‘Nimbys holding back rural communities’, poll finds

Rural voters believe Nimbyism is holding the English countryside back, a poll has found.

The poll by Survation found more than 50% of voters in England’s 100 most rural constituencies backed building more homes in their communities.

It also found 46% of voters thought Nimbys who block housing proposals had a negative effect on rural communities, with only 19% thinking they had a positive impact.

Nobody wants to concrete over the countryside, least of all us, but for decades governments of all colours have treated it as a museum, risking the sustainability of communities and failing to generate the conditions necessary for growth.

The president of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), which commissioned the poll, said the results showed rural voters were “crying out for affordable housing”.

Victoria Vyvyan said: “Nobody wants to concrete over the countryside, least of all us, but for decades governments of all colours have treated it as a museum, risking the sustainability of communities and failing to generate the conditions necessary for growth.