Investigating the quality and accessibility of urban green spaces (UGS) in Birmingham, England

Improving access to urban green spaces [UGS] is an essential aspect of developing just, healthy cities fit for the 21st century. However, pre-existing studies traditionally consider ‘accessibility’ through geo-spatial analyses, downplaying the demands of differing UGS user groups. This study aims to investigate how access to UGS is perceived by users in Birmingham, England, and how the quality of these UGS might impact their usage. The study develops an adaptation of the ‘POSDAT’ (Quality of Public Open Space Desktop Auditing Tool) to determine the quality of UGS within 3 miles of Birmingham’s city centre. A randomly sampled survey, across the top 5 highest assessed quality UGS, asks users to report their perceptions of the UGS’s quality and accessibility. The survey results re-affirm the importance of various green space facilities, identified in the existent literature, as important indicators of green space usage, especially those which promote small social interactions. Many surveyed users reported walkability would most likely influence their usage of UGS, and most surveyed users reported walking on the day of study. Notably, many users perceived an attractive environment and ample facilities for social interactions as key indicators of their UGS’ high quality, rather than the traditional view across urban health literature of UGS as spaces to promote physical activity primarily. However, adjustments to POSDAT are suggested as necessary to improve its empirical reliability, including the introduction of increased weightings that reflect the availability of those UGS features that facilitate social interaction and boost users’ wellbeing – ample seating, cafés, children’s playgrounds and attractive natural environments – to distil an appropriate overview of UGS quality in the city.