THE opinion expressed by some local residents (July 9, ‘Homes will be too close for comfort’) that the planned development on the former Barton Road cricket ground site contains too much public green space, at the expense of larger plots or more houses, underestimates the value of urban green space.
By providing opportunities for social interaction, publicly accessible green spaces are an important part of urban and community development and social cohesion.
Public open spaces are also vital settings for recreation and leisure in an increasingly congested city. There is sound scientific evidence that urban green space contributes to human and social well-being, by providing opportunities for physical activity and stress reduction.
Green spaces also provide vital ecosystem services, by supporting biodiversity, sequestering and storing carbon, reducing storm-water, reducing air temperature and removing pollutants from the air. In view of climate change, these matters should not be brushed aside.
Dr Sarah Milliken (Campaign to Protect Rural England) Fordwells Witney
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