They're at it again

The CPRE claim that "50% of England is disturbed by noise and visual intrusion", and use this handy map as supporting evidence. What it actually illustrates is that about 10% of England is urbanised (population density in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is much lower).

So we're hardly disappearing under concrete, are we?

Their Chief Exec, Shaun Spiers, says "Countryside which is undisturbed by noise and developments is vital for our quality of life".

OK, there are those who like a walk in the countryside, but seeing as the UK has the smallest and most expensive houses and gardens in Europe, I think what'd be a damn sight more important to people's "quality of life" is having larger, cheaper homes and gardens, eh?*

And if we have to 'sacrifice' 1% of our agricultural land to build four million decent-sized homes, then so be it**.

*The author has no personal interest in this, as he bought a decent sized home in the mid-1990s when they were dirt cheap and has nearly paid off his mortgage.

**The urbanised part of Greater London (yes, there are fields there) is about half a percent of the UK by surface area, and home to seven million people, nearly 12% of the UK's total population.