Green Spaces for People - a £15.6m green spaces project aimed at transforming communities in England - has scooped a prestigious award for sustainability. The programme beat 100 other businesses to win a Green Apple Award in a campaign to find Britain's greenest projects and businesses. Previous winners include Balfour Beatty, Marks and Spencer and E-On.

About Green Spaces for People

We're delivering Green Spaces for People along with two other housing groups: Riverside and Peabody. The project is funded by the Big Lottery Fund and is transforming 80 neighbourhoods across the country by enhancing the quality of life for local residents.

The programme is regenerating over 30 hectares of under-used or derelict spaces into high-quality, well-designed areas for local communities to enjoy. This includes new parks, community gardens, wildlife habitats, sport facilities and new play areas.

What makes the programme extra special is the involvement of local communities in identifying priorities for their local project. This means that each space is designed to suit the needs of the local people and aims to inspire community involvement.

There's significant evidence from the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment that high quality green space promotes a number of positive benefits, including better health, enhanced wildlife and biodiversity, and reduce the environmental impact of housing.

To date over £10.5m has been invested - transforming 56 neighbourhoods. This includes:

• Over 34,000 local people attending 450 consultation and community events
• 434 people becoming project volunteers
• The creation of 52 project related jobs

What we say

"We're absolutely delighted to win a Green Apple Award. It's recognition of the innovative work being undertaken in neighbourhoods across the country by the Green Spaces for People partners, Places for People, Riverside and Peabody. Good quality green spaces are essential to the well-being of our towns and cities and this exciting programme is delivering environmental and social improvements by providing local residents with new places to play and relax."