Play space has to be no more than a five minute walk, or 500 metres, from new family homes that are built in St Helier.

That is despite the Environment Minister proposing that play space should be available within 1,000 metres or a ten minute walk.

He says that was achievable.

"It's simple practicalities, given the constrained availability of land.

I think we all know in Jersey that everyone is on top of one another. People have small back gardens, we are used to living very close together.

Other places don't have that, they've got more land. Land is not as acutely short as it is (in Jersey) and particularly St Helier.

The planning officers have put this forward and of course the planning inspectors reported that they thought that was the right approach.

It's about being practical."

Any developers that can't achieve this new standard will have to provide new space elsewhere.

Deputy Young made his proposal despite the adopted benchmark standards for open space in town being 500 metres.

Data from an Open Space Study in 2018 also showed that St Helier was falling well short in the amount of open space being offered.

Deputy Inna Gardiner says adequate play space is not a 'good to have' or an afterthought and it helps children to become healthy, well-rounded adults.

"Walking routes on Google Maps from Howard Davis Park to FB Fields is (a) one kilometre walk.

I wouldn't describe this as a pleasant walk suitable for a woman with a pram and toddler.

We need to design our play areas infrastructure for the most vulnerable and needy play area users in mind.

For example - if we're thinking about a single mum with no car, pram and toddler, juggling between work, home, childcare, ten or 20 minutes walk is a huge difference in our busy lives.

Just remember yourself as parents for young children."

Ministers will also have to create a 'Play Strategy' for the island to make sure children get the best possible start in life.

It was approved as part of the Bridging Island Plan by 25 votes to 13.