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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Tobi Thomas Health and inequalities correspondent

Children in England ‘face barriers to outdoor play due to poor planning’

A modern development with a children's play area
Researchers have called for greater regulation, including statutory guidance requiring developers to prioritise play space over quantity of homes. Photograph: Richard Allen/Alamy

Children in cities across England face barriers to playing outside because urban planners are prioritising housebuilding over parks, a study has found.

The research, published in the peer-reviewed journal Cities and Health, found that planners were prioritising the approval of new homes ahead of outdoor play spaces due to a combination of policy misalignment, financial constraints and pressures stemming from a lack of housing.

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