UK children face barriers to outdoor play due to poor planning, says study

‘Fragmented’ policies leading councils to prioritise approval of housebuilding over parks, researchers find

Children in cities across Britain face barriers to playing outside because urban planners are prioritising housebuilding over parks, a study has found.

The research, published in the peer-reviewed journal Cities and Health, found that planners were prioritising the approval of new homes ahead of outdoor play spaces due to a combination of policy misalignment, financial constraints and pressures stemming from a lack of housing.