As summer approaches and Brits begin chasing the sun, new research reveals Cannock is among the top five best places to live in England for those seeking easy access to outdoor spaces.
To identify England’s greenest areas, My Home Move Conveyancing analysed the country’s top 100 largest towns and cities, focusing on factors such as local park provision, number of residents within walking distance of green space, garden accessibility, and affordability for renters and homeowners.
They also projected changes in green space provision in Cannock over the next two decades, for those planning to settle down in the area.
The top 10 areas in England for access to outdoor space:
Cannock came fourth in the rankings thanks to an impressive variety of green areas, home to 751.12 hectares of country parks. Notably, it had one of the highest green spaces provisions per resident at 87.1.
In line with the Government’s ‘15-minute commitment’ initiative, most local residents have easy access to green space. Out of the available properties for sale in the area via Rightmove, 48 homes have garden access per 10,000 of the local area’s population. Moreover, only 2,320 residents live further than a 10-minute walk from a public green space – among the lowest figures nationally.
Milton Keynes offers the best access to green space in England, with 1,536.71 hectares of parkland and 64.63 square meters of green space per person. In fact, only 8,973 residents live more than 10 minutes away from a park, cementing its reputation as a prime destination for those looking to put down roots.
On the other hand, Solihull ranked least green, with only 44 gardens per 10,000 households of available for sale properties on Rightmove, and 38,054 residents living more than a 10-minute walk from green space. Green spaces are projected to shrink by -9.99% over the next 20 years as the area becomes more integrated with Birmingham.
The need for green spaces is becoming more important than ever, as Natural England’s People and Nature survey explains that daily access to nature greatly boosts physical and mental health.
In fact, recent research suggests that living near a green space can reduce the risk of depression by around 20%, and that even small interactions with nature, like seeing trees or hearing birdsong, can improve mental wellbeing for several hours.
Rightmove’s annual Happy at Home Index found proximity to green space to be among the most significant sources of happiness for people when it comes to where they live – so the prospect of that space declining could be cause for concern.
Colleen Babcock, Rightmove’s property expert, said: “Each year our study celebrates all the different things that make us feel happy with where we live – our neighbours, green spaces, having access to important services. A lot more goes into choosing an area to live other than the home itself.
“Being within easy reach of nature and green spaces regularly comes out as an important factor for people, along with having friendly neighbours and feeling you can truly be yourself where you live.
“What stands out in our data is that it is not only the lower-ranking locations that are seeing their green spaces decline. Many areas that look like strong options now might not offer the same level of access in the future.”
Commenting on the research, Alistair Singer, director at My Home Move Conveyancing, said:
“What stands out in this study is how differently green space plays out depending on where you choose to live. For buyers, the key is to work out how your next home will interact with the green space in the area – how close it is, how easy it is to get to, and whether it’s somewhere you’ll realistically use on a regular basis.
“Towns like Cannock rank highly because of their strong balance between affordability and access to green space. Most buyers still have quick and easy access to their local park, and others have access to a garden right on their doorstep without stretching their budget too far.
“From a conveyancing perspective, we are noticing an increasing interest in these greener areas. Buyers are thinking more carefully about the environments they want to live in – whether that’s access to parks or simply a less built-up area.
“It’s also worth considering how secure that access is. Just because a piece of land is open today doesn’t necessarily mean it will stay that way. As part of the conveyancing process, we look into planning history, proposed developments, and any restrictions on nearby land to help build a clearer picture of how an area might change over time.
“Doing that due diligence will give you the confidence to move forward knowing exactly what you’re buying into.”
For more information on the best areas across England with access to outdoor space, please visit: https://myhomemoveconveyancing.co.uk/buyers/finding-a-home/englands-best-value-areas-for-access-to-green-spaces/
