PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
(7 September 2026)

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has considered introducing a statutory duty on local authorities to assess and secure adequate play opportunities for children.

Asked by:
Tom Hayes (Labour)

While the department has no plans to bring forward a national play strategy, it has made significant steps to improve the availability of playgrounds. Playgrounds are an important part of play opportunities for children that support children’s physical health, wellbeing and social development. The Government has brought forward £18m of funding through the Playground fund, which will improve children’s access to safe, inclusive, high‑quality local play spaces in communities where it has fallen furthest behind. £18m over two years will support local authorities to deliver new or refurbish up to 200 playgrounds across England, prioritising areas with high child deprivation and poor access to safe, local play space.

The Government’s Pride in Place Programme will also provide up to £5.8 billion over ten years to support 284 neighbourhoods identified as most in need. Each neighbourhood under the programme will be given up to £20m of flexible funding and support. In each place, the local neighbourhood board will work with the community to decide how this funding is spent, which could include investment in local regeneration projects such as parks and playgrounds where these reflect local priorities.

The National Planning Policy Framework, published in August 2026, strengthens support for new and improved community facilities, including where they are required to support new development. It also safeguards against the loss of playing fields and other formal and informal play spaces.

Answered by:
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