News on Park Power

Earlier this week, the Government announced it would allocate £23m towards a new city centre park in Manchester as part of its £900m Getting Building Fund, as part of a series of investments in outdoor spaces in response to the coronavirus crisis. The plans come as part of a huge £1.4bn improvement project near the heart of the city, which will transform around 24 acres of unused space.

The new Mayfield Park , which will be located close to Manchester Piccadilly train station, will be “beautifully landscaped” and “at the centre of one of the most significant, catalytic sustainable and green regeneration developments in the UK”. The park also marks the first of its kind in the northern city in 100 years.

One of the big drivers behind the focus on outside public space has been Coronavirus. Green spaces have been a crucial part of people’s wellness and resilience through the lockdown. In urban areas such as Manchester, more public outdoor green spaces can make a huge difference to people’s lives.

Aimee Stimpson , the national lead for healthy places for Public Health England , said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has made many of us more aware of how much we value and rely on our outdoor spaces to support our health and wellbeing."

The current pandemic is highlighting the vital importance of urban green spaces as an essential quality‐of‐life element in sustainable cities. As cities get reconfigured after the pandemic restrictions, it is now a good time to start working toward creating or improving and parks community facilities.

Please keep sharing your thoughts on your local parks, and tell us what you would be excited to see in future green spaces in London.

#ParkPower

The blog post is part of an original article published by The Guardian and available here.