Children growing up in British cities face significant barriers to accessing safe and playable outdoor spaces, as financial constraints, conflicting policies, and housing development pressures increasingly lead planners to prioritise property over parks, according to new research. A study by University College London (UCL) and the Bradford Institute for Health Research, published in the journal Cities and Health, reveals how these challenges undermine efforts to embed play into urban environments, particularly in deprived areas like Bradford and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

The research, conducted as part of the Play in Urban Spaces for Health (PUSH) project, involved interviewing policymakers and practitioners—including urban planners, regeneration specialists, and public health professionals—to understand the difficulties local authorities face in providing accessible play areas. Participants consistently cited persistent financial and staffing limitations that curtail the implementation of well-meaning play policies. These constraints are compounded by intense pressures from housing developers, who frequently regard play space as a “nice to have” rather than an essential facility. This clash between the demand for more housing and the preservation of green, open, and amenity spaces often results in reduced opportunities for informal outdoor play.

Emily Ranken, associate professor at UCL’s Institute of Education and corresponding author of the study, emphasised the multifaceted benefits of well-designed play spaces. Speaking to Wired-Gov, she noted, “For children, it takes them outside, away from screens and develops their cognitive and physical skills. And for parents, it helps build community ties and vital social networks.” Yet, despite these recognised benefits, fragmented policy approaches and inconsistent prioritisation have left many plans ineffective. In Tower Hamlets, for example, the council’s ‘Play Charter’ was described by participants as “a collection of catchphrases” lacking an actionable strategy.

The PUSH researchers argue that stronger statutory regulations are necessary to ensure that developers prioritise playable spaces over merely increasing housing numbers. Such policies are already in place in Scotland and Wales but were rejected in England after amendments to the government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill failed to pass a vote. Interviewees also highlighted recruitment and retention challenges within local authorities, with the combined effects of austerity, Brexit, and the COVID-19 pandemic depleting skilled urban planning staff. One participant lamented the impending retirement of experienced baby boomer planners without sufficient successors prepared with the necessary skills and training.

Advocating for innovative approaches, the PUSH project promotes incorporating principles from Scandinavian Forest Schools into urban regeneration efforts, especially for children aged 4 to 7. Forest School methodologies encourage outdoor play that nurtures children’s connection to nature, physical development, and well-being. Dr Amanda Seims, co-author from Bradford Institute for Health Research and Lancaster University, stressed that despite a 50% decline in outdoor playtime compared to previous generations, this trend is reversible through thoughtful, child-centred urban planning. Professor Claire Cameron of UCL’s Institute of Education added, “We know the power of play can be transformational for young lives, and the PUSH project shows how small changes can make outdoor play a normal, everyday thing to do.”

The study's findings resonate with wider urban health research recognising how built environments shape well-being. The Bartlett’s Space Syntax Laboratory at UCL, for example, recently secured a £1.2 million grant to explore how urban design elements like walkability, air quality, and access to parks impact health and inequality, focusing on northern English communities including Bradford. Such interdisciplinary efforts highlight the critical intersection between urban planning, public health, and social equity.

Experts participating in related forums have underscored the need for cross-departmental collaboration and involving children’s voices in the planning process to design inclusive play spaces, particularly accommodating children with additional needs. Evidence-based advocacy is seen as vital for securing political and financial support, with some voices pointing to a continual struggle against economic priorities that sideline quality green spaces.

The PUSH project’s recommendations for improving urban play environments include stronger coordination and alignment across policies affecting children’s environments, statutory regulations mandating playable spaces, the development of local evidence bases tracking play provision and impact, and enhanced training for urban planners to meaningfully engage communities. With childhood obesity and social care needs disproportionately high in deprived urban areas, these interventions could yield broad social and health benefits beyond mere recreation.

Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, this research draws urgent attention to the consequences of sidelining play in urban development. It provides a blueprint for councils, developers, and public health leaders to prioritise play and create cities where children can thrive outdoors, supporting healthier, more connected, and resilient communities.

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Source: Noah Wire Services