafeenvironmentsinthetown

WoolleyandAmin(1999)

Qualitativeandquantitative(Focusgroups,questionnaire)

Pakistaniteenagers,aged13-18,Sheffield

Peerinteractionmainreasonforvisitinglocalparks

Cricketandfootball,mainphysicalactivity

WorpoleandGreenhalgh(1995)

Qualitativeandquantitative(surveys,interviews,observation,12localauthorities)

MinorityethnicparkusersinMiddlesbrough,Hounslow(London),Greenwich(London)andLeicester

Culturalidentity

Family/friendgatherings

Burgessetal(1988)

Qualitativeandquantitative(Focusgroups,householdsurveybyinterview)

Mixedcross-section,localresidents,Greenwich(London)andonesinglegendergroupofAsianwomen.

Socialinteraction

Therapeuticvalue

Nostalgicvalue

Preferenceforlocalopenspace,aspirationsformorevariety

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Appendix 3: Summary of the project review

Over50projectsengagingcommunitiesinurbangreenspacewerereviewed.ThemajorityofprojectsexploredwereinLondon,theNorth-WestandtheWestMidlands,andwerebasedinlocalneighbourhoodgreenspaces,ratherthanlarger,formalspaces.

Type of project

Project and organisation

Community Date Website (where applicable)

Community event

Park-it!eventorganisedbyGreenSpace,CrossFlatsPark,Leeds

DiversecommunityinBeeston,Leeds,includingAsian,African-CaribbeanpeopleandasylumseekersfromAfricaandtheMiddleEast

2006

Conservation Saanjihproject,BTCV,Birmingham

Asianwomenwithmentalhealthproblems

2002-04

Outandaboutproject,BTCV,Leeds

Refugees 2005-06

Education Pocket,urbanstreetcorner,BlackEnvironmentNetworkandHalalmosque,Manchester

DiversecommunityincludingwhiteBritish,AsianandVietnameseresidents

2004 www.ben-network.org.uk/

Europeanknowledge-exchangeproject,BlackEnvironmentNetwork

Woodville,Manchester,highChinese,VietnameseandAfrican-Caribbeanpopulation

2006 www.ben-network.org.uk/

Outdoorclassroom,BenJonsonprimaryschool,MileEnd,London

SchoolwhereeverypupilspeaksEnglishasasecondlanguage

2007-08

Projectmanagerswereinterviewedoverthetelephone,orinformationontheprojectswascapturedviaemail.Theprojectreviewprovidedasnapshotoftherangeofprojectsonthegroundengagingurbananddeprivedcommunitiesinlocalgreenspace.Itwasnotpossibletointerviewparticipantsintheprojects.Thereforethereviewlargelyreflectstheinterestsofthestakeholdersconsulted.

52

Type of project

Project Community Date Website (where applicable)

Forest ForestryCommission’sNewlands(Neweconomicenvironmentsthroughwoodlands)reclaiminglargeareasofderelict,underusedandneglectedlandacrossNorth-WestEngland

Areasofdeprivation Ongoing

Ex-landfillsiteestablishedascommunitywoodland,IngrebourneHill,Rainham,London

Areasofdeprivation 2007-08

Braithwaiteopenspace,TreesforCities,TowerHamlets,London

BangladeshiandPakistanipeople

2007-08

Health ActiveSefton,North-WestEngland,Walkingthewaytohealthinitiative,addressinginequalitiesinphysicalactivity

Parentswithyoungchildren,elderlypeople,peoplewithspecificphysicalrehabilitationneeds

2006

Let’swalk,Braunstone,EastMidlands

Deprivedresidentsoflargeinner-cityestateinLeicester.Bangladeshi,Pakistani,African-CaribbeanandIndiancommunity

2006

Goldenwalks,Islington,London

Older,Chinesepeople

2000onwards

Getfitforfree!Sustransactivetravelprogramme,MarshFarmhousingestate,Luton

Areaofdeprivation 2005onwards

Healthylivingproject,BanksideOpenSpacesTrust,London

PeoplewithnogardeninBanksideandBoroughneighbourhoodrenewalarea,London

2005-08 www.bost.org.uk/

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Type of project


Historic GatewayGardensTrust Inner-cityschools,familiesonlowincomes,asylumseekers,andblackandminorityethnicgroups,inWalesandWestMidlands

