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Recreation, society and health

Within a development we want to see facilities and designs that encourage people to use their local environment for exercise and relaxation. Providing access to the river and other green spaces may increase the value of your site.

Green spaces can help integrate old and new developments to create truly sustainable communities where people want to live.

Adding value to your development

A high-quality environment can provide a much better place to live and improve people's health and wellbeing. On the whole, people prefer natural surroundings. Including them in your development can increase their use and enjoyment of the site. They encourage people to take up outdoor activities such as walking, cycling or watersports, keeping them fit and healthy.

By improving local environments, you can give people places close to home where they can relax or exercise. This may greatly improve your development. You can do this by:

  • restoring neglected urban spaces and waterways
  • opening up access for walking, fishing or boating
  • providing small, green areas for people to relax.

Our studies show that small-scale environmental improvements bring significant benefits to local communities. A good example of where this has happened is at Sutcliffe Park in south London. Following the improvements to this area, research showed that more people visited the park more often. They also stayed longer and were more likely to visit to exercise.

Transport

An integrated approach to transport encourages a more vibrant community. You can do this by:

  • promoting car clubs or car-sharing schemes
  • providing easy access to frequent and reliable public transport, routes for walking and cycling and local shops and services.

Within a development we want to see facilities and designs that encourage people to use their local environment for exercise and relaxation. Providing access to the river and other green spaces may increase the value of your site.

The added benefits

Alongside the community benefits, these green spaces can also benefit the environment in other ways. As well as being places for recreation, relaxation and wildlife, they can be used to:

  • soak-up surface water
  • filter pollution
  • help manage flooding.

Our advice

We work closely with local planning authorities and health authorities to make sure that, where possible, spatial planning improves local air quality and public health. If you can contribute towards community open space targets, your local authority will view your development in a better light.

We can provide advice and good practice examples of improving open spaces, riverside access and recreational opportunities. Talk to the local Environment Agency office or visit our navigation pages.