In an open letter to ministers holding some responsibilities for children and families, Play England warns that a decline in the number of accessible play areas across the country is having a detrimental impact on children’s physical and mental health.
It states that “current planning systems in England fail to address these issues”.
“Children are all but ignored within the national planning policy framework,” it adds.
A report by the Fields in Trust, published in June 2024, finds that 2.3 million under-nines live more than a ten-minute walk from their nearest playground while 800 playgrounds have closed since 2013.
In its letter, Play England highlights the findings of a recent Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (LUHC) Commons Select Committee inquiry, in which 132 submissions of written evidence from experts and organisations gave reasons for the need for safe and accessible play areas for children.
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