Ongoing

Middlegatecommunitygarden,GreatYarmouth

Youngoffendersviatheprobationaryserviceandlocalresidents

2004

(Ad)dressingthegarden,KenilworthCastlegardens

AsianwomeninpartnershipwithCoventryCarersCentre

Completed

Communityartsfestival,ChiswickHousegrounds

Engaginghard-to-reachgroupsincludingyoungpeopleviaHounslowyouthservices

2005

Pastskillsforthefuture,LutonHoowalledgarden

Youngpeopleatrisk 2008

SuttonHouse,blackhistoryevent,NationalTrust

Localschools,elderly,localresidentsinHackney

2003

SpekeHallpodcast,Liverpool,NationalTrust

Youngpeopleatrisk 2006

Housing ThreecommunityprojectsledbyWhitelawTurkingtonArchitects

Diversecommunity 1996onwards

RegenerationofsocialhousinggreenspaceledbyPeabodyon3estatesincludingHammersmithsunkengardenandPeabodywoodland,HerneHill,London

Diversecommunity 2004onwards

Shakespeareneighbourhoodresidentsassociation’scommunityorchard

Socialhousingtenants

Ongoing

Environmentalimprovementsto4estatesmanagedbyBoltonatHome

Socialhousingtenants

2006-08

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Type of project


Play Jubileeplayscape,Tolworth,GroundworkLondon

TwodeprivedwardsinKingstonuponThames

2007-08

Regeneration of green space

Ourgreenspace,3-yearCumbria-wideenvironmentalinitiative

Areaofhighdeprivation

2008-10 www.ourgreenspace.org.uk/

Parklife,historicparkrenewalprojects

Areasofhighdeprivation

2004

Urbandoorstepgreen,PeterPanPark,Islington,London

Bengali,Cypriot,whiteIrishpeopleandsocialtenants

2001-06

Pocketurbanparkproject,Groundwork,LeytonManorPark,EastLondon

Multi-cultural(Turkish,Asian,African-Caribbean),youngpeople,theelderly

2007-08

Birchwoodcommunitymemorialpark,RAFSkellingthorpe,Lincoln

Areaofhighdeprivation

2006-07

Urban Farming

BacktoEarth,Hackneycityfarm,London

Areaofhighdeprivation,refugeesandasylumseekers,childrenlivinginpovertyandyoungpeople

2006andongoing

www.back2earth.org.uk/

Wildlife Livingroots,WarwickshireWildlifeTrust

Youngrefugees 2008-10

GoinglocalLondonWildlifeTrust

Diversecommunity 2007-08

LondonWildlifeTrustreservoiraccessprojectsinStokeNewington,HackneyandWalthamstow,London

Jewish,Muslim,TurkishandAfrican-Caribbeanresidents

2007

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Appendix 4: Focus groups to inform CABE household survey

Focusgroupswereheldincommunitycentresinfourofthecasestudyareas:LondonA,LondonB,GreaterManchesterBandWestMidlandsA.143

Thegroupsaimedtoinvolvearangeofpeopletobroadlymirrorthearea’sdemographicmake-up.Atotalof44participantsaged16yearsandovertookpart.144Mostsessionswerearoundtwohoursandallparticipantswereencouragedtojoinin.Individualsweresteeredawayfromanyattempttodominatethediscussion.InGreaterManchesterBtwofocusgroupswereheldatthesametime–onefemale-onlygroupandonemale-onlygroup.

Location Time Number of participants

Male Female Ethnicity

GreaterManchesterB Lunchtime 13 5 8 WhiteBritish,IndianandAfrican-Caribbean

LondonA Afternoon 6 5 1 WhiteBritish.BangladeshiandAfrican-Caribbean

LondonB Evening 13 5 8 BangladeshiandPakistani

WestMidlandsA Afternoon 12 3 9 Pakistani

Themes of discussion

Eachfocusgroupwasorganisedaroundasemi-structuredinterviewschedulebasedonthefollowingthemes:

• people’sfeelingstowardstheirlocalneighbourhoodandperceptionsofthequalityoflocalpubliclyaccessiblegreenspace

• people’suseofgreenspaceandthequalityofexperience

• people’sfavouritespacesandchildhoodmemoriesofgreenspace145

• aspirationsforlocalgreenspace• barriersexperiencedinusinglocalgreenspace.

