Crap Towns / Colchester / Parks
How many parks and playgrounds has Colchester got?
OS maps 49 public parks and gardens in Colchester (April 2026): 3.8 per 10,000 people, 1.5 times the typical town's 2.5. There are 75 play spaces, 5.8 per 10,000 people, about the same as the typical town's 6.0. 13.6% of its people live more than 400 metres from a park or play space, as the crow flies, 12% lower than the typical town's 15.5%.
| Measure | Here | Typical town |
|---|---|---|
| Public parks and gardens per 10,000 people | 3.8 | 2.5 |
| Play spaces per 10,000 people | 5.8 | 6.0 |
| Square metres of public park per person | 19.2 | 4.5 |
| People more than 400 metres from a park or play space | 13.6% | 15.5% |
| Town | Distance | % more than 400 metres from a park |
|---|---|---|
| Wivenhoe | 5.2 km | 40.2 |
| West Mersea | 12.7 km | 34.3 |
| Jaywick | 19.1 km | 34.0 |
| Clacton-on-Sea | 19.6 km | 27.6 |
| Brightlingsea | 12.2 km | 27.1 |
| Halstead | 19.3 km | 20.1 |
| Tiptree | 14.1 km | 13.6 |
| Colchester | – | 13.6 |
| Hadleigh | 17.6 km | 3.7 |
| Sudbury | 20.0 km | 3.1 |
| Berechurch | 3.3 km | 0.0 |
| The typical town | – | 15.5 |