Access to green spaces plays a vital role in improving both physical and mental wellbeing, providing opportunities for exercise, play, and relaxation. In a new study, MG Timber and Online Marketing Surgery have created the Park Access Report, ranking neighbourhoods across the UK based on their proximity to the nearest park or playground.
Using official data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the report reveals the areas where residents are most and least likely to have a park within easy reach, highlighting the UK’s greenest neighbourhoods, as well as those most in need of local green space investment.
Top 10 Areas Closest to a Park
| Neighbourhood | Local Authority | Distance to Nearest Park (m) |
|---|---|---|
| Melrose and Tweedbank Area | Scottish Borders | 25 |
| Blantytre North and Coatshill | South Lanarkshire | 44.23 |
| Peterhead Harbour | Aberdeenshire | 51.52 |
| Old Aberdeen | Aberdeen City | 56.31 |
| Forty Lane | Brent | 57.26 |
| Mile End West | Tower Hamlets | 57.93 |
| Devonshire Quarter | Sheffield | 58.16 |
| Bordesley | Birmingham | 58.58 |
| Canonmills and New Town North | City of Edinburgh | 59.54 |
| Auchenback | East Renfrewshire | 60.67 |
Top 10 Areas Furthest from a Park
| Neighbourhood | Local Authority | Distance to Nearest Park (m) |
|---|---|---|
| Mull, Iona, Coll and Tiree | Argyll and Bute | 34,343.66 |
| Mull, Iona, Coll and Tiree | Argyll and Bute | 23,849.33 |
| North and East Isles | Shetland Islands | 23,081.75 |
| Skye North West | Highland | 22,261.30 |
| Isles | Orkney Islands | 21,867.04 |
| Central Shetland | Shetland Islands | 18,209.16 |
| Lochaber East and North | Highland | 15,570.68 |
| Skye South | Highland | 14,957.68 |
| Skye North West | Highland | 14,951.13 |
| North Mainland | Shetland Islands | 14,495.18 |
Methodology
The analysis used data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), focusing on access to gardens, public parks and playing fields across all Middle Layer Super Output Areas (MSOAs) in the UK. Each area was ranked according to the average distance to the nearest park, highlighting which communities have the easiest and most challenging access to public green spaces.