Perceptions of neighbourhood and green space quality

Inallfourgroupsthequalityofphysicalenvironmentwasdescribednegatively,‘dire,’‘verybad’;referencesweremadetodrugusers,‘needlesonthegrass’;andalackofsecurityandsafetywasageneralconcerninalllocations.

Focusgroupsheldwithintheareasthathadhighblackandminorityethnicpopulationsdefinedthelocalneighbourhoodculturally.ForinstanceGreaterManchesterBwasdescribedas‘it’smorePakistanithananythingelse’.

Theneighbourhoodwasalsodefinedsociallybytwogroups(GreaterManchesterBandLondonA)butverydifferentlyineach.InGreaterManchesterB,thesenseofcommunitywasextremelypositive,

143 Theorganisationoffocusgroupsandrecruitmentofparticipantswasgreatlyfacilitatedbytheassistanceofprofessionalsworkingonthegroundinthesecommunities.Asathankyoufortheircontribution,participantsreceivedasupermarketvoucher.

144 Thegroupsaimedtoattracteightparticipants.Highernumbersofpeopleparticipatedinthegroupsthanexpected.

145 Afactorthatisknowntoinfluenceusagelaterinlife.

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‘everyonewelcome’,‘everyonegetsalong’.ThiswasincontrasttoalackofsocialcohesioninLondonA,‘there’snotacommunityhere’,inpartattributedtoaswiftturnaroundinflatsinthislocation.

Localgreenspacewasfrequentlydescribednegatively,‘verybad’,‘poorfacilities’,‘nothingtodo’.However,urbangreenspacefurtherafield,andlargerparks,wereperceivedtobemuchbetter.

Participantswereaskedtodefinegreenspaceinordertounderstandthetypesofspacespeoplewerelikelytobediscussing.Acrossallgroups,greenspacewasunderstoodtoincludeparks,grassyareas,hillyplacesandopenspacesaswellasareassuchascanaltowpathsandsportspitches.

Definitionsofgreenspacerangedfromthesmallscale(acommunitygardenorallotment,individualtrees)tothelargescale(localcountryside,woodsandfields).Insomecasesgreenspacewasdefinedbyaspecificactivity(cycling,picnicking)orinmoreabstractterms(freshair).

Therewerenodistinctivedifferencesindefinitionbetweengroups,butyoungerparticipants(particularlyyoungmen)definedgreenspaceintermsofsportsactivities.Peoplerecognisedthebenefitsofgreenspaceprovisionintermsoftheprovisionofrecreation,providingpositiveenvironmentalservices,andforitshealthbenefits,forinstanceaplacetogoforfreshair.

Use of green space in urban areas

WiththeexceptionofLondonA,mostparticipantsreportedvisitinggreenspacesfairlyregularly,‘wegooften,threeorfourtimesaweek’(WestMidlandsA).ParticipantsintheLondonAfocusgroupreportedfeelingsofinsecurityandlackofsafetyinlocalgreenspaceswhichinturnledtoalowerlevelofuse.

Themostfrequentlymentionedurbangreenspaceswereparksand,inGreaterManchesterB,sportspitches.Theuseofspacesverymuchvariedbyage:youngpeopleweredrawntogreenspaceforsocialising,datingandsports.Mostparticipantsreportedgoingonfoot,usuallywithfriendsandfamily–especiallyyoungfemalePakistaniandBangladeshiwomen,‘alwayswithsomebody,’‘ladiesdon’tgo[tothepark]aloneinthisarea,you’dgowithfriends’.

Onlyafewmenreportedgoingaloneforawalkorajoginalocalpark.ResidentsinLondonBappearedtoaccessgreenspaceusingpublictransportortheirownvehiclesmuchmorethanothergroups.Thisispossiblyduetothelackofgreenspaceintheimmediateareaasthiswasthecasestudylocationwiththeleastgreenspace.

Thereasonsforvisitingurbangreenspacewereverysimilaramongthegroups.Irrespectiveofageorethnicity,themostfrequentlymentionedreasonswerefor:

relaxation,tranquillity,breathingspace fun(dating,socialising,festivals,

carnivalsandevents) freshair,freedom exerciseandsport toplaywithchildren/grandchildren.

