Sir – Each year, more of our front gardens are disappearing underneath concrete. This is very evident in Oxford.

In flood-prone areas of our county, this is contributing to run-off and, therefore, to flooding because water is moving rapidly into street drains instead of soaking into the earth and being absorbed by plants and trees. Hard surfaces can also contribute to subsidence, as dry soil underneath concrete contracts. It is not beyond the wit of human beings to put down a few permeable paviers for car parking, if necessary, and let the rest of the front garden remain an area for growing plants.

This is, after all, considerably cheaper than having a garden buried in concrete.

A green front garden adds to the attractiveness of the property for rent or purchase and continues to provide habitat for birds and other species.

Plants help to absorb air pollution in our cities. But this role, and others already mentioned, are being diminished: roughly one third of the UK’s 21 million front gardens have been turned into hard-paved parking spaces in the past two decades.

With 60 per cent of UK wildlife species and natural habitats in decline at present, the importance of front gardens as wildlife havens should not be under-estimated.

Let us also recognise that the drab concrete frontages of an alarming number of properties in cities, including Oxford, detract from the visual qualities of our cities and towns. This affliction can be avoided through a combination of action by property owners and perceptive support from local authorities and community groups to encourage planting. Let’s get started.

Dr Hazel Dawe
Treasurer, Oxfordshire Green Party
Headington