Wildlife organizations have called on politicians to prioritize nature within Middlesbrough's urban renewal initiatives.
Data shows that nearly 10 percent of the town fails to meet national green space access targets.
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The push follows a UK government pledge ensuring residents live within a 15-minute walk of parks, lakes, or nature reserves to support mental and physical health.
However, a BBC Data Unit analysis reveals that approximately one in 10 areas in Middlesbrough falls short of this objective.
Urban greenness rankings from a 2022 study by the University of Sheffield and Flinders University placed Middlesbrough 64th out of 68 evaluated town and city centres.
The ranking was based on open spaces and tree canopy coverage.
Elizabeth MacIver from the Tees Valley Nature Partnership stated that incorporating nature into developed areas requires collaborative planning and creative development strategies.
"We have to think creatively, we have to work with housing developers, planning and local authorities to see how we do that and how we implement it," said MacIver.
She noted that prioritizing natural spaces remains a common trait among thriving northern towns and municipalities.
"Some of our most successful towns and cities, particularly in the North, have nature front and central.
It makes organisations want to invest and it makes it a nicer place to live in," MacIver added.
Nicky Morgan, the founder of the local Community Interest Company All Year Round: The Flower Patch, highlighted the physiological benefits of accessible natural environments on human stress levels.
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"Just being in a green space helps to lower your heart rate," said Morgan.
The therapeutic benefits of green spaces extend to breathing regulation and cognitive clarity during stressful periods.
"It helps to slow your breathing down, so if you are having an anxious time it's a perfect setting to be in.
You've got the scent of flowers, the insects visiting them, the sound of birds - it's really good for clearing your mind," Morgan stated.
Despite proximity, local community barriers including cultural factors and safety apprehensions can restrict the actual utilization of available green assets.
"One of the things we can do with local communities is to understand what the barriers to access to nature are.
Sometimes it's distance, sometimes it is other things, like culture.
We did a heat map of one urban area where it showed that even people living close to a park didn't use it," said Baroness Hayman, the Minister for Biosecurity, Borders and Animals.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is scheduled to publish a Green Paper within the upcoming months.
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The paper will outline strategies to achieve the national 15-minute green space commitment.