‘ They’ve invested money there [West Midlands A park] – so it’s not bad, but take away [that park], for the other areas, it becomes hardly any [good-quality green space], it’s really bad’. Pakistani female participant, West Midlands A

‘ …it’s high up, lovely view of the city, a nice Italian café and a pergola. There’s, a sense of being lost somewhere in time. There’s high grass, ponds, different people mixing and a family spirit. Children can play safely there; it’s always good for people watching. I love it because it takes you out of the city. I walk and walk and I breathe. For me this park would have the top award.’ White British female participant, London B

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‘ We use them for seeing girls in the park, chill out from our houses…football.’ ‘ Feel the freedom, fresh air, you go like, you know, when you’re worrying about something…lie down, sit down, just think’.Young male Bangladeshi participants, Greater Manchester B

‘ The ponds, the big boating lake and fishing lake, you’d ride your bike, have a laugh and a joke…health and safety have killed a lot of this, the park rangers have killed it [i.e. cycling].’ White British male participant, London A

‘ I want colour – flowers, all different colours, I want to be able to walk out there and see all different colours, sit down…enjoy the peace, quiet and enjoy the colour’ White British male participant, London A

Childhood memories of green space

Participantsrecountedmanypositivememoriesofgreenspace,particularlytheolderparticipants.Peopleenjoyedrecollectingtheirmemoriesanditwasinthiscontextthatmanypositiveimagesofgreenspacewereevoked.Inyoungerpeoplememoriesweremostlyofsportactivities(playingfootball),whichwasattributedtoreducingracialtensionamongthecommunity.Manyreportedchangesinsafetyandreducedopportunitiesforrisk-takingwhencomparingtheirearlierexperiencesofchildhood.

Aspirations for local green space

People’s‘wish-list’fortheirlocalurbangreenspaceswaslargelybasedonpositiverecollectionsofgreenspaceexperiencedintheiryouth,whichtheyfrequentlytalkedaboutwithnostalgia.YoungPakistaniparticipants(maleandfemale)particularlywantedmoresportfacilitiesappropriatetotheirculture,askingforcricketandfootballasopposedtoskate-boarding.Muslimyoungwomensaiditwasessentialtoaccessseparatesocialspacesawayfrommen.

Attributesthatwereconsideredtomakeaparkagoodplacetovisitwerephysicalfeatures(water,plants,wildlife),innovation(newthings,events),food(restaurants,cafeswithgoodviews),avarietyoffacilities(bowls,cricket,play)andpeople(opportunitiestomeetnewpeople,socialising,dating).

Participants’wishlistforgreenspaceincluded:

events(festivals,fireworks) wildlife,water,longgrass colourandflowers sport(cricket,football,hockey)

supportedbytraining urbanfarming(fruitfarms/allotments) seating/socialising/familyareas:‘everyonetogether’ facilities:toiletsandcafés,cleanandsafeplay cleanlinessandsafety,wardens consultationandurbangreenspace

strategiesthatembracediversity dog-freeareas female-onlyareas(citedbyBangladeshi

andPakistaniparticipants).‘ One thing that got us together was football. We grew up playing together, it brought us together. No type of racial tension here, it was simply because of that football pitch. Several years ago it got built on for flats. It’s a real shame. Now there’s lots of tension between whites and Asians’Young Bengali male, focus group participant, London

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Barriers to use of local green space

Thebarrierstotheuseoflocalgreenspacesreflectthosethatwerealsoidentifiedintheliteraturereviewinchapter2.Barriersdiscussedincluded:

Fearandfeelingsofinsecurityresultingfromanti-socialbehaviour,drug-dealinganddrug-takingandfearofpersonalattackorracism

Presenceofdogs–eitherfoulingorfearofattack(thiswascitedparticularlyamongblackandminorityethnicwomen)

Poordesignsuchashighperimeterwallspreventingviewsinandout,heavyvegetationandlackoflightingpromotingfeelingsofinsecurity

Inadequatemaintenanceandmanagementleading

tovandalism,litter,graffitianddrugparaphernalia

Failuretoacknowledgeandprovideforthediverseneedsofamixedcommunity,forinstancenowhereprovidedinalocalgreenspaceforMuslimwomentomeetawayfrommen

Lackoffacilities,particularlylackoffacilitiesforyoungchildrenandteenagers,andtheremovalofwell-usedandvaluedfacilitiessuchasfootballandcricketpitches.Allgroupscitednowheretositasabarriertouse.

