Drifting Apart: Report shows why Government housing policy is failing

A return to well designed high density living, in rural as well as urban areas, can build sustainable communities and secure environmental objectives. This is the conclusion of research being published by CPRE today (Tuesday).

The Proximity Principle: why we are living too far apart, suggests that proximity encourages community interaction, makes public transport, local services and environmental initiatives more viable, and drives creativity – a key component of a successful economy.

Marina Pacheco, Head of Planning at CPRE said: "Current housing policy is causing settlements to spread out wider, and people are now living further away from each other than at any point since the birth of modern cities. The creation of ten new eco-towns, the centrepiece of Gordon Brown’s housing plans, will only worsen this drift, and will weaken the social fabric of existing towns."

Becky Willis, author of this report commented: "Despite the advantages of proximity, Gordon Brown’s housing policy is causing greater dispersal, by promoting new ‘eco-towns’ outside existing settlements and refusing to provide incentives for development within existing towns and villages. This report suggests that housing policy should focus on supporting existing communities."

Professor Anne Power, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, LSE, said: "This report breaks new ground in thinking about density and proximity in rural and small-scale communities. It reinforces the urgency of compact development where people, services and amenities are all located close together so that people can live more sustainably in a more socially integrated way."

Commenting on the report Jon Reeds, of Brownfield Briefing, said: "Living in well-designed, compact settlements has enormous benefits for community and climate. This report is a timely reminder for an overcrowded island addicted to urban sprawl."

Visit CPRE.org.uk for more information