Three quarters support building garden cities
LONDONERS are at the front of a wave of support for new garden cities, according to encouraging polling released this morning which shows that three in four Britons endorse their construction.
A major survey conducted ahead of Lord Simon Wolfson’s economics prize has found that 74 per cent of people think it is a good idea to build new garden cities. This year, the Wolfson prize offers £250,000 to the best suggested design for a garden city. Support rises to 76 per cent in London, the strongest in any part of the country.
The age group most inclined to support such development are over-65s, an encouraging signal since older groups are both more likely both to vote and own their own homes.
A solid majority of respondents in London also say that there is plenty of land that could be built on if it were allowed, with 61 per cent agreeing with the statement.
A similar proportion, 57 per cent, would be happy to see development on land which has previously not been touched, provided that the green belt is protected.
“This is a very encouraging poll. It demonstrates how popular garden cities would be as a solution to Britain’s mounting housing crisis,” said Lord Wolfson, who founded the prize.