Table 5 Natural environment classification and typology definitions and subsets for analysis of specific health-related mechanisms

Green

Urban green space

Parks

Urban parks

Areas of land normally enclosed, designed, constructed, managed and maintained as a public park. Accessible, high quality opportunities for informal recreation and community events. These will include a variety of features which may include formal footpaths, play space, sports areas, trees, planted beds and ponds

Semi-natural/natural

Biodiversity areas, conservation areas, nature reserves, protected areas, heritage sites?

Wildlife conservation, biodiversity and environmental education or awareness. Areas of undeveloped or previously developed land within or adjoining an urban area with residual natural habitats or which have been planted or colonised by vegetation and wildlife

Formal recreation

Playgrounds and sports fields (not within parks)

Playgrounds: Areas providing safe and accessible opportunities for children’s play, such as fixed play equipment, adventure play and skate parks. Sports: Large and generally flat areas of grassland or specially designed surfaces, used primarily for designated sports i.e. playing fields, tennis courts, bowling greens. This class includes natural and artificial playing surfaces

Civic space

Squares, gardens,

Squares, streets, predominantly of hard landscaping that provide a focus for pedestrian activity and make connections for people and for wildlife, where trees and planting are included. Gardens, Areas of land normally enclosed, designed, constructed, managed and maintained as a garden. These will include a variety of features which may include formal footpaths, trees, planted beds and ponds. They are small in size and function in a similar way to public squares

Functional/amenity

Allotment, cemetery, amenity spaces, institutional (school, hospital grounds etc.)

School: land normally enclosed and associated with a school. Amenity: Unenclosed greenspace surrounding high-rise flats and other residential buildings. Enclosed land around other public institutions (hospitals, police stations, fire stations, universities, colleges, nursing homes). Unenclosed, landscaped areas providing visual amenity or separating different buildings or land uses for environmental, visual or safety reasons, i.e. road verges or greenspace in business parks, and used for a variety of informal or social activities such as sunbathing, picnics or kickabouts. Enclosed land associated with churches and other places of worship. Land used currently or previously as a place of burial and land associated with crematoriums

Natural/green corridor

Traffic free/natural: Pathways, Trails and cycle paths

Linear routes linking different areas within a town or city as part of a designated and managed network and used for walking, cycling or horse riding, or linking towns and cities to their surrounding countryside or country parks. These may link greenspaces together. Accessible greenspace, such as that associated with disused railway lines and paths

Derelict/vacant

Disused natural areas with no clear purpose (‘stalled spaces’)

Residential gardens

Private gardens

Enclosed individual or shared gardens associated with residential properties

Street greenery

Street greenery

This class should be used for open space associated with road and rail which provide visual amenity/landscaping only, i.e. they would not be used by people for recreation

Green

Non-urban green space

Woodland/forests

Areas of land normally enclosed, designed, constructed, managed and maintained as a woodland. These areas are dominated by tree cover but can include a variety of features which may include formal footpaths, and visitor facilities

Rural and agricultural land

Enclosed lowland agricultural land. Unenclosed upland agricultural land

Country parks

Many are located near or within towns and cities and therefore close to where people live. All provide a wide range of opportunities for recreation

Water

Freshwater (inland water)

Lakes/reservoirs/ponds (standing water bodies)

Areas of open water and associated green or hard landscaping/waterfront space

Rivers, streams, canals (linear water features)

Canal towpaths, accessible river corridors and the associated greenspace

Marine/coastal

Including beeches (type of coastline)

Waterfront promenades, predominantly of hard landscaping that provide a focus for pedestrian activity