Skateboard GB is calling for a new approach to skateboarding urban regeneration UK wide, arguing that skateboarding can transform public spaces, strengthen communities and bring new life to towns and cities. To press the case, the organisation will host its first UK Skateable Spaces Forum in Sheffield on 9 December 2026. The event will bring together local authorities, urban planners, community leaders, architects and skateboarding specialists to explore how skateboarding can be built into the design and development of the built environment.
The forum follows the publication of the first comprehensive national audit of skateable spaces, carried out by researchers from Goldsmiths, University of London and the skatepark specialist Betongpark, with funding from Sport England. The audit identified 1,923 operational skateable spaces across the UK in 2025, made up of 1,841 outdoor and 82 indoor locations. These include conventional skateparks, community-built facilities and established street-skating sites, so the count reaches well beyond purpose-built parks. It also exposed sharp regional gaps, with an estimated 292 skateable spaces in the East of England compared with just 54 in the North East and 12 in Northern Ireland.
Beyond the regional gaps, the researchers found weaknesses in the quality and management of existing facilities, because inadequate funding for maintenance, coaching and community activities limits what they can offer. Design and location also shaped how well a site performs. Skateparks developed with early involvement from local skateboarding communities tend to be better used and more highly valued, and facilities built in visible, accessible urban locations perform particularly well. Isolated facilities and ageing modular skateparks, by contrast, are more likely to suffer from underuse and antisocial behaviour. The research further noted a shortage of sites suitable for advanced competitive skateboarding, since none of the sites assessed met international competition standards.
James Hope-Gill, CEO of Skateboard GB, said: “This important study confirms that skateparks can be vital community assets.” He stressed that local government can use the findings to increase access to physical activity and social connections while reducing barriers to participation. The Sheffield forum is meant to turn those findings into practice by exploring how the problems the audit exposed can be addressed through new approaches to urban planning, facility development and community engagement.
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The programme draws on policy makers, researchers and designers. Speakers include Lisa Dodd-Mayne, executive director for partnerships and place at Sport England, Sarah Mortiboys, director of place and communities at Wesport Active Partnership, and Chris Lawton, founder and director of Skate Nottingham. Researchers Dr Esther Sayers and George Nicholls from Goldsmiths, together with Stuart Maclure of Betongpark, will present the national audit and discuss what it means for future investment. International perspectives will come from the Swedish landscape architects Josefin Norén Almén and Fredrik Angner of White Arkitekter, who are researching sustainable skate environments with the Swedish Skateboard Federation.
Skateboard GB champions skateboarding’s role in urban regeneration with Skateable Spaces Forum
Sessions will cover skateurbanism, the emerging practice of integrating skateboarding into everyday urban spaces, along with sustainable construction, inclusivity and the development of facilities able to support Olympic-level performance. Sheffield already offers an example of this approach in its Marioland project on Exchange Street in the Castlegate district. Opened in 2020, the project introduced concrete blocks and metal rails into an existing pedestrian street, creating an informal skateboarding destination without building a conventional skatepark.
According to Skateboard GB, Marioland has attracted hundreds of skateboarders each week, helping to reactivate an underused city-centre location and contributing to improvements in perceptions of safety. The organisation presents it as proof that relatively small interventions in the public realm can support physical activity, create destinations for young people and bring additional footfall into urban areas. The forum will consider how other towns and cities can adopt similar approaches, moving beyond conventional skatepark provision towards a more integrated approach to leisure, recreation and place-making.
The UK Skateable Spaces Forum takes place at Showroom Workstation in Sheffield on Wednesday 9 December, from 10.00am to 4.00pm. Attendance is free, but advance registration is required.
For more background, see our guide to sustainable landscape architecture.
Jane Doe is an American architectural editor with a deep-rooted passion for design and the built environment. She holds a degree in Architecture from Columbia University, where she developed a strong foundation in both architectural theory and urban studies. With over a decade of editorial experience, Jane specializes in shaping content that bridges architecture, urbanism, and cultural discourse. Her work spans leading design publications, exhibition texts, and digital platforms, where she is known for her clear, engaging narratives and her ability to translate complex spatial ideas for a broad audience. Jane is particularly interested in issues of equity, sustainability, and the evolving role of cities in a changing world.