YORK residents have less access to ‘green space’ than most people in Yorkshire and The Humber, new figures suggest.

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) estimates from new statistics that 30,910 of the 91,944 households in York do not have an accessible green space of two hectares or larger within one kilometre of their house – accounting for 34 per cent of homes.

Two hectares is approximately the area of two-and-three-quarter football pitches.

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The figures suggest people in York have worse access than most people in Yorkshire and The Humber, where 23 per cent of all households do not have access to green spaces under the same classification.

Wellbeing charity The Health Foundation said the Government must prioritise providing access to green spaces in its plan to build more homes.

Gwen Nightingale from the charity said studies show people living in areas with more access to green space tend to have better general health, mental wellbeing, and higher life expectancies than those with limited access.

She added those living in the most deprived neighbourhoods are four times more likely to live in areas with the least access to green space, saying ‘innovative action’ is needed to improve inequalities.

She said: "For new homes and neighbourhoods, the Government must prioritise providing access to green space within their pledge to create new towns and build one-and-a-half millions new homes."

Across England, 78 per cent of households have a green space of at least two hectares within a kilometre.

City of York Council executive member for health and wellbeing, Councillor Lucy Steels-Walshaw said: “We agree that green space is vitally important to people’s health and wellbeing and that decision-makers should prioritise ensuring easy access to it, particularly in urban areas where green space is in shorter supply.

“Some of York’s wards, such as Acomb, are not at all well served for green space. 

“The city’s draft Local Plan, which we expect to be approved in the coming months, plans for additional green space both on and off new developments, depending on the size of each site.

“Local Plan policy is to address shortfalls in open space, around major developments in particular, by encouraging planning applications that respond to and overcome those shortfalls.

“Only by doing this can we take action to remedy the lack of green space in wards like Acomb and Hull Road.”

Defra's statistics also use other standards from Natural England to measure access to green space, which vary in distance and size.

In York, 13 per cent of households meet the doorstep standard, meaning they have an accessible green space of at least 0.5 hectares within 200 metres.

Meanwhile, 11 per cent meet the local standard – a green space of at least two hectares within a five-minute walk from home.

A Defra spokesperson said: "Our countryside and green spaces are a source of great national pride.

“But too many across the country are left without access to the great outdoors.

The spokesperson added the Government will increase access to nature by creating nine new national river walks and planting three new national forests, while a new community right-to-buy will ‘empower’ communities to create new parks and green spaces.

For the detail of the standards used in the calculations, visit the Defra website.