Skateboard GB is calling for a new approach to urban regeneration which recognises the potential of skateboarding to transform public spaces, strengthen communities and bring new life to towns and cities.
The organisation will host its first UK Skateable Spaces Forum in Sheffield on 9 December 2026, bringing together local authorities, urban planners, community leaders, architects and skateboarding specialists to explore how skateboarding can be integrated into the design and development of the built environment.
The initiative follows the publication of the first comprehensive national audit of skateable spaces, undertaken by researchers from Goldsmiths, University of London and skatepark specialist Betongpark, with funding from Sport England.
The research identified 1,923 operational skateable spaces across the UK in 2025, comprising 1,841 outdoor and 82 indoor locations, including conventional skateparks, community-built facilities and established street-skating sites.
It revealed significant regional disparities, with the East of England having an estimated 292 skateable spaces compared with just 54 in the North East and 12 in Northern Ireland.
The findings also highlighted shortcomings in the quality and management of existing facilities, with inadequate funding for maintenance, coaching and community activities limiting their potential.
The researchers found that skateparks developed with early involvement from local skateboarding communities tend to be better used and more highly valued, while facilities constructed in visible, accessible urban locations perform particularly well.
Conversely, isolated facilities and ageing modular skateparks are more likely to experience problems with underuse and antisocial behaviour.
James Hope-Gill, CEO of Skateboard GB, said: «This important study confirms that skateparks can be vital community assets.»
He emphasised the opportunities for local government to use the findings to increase access to physical activity and social connections, while reducing barriers to participation.
The research also identified a shortage of facilities suitable for advanced competitive skateboarding, with none of the sites assessed meeting international competition standards.
The Sheffield forum will explore how these issues can be addressed through new approaches to urban planning, facility development and community engagement.
Speakers will 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 findings of the national audit and discuss their implications for future investment.
International perspectives will be provided by Swedish landscape architects Josefin Norén Almén and Fredrik Angner of White Arkitekter, who are researching sustainable skate environments in collaboration with the Swedish Skateboard Federation.
Sessions will explore skateurbanism, the emerging practice of integrating skateboarding into everyday urban spaces, alongside sustainable construction, inclusivity and the development of facilities capable of supporting Olympic-level performance.
Sheffield provides an example of the approach through 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, the initiative has attracted hundreds of skateboarders each week, helping to reactivate an underused city-centre location and contributing to improvements in perceptions of safety.
The project illustrates how relatively small interventions in the public realm can support physical activity and create destinations for young people, while also bringing additional footfall and activity into urban areas.
The forum will consider how similar approaches can be adopted by other towns and cities, 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, with advance registration required.
