Residential green space proven to boost community cohesion

Good practice guide reveals impact of high quality green spaces on lives of tenants, residents and other people in local neighbourhoods

Greener Neighbourhoods15 November 2011

High quality housing green spaces have proven to make a huge impact on the lives of tenants, residents and other people living in local neighbourhoods. That's the verdict of a new good practice guide from Neighbourhoods Green, sponsored by Zurich Municipal, makes the case for excellent quality housing green spaces.

Housing associations ensure that good quality open spaces are accessible to all

Helen Williams - National Housing Federation

Greener Neighbourhoods: A good practice guide to managing green space draws on a literature review undertaken by the University of Sheffield, offers illustrative case studies of ten key principles and provides a practical resource signposting to further information.

The guide aims to inspire and support social landlords and their residents to take more action to plan for and improve their green space assets.

At the launch hosted by the National Housing Federation, Helen Williams, Director of Neighbourhoods, said: ‘Housing associations play an important role in ensuring that good quality open spaces are accessible to all. This publication and the wider work of the Neighbourhoods Green partnership illustrates what can be achieved through effective partnership approaches to managing green space.’

Open spaces, healthy lifestyles

17% of households in England have social housing tenure and social landlords are providers of affordable housing for 8.2 million people. In some areas, the landscape managed by social landlords is estimated to be equal to or greater than that which is managed by the local authority park’s service.

Nicola Wheeler, Neighbourhoods Green project coordinator, said: ‘Local open spaces are effective arenas for promoting healthy lifestyles, bringing about community cohesion and tackling inequality. They provide volunteering and employment opportunities, facilitate civic action and mitigate the effects of climate change.’

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