86% of Britons support the Green Belt, new poll reveals

A new poll by More in Common, for CPRE, reveals near-universal support for protecting the countryside.

This new poll has found that:

• 91% of Britons think the countryside is something that makes Britain special;
• 86% consider Green Belt protections important;
• 84% believe it is possible to build the homes the UK needs while safeguarding the countryside for future generations – this is evident from the plentiful suitable brownfield land available;
• 75% want existing measures to protect specific areas of land to be strengthened, while less than 2% want to see them reduced;
• 73% of people prioritise proximity to the countryside, a higher proportion than those who favour areas with low council tax or access to good schools; and
• 68% believe the amount of land protected for nature and wellbeing should be increased, with support particularly strong among young people with 76% of those aged 18-24 backing increased protections.

Political leaders not trusted on countryside

But people don’t trust political leaders to reflect these values or to deliver on any of this. The results show Sir Keir Starmer has a net trust rating of –40% on safeguarding the countryside. The next lowest is Nigel Farage, with a net trust rating of –28%.

View the full results

CPRE continues to stand up for the countryside

For 100 years CPRE has stood up for the countryside, from campaigning for the first Green Belts and National Parks to winning protections for hedgerows and championing better planning. This new research reveals that a connection to the countryside remains an intrinsic part of British life.

The countryside is facing growing and unprecedented pressures from climate and nature emergencies, poorly planned development and new infrastructure that wastes the UK’s finite supply of land. This research reveals strong public appetite for solutions that work for people, nature and the nation alike. The findings amount to an overwhelming rejection of false choices between housing and environmental protection.

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Roger Mortlock, Chief Executive of CPRE, 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 MP, Chair of the Labour Rural Research Group and MP for Suffolk Coastal said:

‘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, said:

‘At a time where politics is increasingly divided, protecting the countryside is a 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.’