Parks and Open Spaces

The history of parks and open spaces is inseparable from the development of the modern town or city. Parks are part of the urban process and way of life. Many public parks were established in response to the dramatic growth of the industrial cities in the second half of the last century, and were emblems of the tensions and values expressed in the Victorian city: they represented qualities of spaciousness, sunlight, wholesomeness and health; and were seen as restorative in contrast to the rapidly developing industrial cities. Cities and parks should be regarded as inter-dependant. As the dynamics of cities change, so the use, role and value of public parks change too.

Good parks and green spaces have a big impact on local communities. They provide places for children to play, families to enjoy, pensioners to stroll. They can support and improve the local quality of life in very substantial ways. And because businesses will only invest where their workforce want to live, the local environment can even help underpin the local economy too. When parks and green spaces are well-managed, they are a wonderful asset we should feel proud about and every single one of us should have easy access to parks such as this.