A new poll for the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), conducted by More in Common, shows strong public support for protecting the countryside. Three-quarters of respondents said existing protections for specific areas of land should be strengthened, while fewer than 2% believe they should be reduced.
The poll also found that 73% of people prioritise living close to the countryside, a higher proportion than those who prioritise low council tax or access to good schools. In addition, 91% said the countryside is an important part of what makes Britain distinctive.
Despite this, respondents expressed low levels of trust in political leaders to safeguard the countryside. Sir Keir Starmer recorded a net trust rating of –40% on the issue, the lowest among major party leaders, followed by Nigel Farage at –28%.
The research highlights concerns about the pressures facing the countryside, including climate and environmental challenges, development, and infrastructure demands. It also indicates strong public support for maintaining existing Green Belt protections, with 86% describing them as important.
Support for increasing the amount of land protected for nature and wellbeing stood at 68%, rising to 76% among those aged 18 to 24. The poll also found that 84% of respondents believe it is possible to meet housing needs while protecting the countryside, citing the availability of brownfield land.
Roger Mortlock, chief executive of The Campaign to Protect Rural England, said: “In the 100 years since CPRE was founded there has been one constant: the British public treasures the countryside and wants to see it better protected for future generations. The fact that three-quarters of young people want more land protected shows this isn’t nostalgia – it’s about securing a sustainable future for us all.
“Despite that, trust in political leaders to stand up for the countryside is low and an area of green fields equivalent to a small city is lost to development every year. Too often the loss of countryside is a choice not a necessity, with untapped solutions that don’t require us to sacrifice our green spaces.
“The public has decisively rejected the false choice between building homes and protecting the countryside. With enough brownfield land in England alone for 1.4 million homes, we can meet housing needs while strengthening protections for the landscapes people value so highly.
“We urgently need political leadership that matches public ambition and safeguards our countryside for everyone.”
Jenny Riddell-Carpenter, chair of the Labour Rural Research Group and MP for Suffolk Coastal commented: “This research by CPRE and More in Common confirms what we all know, that protecting and enhancing our countryside is important for people across the country.
“For 100 years, CPRE has worked to safeguard the countryside for everyone and to ensure rural communities receive the support, services, and infrastructure they need. With significant pressure on our countryside from climate change and our declining natural environment it is vital that we take seriously the need to protect our rural areas for the next generation.”
Sophie Stowers, research manager at More in Common, added: “This research shows that the countryside is a cherished part of British life, with many seeing it as a source of national pride with benefits for their health and wellbeing. They want to ensure that future generations can enjoy those benefits too, but barriers to access, like cost or lack of transport, declining trust in political leaders and development are making this goal harder to achieve.
“At the same time, affordable housing is widely regarded as one of the country’s most pressing issues. While many Britons think it’s important to safeguard the countryside, they also think we must balance this with addressing the housing crisis.
“At a time where politics is increasingly divided, protecting the countryside is cross-generational, cross-party priority. What’s clear is that the public want the government to go further in protecting Britain’s green spaces- and that they don’t buy the idea that the government has to make a choice between tackling the housing crisis and doing so.”
Read the orginal article: https://propertyindustryeye.com/overwhelming-public-support-for-countryside-protection-poll-finds/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=overwhelming-public-support-for-countryside-protection-poll-finds
