Table 1 Description of GI predictor variables used in the multi-level linear regression analysis in this study

Total non-built land-cover

Aggregated proportion of land-cover that consists of vegetation or water.

% cover LSOAˉ¹

Step 1

Water

Proportion of land-cover by water (water bodies and water courses)

% cover LSOAˉ¹

Step 2 and 3

Ground layer vegetation

Proportion of land-cover by grass lawns and other ground flora

% cover LSOAˉ¹

Step 2 and 3

Field layer vegetation

Proportion of land-cover by tall grasses, forbs and shrubs

% cover LSOAˉ¹

Step 2 and 3

Canopy

Proportion of land-cover by trees

% cover LSOAˉ¹

Step 2 and 3

Public parks and recreation

Proportion of land-use that includes public parks, sports grounds, playing fields, allotments and community gardens

% cover LSOAˉ¹

Step 2 and 3

Amenity green-space

Proportion of land-use consisting of landscaped open spaces in residential or commercial areas with primarily aesthetic functions

% cover LSOAˉ¹

Step 2 and 3

Private gardens

Proportion of land-use by private domestics gardens

% cover LSOAˉ¹

Step 2 and 3

Peri-urban

Proportion of non-urban land-use, primarily consisting of arable land, grazed pasture and peat moorland outside of the main urban extent of the study area but within the Greater Manchester administrative boundary

% cover LSOAˉ¹

Step 2 and 3

Previously developed land

Proportion of land previously subject to development and without any formal function at the time of data production

% cover LSOAˉ¹

Step 2 and 3

Urban fabric

Proportion of all developed (built) land-use types and associated built infrastructure including residential, commercial, transport and industrial

% cover LSOAˉ¹

Step 2 and 3

Informal urban greenery

Proportion of non-built land-cover occurring within the urban fabric class but without formal designated use (e.g. street trees, roadside vegetation).

% cover LSOAˉ¹

Step 2 and 3

% population ≤ 300 m to public parks and recreation land

Proportion of the local population living within 300 m of any site in the public parks and recreation class (including sites within 300 m but in neighbouring LSOAs).

% population LSOAˉ¹

Step 2 and 3

% population ≤ 200 m to public parks and recreation land

Proportion of the local population living within 200 m of any site within the public parks and recreation class

% population LSOAˉ¹

Step 2 and 3

% population ≤ 100 m to public parks and recreation land

Proportion of the local population living within 100 m of any site within the public parks and recreation class

% population LSOAˉ¹

Step 2 and 3

% population ≤ 200 m to 2 ha public parks and recreation land

Proportion of the local population living within 200 m of sites > 2 ha within the public parks and recreation class

% population LSOAˉ¹

Step 2 and 3

Shannon’s Diversity Index (SHDI)

Metric indicating land-cover diversity

Dimensionless with values starting from 0 without limit (though rarely exceeding 4)

Step 2 and 3

Mean Patch Size

Mean area of all non-built patches

m² LSOAˉ¹

Step 2 and 3

Effective Mesh Size (Meff)

Measure of connectedness of non-built land-cover

m² LSOAˉ¹

Step 2 and 3

% non-built cover in gardens

Proportion of gardens that is vegetation or water

Percentage of total gardens cover LSOAˉ¹ that is non-built

Step 3

% non-built cover in amenity green-space

Proportion of amenity green-space that is vegetation or water

Percentage of total gardens cover LSOAˉ¹ that is non-built

Step 3

% non-built cover in public parks and recreation land

Proportion of public parks and recreation land that is vegetation or water

Percentage of total gardens cover LSOAˉ¹ that is non-built

Step 3

% non-built cover in institutional land

Proportion of institutional land that is vegetation or water

Percentage of total gardens cover LSOAˉ¹ that is non-built

Step 3

Mean patch size of gardens

Mean area of garden land-use patches

m² LSOAˉ¹

Step 3

Mean patch size of amenity green-space

Mean area of amenity green-space land-use patches

m² LSOAˉ¹

Step 3

Mean patch size of public parks and recreation land

Mean area of public parks and recreation land-use patches

m² LSOAˉ¹

Step 3

Mean patch size of institutional land

Mean area of institutional land-use patches

m² LSOAˉ¹

Step 3