A public survey [1] for countryside campaigners, the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) [2], has found little appetite among the public for the Government’s housebuilding plans.

These results are being published today (Friday) to coincide with a national newspaper advertising campaign [3] questioning the Government’s approach to housing.

The survey, conducted by ICM, demonstrates the public oppose the Government’s policy of building 3 million new homes by 2020 (53%), believe that so many extra homes will have a negative impact on communities (46%), and think the biggest winners of Government house building plans are property developers and landowners (50%). 77% of respondents also believed the Government should prioritise bringing some of the country’s 700,000 empty properties back into use, and around half of people polled thought building on derelict, or brownfield sites, a priority. [4]

Kate Gordon, CPRE’s senior planner said:

‘This survey shows that the public would show more sympathy towards the Government’s proposals if housebuilding was accompanied by strong measures to tackle urban dereliction, and bring back into use empty properties.  Welcome progress has been made, with around three quarters of new homes now built on brownfield land, but more is needed.

‘We welcome the Government’s decision, announced this week, to set up a National Brownfield Forum. [5] To make further progress, we need to address the chronic shortage of regeneration skills. We must secure the commitment of Whitehall, communities, planners and developers, to making brownfield regeneration the priority when it comes to providing the housing we need.’

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NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. Public Attitudes to Housing Expansion poll: ICM interviewed a representative sample of 924 adults aged 18+ in England and Wales by telephone between 23 – 24 January 2008. Copies of the questions and findings are available from CPRE’s press office 020 7981 2880.

2. CPRE, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, is a charity which promotes the beauty, tranquillity and diversity of rural England. We advocate positive solutions for the long-term future of the countryside. Founded in 1926, we have 60,000 supporters and a branch in every county. President: Bill Bryson. Patron: Her Majesty The Queen. www.cpre.org.uk

3. CPRE is placing advertisements in national newspapers on Friday 7 March. The advertisements are inviting people, concerned about the impact of the Government’s housing proposals, to email the Housing Minister, Caroline Flint, via CPRE’s website: www.cpre.org.uk. (This will be live on CPRE’s home page from 00.01 hours Friday 7 March.) Copies of the advertisement are available from CPRE’s press office 020 7981 2880.

4. Around half of those interviewed believe developers and landowners, rather than the public, stand to gain most from Government plans to build 3 million new homes.  Just 5% believe local communities will benefit and 13% believe the country as a whole would benefit. The survey found considerable appetite exists among the public for measures to secure urban renewal. More than three quarters of those interviewed believe priority should be given to bringing back into use empty properties. Around half called for more homes to be built on derelict land in urban areas. By contrast, building more homes in the countryside found support among less than 10% of those interviewed.

5. Securing the future supply of brownfield land: Government’s response to English Partnership’s recommendations on the National Brownfield Strategy, Communities and Local Government; Mind the Skills Gap and Draft Brownfield Skills Strategy, Academy for Sustainable Communities, English Partnerships, launched at English Partnership’s brownfield conference on Tuesday.