BSA 28: Not in my back yard: Public appetitie for new housing at odds with local need

A significant proportion of the British public opposes new housing being built in their local area, despite widespread acknowledgement of housing shortages, according to an in-depth study by NatCen Social Research:

• 45 per cent oppose the development of new housing in their area, although most concede that it is needed; just one in five (20 per cent) think no new local housing is required.
• The contradiction is most strongly felt in South East England (where 50 per cent oppose new local housing) and outer London (58 per cent oppose), areas where housing shortages are most acute.
• Opposition is greatest among existing homeowners, who account for two-thirds of British households; 51 per cent are against new development, compared with 35 per cent of private tenants. 
• 'Planning gain' benefits from new housing could persuade some opponents to change their minds. 17 per cent of opponents said they would support new housing in their area if there were increased employment opportunities as a result, 11 per cent if there were new green spaces and parks, and 11 per cent if there were new transport links.

The survey finds that most still aspire to home ownership. 86% would prefer to buy than rent, despite house prices being at historically high levels and mortgages being harder to secure.

Alison Park, lead editor of the report at NatCen Social Research, commented:

"In many areas, substantial local resistance to new housing development suggests that policy makers, planners and developers may have a tough time securing planning permission to meet the demand for new homes.  This underlines the need to deliver real benefits from planning, such as more desirable housing, improved local amenities - or in some cases, new employment opportunities."

"While empowering local communities to get more involved in planning decisions may help to dismantle Britain's unwieldy planning laws, it remains to be seen whether current policy measures can go far enough, soon enough, to ease the country's housing shortages."

ENDS

The latest British Social Attitudes report is freely available here

For more information, contact

Craig Elder

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. British Social Attitudes: the 28th Report is published on 7th December 2011 and is freely available at www.natcen.ac.uk/BSA28. Hard copies can be purchased from SAGE.
2. The editors are Alison Park, Elizabeth Clery, John Curtice, Miranda Phillips and David Utting. 
3. History - The British Social Attitudes survey has been conducted annually since 1983. Since then over 80,000 people have taken part in the survey.
4. Sample and approach - The 2010 survey consisted of 3,297 interviews with a representative, random sample of adults in Britain. Addresses are randomly selected and visited by one of NatCen Social Research's interviewers. After selecting one adult at the address (again at random), the interviewer carries out an hour long interview. Most questions are answered by the participant selecting an answer from a set of cards.
5. Topics - the topics covered by the survey change from year to year, depending on the identities and interests of its funders.  Some questions are asked every year, others every couple of years, and others less frequently.      
6. Funding - The survey is funded by a range of charitable and government sources, which change from year to year. Questions in the 2010 survey were funded by the following government departments: the Departments of Health, Work and Pensions and Education (previously the Department for Children, Schools and Families) as well as the Departments for Business, Innovation and Skills, Communities and Local Government, and Transport. Thanks are also due to the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Hera Trust. 
7. The views expressed in this report are those of the report authors and editors alone.
8. NatCen Social Research, Britain's largest independent social research organisation, aims to promote a better-informed society through high quality social research (www.natcen.ac.uk).
9. The 28th Report includes the following chapters:
• Introduction
• Political engagement Bridging the gulf? Britain's democracy after the 2010 election ( John Curtice) 
• Devolution On the road to divergence? Trends in public opinion in  Scotland and England (John Curtice and Rachel Ormston)
• Private education Private schools and public divisions: the influence of fee-paying education on social attitudes (Geoffrey Evans and James Tilley)
• School choice Parental freedom to choose and educational equality (Sonia Exley)
• Higher education A limit to expansion? Attitudes to university funding, fees and opportunities (Anna Zimdars, Alice Sullivan and Anthony Heath)
• Environment Concern about climate change: a paler shade of green? (Eleanor Taylor)
• Transport Congested Britain? Public attitudes to car use (Eleanor Taylor)
• Housing Homes, planning and changing policies (Glen Bramley)  
• NHS Taking the pulse: attitudes to the health service (Elizabeth Clery)
• Childhood Growing up in Britain (Elizabeth Clery)
• Child poverty Fewer children in poverty: is it a public priority? (Elizabeth Clery)
• Religion Losing faith? (Lucy Lee)

Glen Bramley, Professor of Urban Studies at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, authored the housing chapter in this year's British Social Attitudes report.