Milton Keynes tops list of local authorities with most green space
A new analysis has identified the councils offering most access to parkland, reserves and other nature sites.
Milton Keynes ranked highest, with 59.7 square metres per person across a population of 285,032. This was followed by Stoke-On-Trent in Staffordshire, where 259,302 people live, enjoying 52.91 square metres of greenery each.
The Welsh city of Wrexham was third, with 44.92 square metres of green space per capita, with Wakefield (42.32 square metres) and Aberdeen (41.44 square metres) rounding out the top five.
By comparison, Norwich had the lowest spread of green space, at just 12.39 square miles per person, with Brighton & Hove, Portsmouth, Coventry, Bradford, and Kingston Upon Hill all appearing in the bottom five.
‘These findings show that it is possible for larger cities to provide public green spaces for their residents, and it’s clear that it should be a priority for city planning officials is to come up with some more efficient ways to include natural spaces for residents to enjoy – especially in the areas where provisions are poor,’ said Ethan King, of The Hunting Terrain, the company behind the assessment, which was based on data from the charity, Fields In Trust.
“Having adequate access to green areas is crucial for a person’s well-being, as being close to nature can have significant beneficial effects on stress levels,’ he continued. ‘This is particularly important for residents of larger cities, since a large proportion of the population are likely working in busy and stressful jobs each day. Residents could greatly benefit from increased access to public green space as it will allow them to relieve stress after a long day of work.’
UK’s Top 10 Local Authorities for Green Space
| Local Authority District | Population (2023) | Provision Per Person (sqm) |
| Milton Keynes | 285,032 | 59.7 |
| Stoke-on-Trent | 259,302 | 52.91 |
| Wrexham | 142,171 | 44.92 |
| Wakefield | 349,951 | 42.34 |
| Aberdeen | 235,864 | 41.44 |
| Peterborough | 208,923 | 39.48 |
| Oxford | 154,700 | 36.25 |
| Swansea | 249,711 | 35.89 |
| Dundee | 149,155 | 34.6 |
| Newcastle Upon Tyne | 302,316 | 31.67 |
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Image: Will Paterson