Summary

Overall,definitionsofgreenspacebyfocusgroupparticipantsvariedbyagebutnotbyethnicity.Allpeopletalkedofgreenspacesinurbanareasasrestorativeplacestoretreatandrelax,offeringbreathingspacefromthestressesofeverydaylife.

Safeplayandactivitiesforyoungpeopleweremostfrequentlyexpressedaskeytotheprovisionofgood-qualitygreenspaceinurbanareas.Thediverseneedsofblackandminorityethnicgroupswerealsoakeytheme,particularlytheneedfordifferentsportoptionsforyoungerpeople(forinstancecricketaswellasprovisionforskateboarding)andtheprovisionofseparategenderzoneswithinspaces.

Thebiggestsinglebarriertoaccessingurbangreenspacewassafety.Thiswasexpressedbothintermsofthephysicalenvironment(denseovergrownvegetation,lackoflighting)andthethreatofothers(gangs,drinkinganddruguse).

Thefocusgroupfindingsreflectmanyofthosehighlightedbytheliteratureandprojectreview.Theliteraturereviewhighlightedthesocialvalueofpublicopenspacefordifferentblackandminorityethnicpeople.Thiswasconfirmedinthefocusgroupdiscussion.However,whiteBritishparticipantsequallyhighlightedthesocialvalueoflocalspaces;thereforethiswassomethingthoughttobeimportantbyall.

Participantsconfirmedthaturbangreenspacescouldfacilitatecommunitycohesionamongadiversecommunity.Inthisinstance,footballandsportsfacilitieswerementioned,butineachofthesegeographiclocations(WestMidlandsAandLondonB)thesefacilitieshadbeenremoved.

Therestorativevalueofurbangreenspace(forexample,toreducestress)wasconfirmedacrossallgroupsandages.Inaddition,theneedforfunintheformofeventsandentertainmentwasexpressedbyeveryone.Therewasnoevidenceofparticular

‘ There is no diversity of activities available in the outdoor places for the Muslim community. Our youth have different taste of activities than possibly other youngsters in the area’ Pakistani female participant, West Midlands A

‘ We are living in a war – the war of postcodes’ African-Caribbean female participant, London A

‘ The empty space where we live… it’s big, no one does anything to it, they just laid grass on it, nothing is there.’ Bengali male participant, Greater Manchester A

‘ We don’t mix with boys, we need somewhere to go to be away from our parents, somewhere just for girls.’ Young Pakistani female participant, Greater Manchester A

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differencesinaestheticperceptionsofgreenspaceamongdifferentethnicities;visualattributesofgreenopenspace(wildlife,colour,interest)wereunanimouslypopularamongparticipants.

Therewere,therefore,fewerdifferencesinperceptionsofurbangreenspaceamongthedifferentwhite,blackandminorityethnicgroupsthanhadbeenexpectedonthebasisoftheliteraturereview.

Themajordifferencesappearedtobeinrelationtouse:theneedforyoungMuslimwomentosocialiseawayfrommen,andthehighsportsusageamongtheyoungblackandminorityethnicmales.

Theresultsofthefocusgroupdiscussionsfeddirectlyintothedesignofthehouseholdsurvey,whichisoutlinedinchapter3.

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Appendix 5: Auditing environmental quality in the case study areas

Formal environmental audits were undertaken in all of the case studies to assess the quality of the green spaces within these areas. Thirteen spaces, mainly parks, were audited and the information gathered aided the interpretation of the responses to the household survey (chapter 3). The audits also provided an opportunity to check how people perceived ‘quality’ while actually in a green space compared to judgements made ‘at a distance’ in the survey and focus groups.

Amodifiedgreenspaceaudittoolwasusedtoauditqualityinthecasestudyareas.146Thisisbothaqualitativeandaquantitativetoolusedtoevaluatethequalityandexperienceofanygreenspaceintermsofitsuser-friendliness,characterandopportunitiesforuse,setinitsneighbourhoodcontext.Thetoolwasdesignedtobeusedbyqualifiedenvironmentaldesignersand,withguidance,bylocalpeople.

EachauditwasconductedbytwotrainedOPENspacestaffmembers(thesamestaffwerenotusedateverysite)andmembersofthespecificlocalcommunity(anaverageoffivepersite).

