A disappearing picture


Rural England is threatened with the intrusion of new development. The London based Campaign to Protect Rural England have produced new maps which show that the area affected by new development stretches far beyond their actual ‘footprint’. This shadow of urban growth or new roads or runways means that with 11% of England already urbanised, 50% is seriously disturbed by the sight, noise, and movement of development. Relatively small expansion of the urban area could intrude upon a whole lot of countryside, unless it is carefully located.

The area of undisturbed countryside. From the 1960s to 1990s the total area of England disturbed by the noise and visual intrusion of roads, urban areas and major infrastructure rose from 26% to 41%. In the past 15 years alone another 9% has been blighted. At this rate of loss much of what remains could all but disappear in the next 80 years – within our children’s lifetimes. The picture varies from region to region. For instance, the South East, already growing beyond its capacity, is deeply fragmented with just 30% undisturbed countryside. The North East, the most tranquil region, still has 65% of its area undisturbed, yet has lost an area three times the size of Newcastle upon Tyne in just the past 15 years.

It is mass immigration which is driving this ceaseless demand for new homes, new schools, new roads and new shopping centres destroying wildlife habitats and quality landscape for recreation and enjoyment forever. Is this the kind of country we want to pass on to our children and grandchildren? If the answer is no, then we have to stop immigration and then sort out who actually belongs here and who doesn’t and of course we cannot do that while we are ruled over by Brussels, so withdrawal from the EU and taking back control of our own borders is the first step to saving our beautiful countryside.

More about the intrusion and loss of English countryside can be seen here.