New poll: 75% want more protection for UK countryside but most don’t trust leaders to deliver

• Poll by More in Common for CPRE reveals 75% of Britons support more protection for the countryside and 86% are in favour of the Green Belt 
• No major party leader trusted on countryside issues, Starmer and Farage least of all
• Countryside proximity beats good schools and low council tax for Britons choosing where to live

A new poll for The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) by More in Common has uncovered near universal support for protecting the countryside, with 75% of Britons believing existing measures to protect specific areas of land should be strengthened, while less than 2% want to see them reduced.  

When choosing where to live, 73% of people prioritise proximity to the countryside, a higher proportion than favour areas with low council tax or access to good schools, while 91% think the countryside is something that makes Britain special.  

But people don’t trust political leaders to make decisions that reflect these values. The results show a net trust rating of –40% for Sir Keir Starmer, the lowest of all major party leaders, when it comes to safeguarding the countryside. Next lowest is Nigel Farage, at –28%.  

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 the climate and nature emergencies, poorly planned development and new infrastructure that wastes the UK’s finite supply of land.  

The research reveals strong public appetite for solutions that work for people, nature and the nation alike. An overwhelming 86% of people consider Green Belt protections important, while 68% believe the amount of land protected for nature and wellbeing should be increased. Support for the latter is particularly strong among young people, with 76% of 18–24-year-olds backing increased protections, the highest of any age group. 

With plentiful suitable brownfield land available, 84% of people believe it is possible to build the homes the UK needs while safeguarding the countryside for future generations. The findings amount to an overwhelming rejection of false choices between housing and environmental protection. 

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 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: 

‘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.”