TheOPENspaceauditorswerefromdiverseculturalbackgrounds(twoWhiteBritish,oneIndian,twoWhiteEuropeanandoneSouthAmerican).The30localcommunityauditorswere52percentmale,48percentfemale;aged16-65+(with20percentover65);andmainlyPakistani(35percent),whiteBritish(35percent)orIndian(14percent).OtherparticipantswereAfrican-Caribbean,African,Kashmiri,BangladeshiandBritishAsian.

Auditswerecompletedon-siteafterafacilitatedwalkinthegreenspace.Participantsscoredthespaceusingsevencriteriaonafive-pointscale.Thecriteriawere:neighbourhoodquality,greenspacequality,access,facilities,use,maintenanceandsecurity.Thescoringwasbasedontheirexperience‘ontheday’ratherthanpastexperiences.Therewerealsoopportunitiesundereachcriteriontoaddcomments.

Results of audits

Inmostlocationsthesitesselectedfortheauditswerethespacesmostfrequentlymentionedbysurveyrespondents.Overall,therewasvariablequalityingreenspaceswithintheareas.Interestingly,qualitywasmostvariableintheauditofWestMidlandsA,yetthisarearatedveryhighlyonsatisfactionscoreswithinthehouseholdsurvey.

QualityofgreenspaceinthehouseholdsurveywasmostvariableinGreaterManchesterB(highestofallinthe‘verydissatisfied’categoryforqualityofgreenspace).Thisiscontrarytoauditfindings,wherebothparksinthisboroughwereratedveryhighlyforquality.Thiscouldsuggestthataccesstotheseparksisnotequitableamongallresidentsorthatthereisvariabilityinparkqualitywithinthislocalauthority.

People’sperceptionsofgreenspaceon-siteweremuchmorepositivethaninfocusgroupsandmoreconsistentwiththeensuingsurveydatagatheredfromindividuals.

Itispossiblethatbeinginagreenspaceonasunnydaywithinasocialcontextinfluencedtheresultsorthatfocusgroupopinioncanbeswayedbythegroupdynamic.Thisshowstheimportanceofcarryingouton-siteassessmentswiththecommunity,andthatvaluejudgementsvaryaccordingtocontext.Thereareclearlydifferencesinperceptionsofgreenspacequalitydependingontheprocessbywhichthisdataisgathered.

Scoringofqualitywasconsistentbetweenstaffandcommunityauditors,withtheexceptionofLondonBcommunityparks,wheredifferenceswerefoundontwocriteria:useandmaintenance.Overall,theauditsdemonstratedthevalueof‘inthefield’impressionsandsubstantiallyaddedtounderstandingofperceptionsofqualityandvalueofurbangreenspaceinthecasestudylocations.

146 ProventobereliableandrobustwhenusedbyOPENspaceinotherareas.

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This study examines the impact of the quality of local green spaces on the health and wellbeing of people living in six deprived areas. It makes the connections between green space, ethnicity and inequality. It is the second of two pieces of research by CABE on why green space matters for health and wellbeing. This report will be of interest to policymakers, those working in local government, social housing or the voluntary and community sector.

CABE1 Kemble StreetLondon WC2B 4ANT 020 7070 6700F 020 7070 6777E [email protected]

CABEissupportedbydepartmentforculture,mediaandsport

CABEisthegovernment’sadvisoronarchitecture,urbandesignandpublicspace.Asapublicbody,weencouragepolicymakerstocreateplacesthatworkforpeople.Wehelplocalplannersapplynationaldesignpolicyandadvisedevelopersandarchitects,persuadingthemtoputpeople’sneedsfirst.Weshowpublicsectorclientshowtocommissionbuildingsthatmeettheneedsoftheirusers.Andweseektoinspirethepublictodemandmorefromtheirbuildingsandspaces.Advising,influencingandinspiring,weworktocreatewell-designed,welcomingplaces.

CABESpaceisaspecialistunitwithinCABEthataimstobringexcellencetothedesign,managementandmaintenanceofparksandpublicspaceinourtownsandcities.

Publishedin2010bytheCommissionforArchitectureandtheBuiltEnvironment

GraphicdesignbyDraughtAssociates

Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,storedinaretrievalsystem,copiedortransmittedwithoutthepriorwrittenconsentofthepublisherexceptthatthematerialmaybephotocopiedfornon-commercialpurposeswithoutpermissionfromthepublisher.

Thisdocumentisavailableinalternativeformatsonrequestfromthepublisher.

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