Majority of people back new-build housing schemes in their neighbourhood

More than half of those surveyed in an influential government-backed poll have said they supported the development of new housing schemes in their local area.

The latest findings of the annual British Social Attitudes (BSA) survey, which is backed by a number of government departments including the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, revealed that 57% of people polled last year said they were happy to see more homes being built in their neighbourhood, while 23% opposed such developments.

The BSA survey said levels of support and opposition remained the same as they were in 2014 and 2017.

But the proportion of people backing new-build schemes has come a long way since 2010, when they garnered 28% support, and six years ago, when 47% were positive towards such developments.

And when it came to whether new developments were “attractive” or “beautiful” to look at, 46% of people thought new-build homes were well designed, compared with less than a quarter (23%) who felt such homes were not.

The survey, which polled 2,500 UK households between July and November last year, also found people were not strongly influenced by moves to force developers into providing funding for local amenities or infrastructure, or even affordable housing.

“There were no differences in the proportion of people who would support or oppose new homes being built in the local area according to whether or not they were aware of developer contributions,” the survey said.

But the likelihood of there being more transport links or the prospect of jobs being created as a result of new housing schemes was likely to sway people in favour, the survey found.

Opposition to new housing schemes because they were deemed unattractive was a factor behind the government’s decision to establish its Building Beautiful, Building Better commission.

And the BSA survey also found that older people and those living in rural areas were more likely to oppose new homes being built on their patch than those aged between 18 and 25.

The survey said the data suggested there had been a decline in opposition to housebuilding activity between 2010 and 2013 and this had been maintained ever since.