BLACKBURN with Darwen residents have some of the smallest gardens, patios and balconies in Britain.

That is according to a new analysis of outdoor living space by the Office for National Statistics, which has also revealed the number of households that have had to make do without gardens during the coronavirus crisis.

The average size of private outdoor space in Blackburn with Darwen homes is 172.6 square metres – among the smallest in Britain, where gardens are 332.7 square metres on average.

Nationally, the biggest gardens are found in Castle Point, in Essex, at 1,388.8 square metres, while the smallest are in London's Hammersmith and Fulham, with 81.4 square metres.

The figures only include homes that have private outdoor space, and those without gardens, patios or balconies are excluded.

But 5% of Blackburn with Darwen households have no access to any private outdoor space at all – much lower than the national average of 12%.

Mental health charity Mind says spending time outdoors during the coronavirus crisis can be an important way to boost our mood, help manage mental health problems, and improve our physical well-being.

While most people are now allowed outdoors for unlimited exercise, people who are particularly vulnerable to Covid-19 are still shielding themselves at home.

The Resolution Foundation think tank says the lockdown has “brought to the fore a whole range of housing-related inequalities”, including insecurity for renters, overcrowding, and a lack of access to gardens and green spaces.

Principal research and policy analyst Lindsay Judge said: "Post-pandemic we need to ensure that housing policy focuses on quality and security, as well as quantity.

“That should mean homes – and housing contracts – that are fit for all types of families.”