Publications

Papers

1. Exploring mechanistic pathways linking urban green and blue space to mental wellbeing before and after urban regeneration of a greenway: Evidence from the Connswater Community Greenway, Belfast, UK. Access online
2. Examining the spatially varying and interactive effects of green and blue space on health outcomes in Northern Ireland using multiscale geographically weighted regression modeling. Access online
3. GroundsWell: Community-engaged and data-informed systems transformation of Urban Green and Blue Space for population health - a new initiative. Access online
4. The social return on investment of an urban regeneration project using real-world data: the Connswater Community Greenway, Belfast, UK. Access online
   
5. Your favourite park is not my favourite park: A participatory geographic information system approach to improving urban green and blue spaces—a case study in Edinburgh, Scotland. Access online
6. A systematic review of urban green and blue spaces and cognitive function including discussion of mechanistic pathways. Access online
7. How Do Awareness, Perceptions, and Expectations of an Urban Greenway Influence Residents’ Visits and Recreational Physical Activity? Evidence From the Connswater Community Greenway, Belfast, Northern Ireland. Access online
8. Economic evaluations of urban green and blue space interventions: A scoping review. Access online
9. Advancing urban green and blue space contributions to public health. Access online
10. The contribution of urban green and blue spaces to the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals: An evidence gap map. Access online
11. Evidence Gap Map of the Relationship between Blue and Green Spaces and Pregnancy Outcomes. Access online
12. Causal evidence of the association between green and blue spaces (GBS) and maternal and neonatal health: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol. Access online
13. Development and testing of the Perceived Wellbeing in Outdoor Shared Spaces (PWOSS) scale. Access online
14. Rethinking the association between green space and crime using spatial quantile regression modelling: Do vegetation type, crime type, and crime rates matter? Access online
15. Identifying barriers and facilitators to active travel infrastructure usage amongst under-represented population groups in the United Kingdom: a rapid systematic review. In press
16. Creating a learning health system to include environmental determinants of health: The GroundsWell experience. Access online

Reports

1.  Climate and Nature Action: A Vision for the Connswater Community Greenway

In 2023, GroundsWell and EastSide Greenways in Belfast commissioned a collaborative process to look at Connswater Community Greenway through the lens of climate resilience, adaptation, nature conservation and self sustainability. This document summarises the findings and recommendations of that process, researched and facilitated by Landscape Architects, The Paul Hogarth Company.  

2. Dock Branch Evaluability Assessment Report

This project in Birkenhead is turning a disused railway into vibrant green space. GroundsWell Consortium, Wirral Council and The Dock Branch Community Panel wanted to explore how the plans aligned with broader health and wellbeing goals for the area.

3. Connswater Community Greenway: Accessibility and Inclusion Study

GroundsWell and EastSide Greenways in Belfast worked with  Studio idir and Baroudeur Consultancy to undertake a stakeholder and community engagement process that would look at the Connswater Community Greenway through the lens of accessibility and inclusion with an emphasis on engaging with older people and people with disabilities. This report includes recommendations that can be actioned in the short, medium and long term. 

4. Linking Leith's Parks: Report and Evaluation Framework

In 2023, the Scottish Wildlife Trust and City of Edinburgh Council facilitated a series of in-person and online workshops with local communities, third sector, and public sector stakeholders to establish an evaluation framework for Linking Leith's Parks, and the wider Edinburgh Nature Network (ENN). GroundsWell researchers attended these meetings as stakeholders, and helped shape the evaluation framework from a health and wellbeing perspective. A report and the finalised evaluation framework was developed by the Edinburgh Nature Network team, and can be viewed using the link above.

5. Mae Murray Foundation Inclusive Beach Programme: Impact Report

Our partners on GroundsWell, Mae Murray Foundation is a charity delivering a range of innovative all-ability projects for different age groups, in addition to designing and implementing permanent solutions in everyday environments to break down unnecessary barriers to participation. One way in which they do this is through the creation of Inclusive Beaches and implementation of an Inclusive Beach Programme. In 2024, GroundsWell partnered with Mae Murray Foundation to evaluate their Inclusive Beach Programme. The report summarises the impact of the programme on physical health, mental health, and the social life of members and their families. 

Evidence Calls

1. Submission to the Inquiry on Prevention in Health and Social Care - Inquiry details
2. Submission by Dr Mark Green to the Inquiry on Prevention in Health and Social Care - Inquiry details
3. Submission to the Call for Evidence on Active Travel - Inquiry details - Final report citing GroundsWell
4. Submission to the Inquiry on Urban Green Spaces - Inquiry details
5. Submission to the Inquiry on Children, Young People and the Built Environment - Inquiry details
6. GroundsWell Response to National Planning Policy Framework

Data Resources

1. GroundsWell data linkage consent form and information booklet. Burnett, H. (2023). DOI: 10.17638/datacat.liverpool.ac.uk/2445

This document contains a consent form and information booklet for data linkage. This document will be included in future data collection completed by GroundsWell to gather participant consent for linking administrative [health] data and primary [survey] data. If you have any comments or questions regarding this document, then please contact Hannah Burnett (hburnett@liverpool.ac.uk)