Is the UK being concreted over?
Fascinating article this. It shows the depth to which people have been misled on how much of England has been developed and how unrealistic theories that it is all to be concreted over without tough conservation approaches are. It tells us
A new study by SmartNewHomes shows that more than half of people (53%) believe the UK is being ‘concreted over’.
Just over 80% of those surveyed disagreed that the Government is striking a sensible balance between housing requirements and protecting the countryside.
The study shows that three out of four of the 1,534 people surveyed overestimated the proportion of land developed in England alone – one fifth of respondents correctly identified it as being 11% while nearly half believed it to be three times as much at 30% and a quarter felt it was six times as much at 70%.
The best way to bust this myth is to reveal that since the Romans the total amount of land with buildings on it, if England was a football pitch’ would not quite fill one penalty area. Now there’s something to think about!!