The Wildlife Trusts is calling on the Government to make it more affordable for local authorities to use compulsory purchase powers to buy land for parks and gardens, as part of a new paper warning that poor access to nature is putting public health at risk.

Unveiled today, Unlocking nature for all: How to increase access to nature for a fairer, healthier Britain urges the Government to prioritise nature access following a summer heat emergency that saw inner-city temperatures soar above 38°C.

Alongside easing compulsory purchase costs, the paper proposes making it simpler for community groups to buy land, treating nature as essential infrastructure to fund ongoing maintenance, mandating climate- and nature-friendly housing developments, and granting statutory rights of access to urban rivers.

The intervention comes after ministers promised a green paper on the issue in autumn 2025, which has yet to materialise.

Research from The Wildlife Trusts and Liberal Democrats for Nature and Climate found 238 English constituencies – 44% of the total – have at least a fifth of local properties more than a 15-minute walk from green or blue space, missing the Government's own access target.

Responding to the report, Cllr Mick Barton, chair of the Local Government Association’s Culture, Tourism and Sport Committee, said: ‘Councils know how much parks and green spaces are valued by residents, and it is concerning that not everyone has equal access to these benefits.

‘This is particularly true for those on lower incomes, who may also not be able to access other forms of activity.

‘It is vital that we design new communities that people want to live and work in, with access to green spaces an integral part.

‘We look forward to working with government when it publishes its green paper.’

Further reading

Parks: Councils' secret weapon, not an easy cut