Wiltshire houses have less green space access than in South West

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) estimates 93,568 of the 233,368 households in Wiltshire do not have an accessible green space of two hectares or larger within one kilometre of their house – accounting for 40 per cent of homes.

People in Wiltshire have worse access than most people in the South West, where 30 per cent of all households do not have access to green spaces.

People in Wiltshire have worse access to green space than most people in the South West (Image: Spencer Mulholland Photography)

Gwen Nightingale, assistant director of the Healthy Lives team at the Health Foundation, said studies show people living in areas with more access to green space tend to have better general health, mental wellbeing, and higher life expectancies than those with limited access.

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She added those living in the most deprived neighbourhoods are four times more likely to live in areas with the least access to green space, saying "innovative action" is needed to improve inequalities.

She said: "For new homes and neighbourhoods, the Government must prioritise providing access to green space within their pledge to create new towns and build 1.5 million new homes."

Across England, 78 per cent of households have a green space of at least two hectares within a kilometre.

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Head of policy at Friends of the Earth Mike Childs said: "While it is good news that the majority of people have reasonable access to green space, this still means at least one in five people don't, and previous research has shown that this 20% of the population is disproportionately made up by people of colour.

"Since Covid there has been a greater awareness of the importance of green spaces for both physical and mental health, as well as the critical role they play in cooling urban heat.

"The goal must be to ensure everyone has access to green space, nature and the benefits they bring."

A Defra spokesperson added: "Our countryside and green spaces are a source of great national pride. But too many across the country are left without access to the great outdoors.

They said that the Government will increase access to nature by creating nine new national river walks and planting three new national forests, while a new community right-to-buy will "empower" communities to create new parks and green spaces.