50th Anniversary of Green Belts

A quarter of people in Britain (27%) claim to be well-informed about green belts, according to new research from MORI. The survey, conducted to coincide with the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of green belts in Britain, shows a similar proportion (25%) say that they know nothing about them.

The research was commissioned by Campaign for Protecting Rural England (CPRE). Respondents were given a brief explanation of green belts -- including key arguments for and against -- and asked their view of the idea that such land should remain undeveloped.

Six in 10 are strongly in agreement, and just six per cent disagree to any extent. People say the biggest threats facing green belts are house building, road building and other kinds of built development including airport expansion.

Technical details

Questions were placed on the MORI face-to-face Omnibus, the regular MORI survey among the general public. A nationally representative quota sample of 931 adults (aged 15 and over) was interviewed throughout England between 30 June - 4 July 2005, across 202 sampling points. Interviews were conducted face-to-face, in respondents' homes, using CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing -- laptops). The results are shown below:

Q1 Thinking now about Green Belt land, how much, if at all, do you know about Green Belts?

Q2 Green belts are defined areas of countryside surrounding our largest towns and cities where building of houses, out-of-town shopping centres, offices, warehouses and other kinds of development is usually not allowed. According to legislation the key reason green belts exist is to prevent urban areas spreading out across the countryside and eventually joining up. But some would argue that Green Belts are preventing necessary development from happening in the best place.How much, if at all, do you agree or disagree that green belt land should remain open and undeveloped, and building on it not allowed.

Q3 Here are some things which may threaten Green Belt land. Which, if any, are the one or two most serious threats facing Green Belts today?