Page 2 | The death of the British countryside

Dappy777 · 2025-03-31T17:08:43+00:00

I have lived in north Essex since 1998. When we moved here, this was a small village on the outskirts of a quiet market town. In the last ten years, it has been ruined. My local woods have been hacked down to make way for two huge new estates, and at the other end of the village a second giant housing estate has been built. Now we've been told the fields in the centre of the village are going to be built on as well. The traffic is so bad that the country lanes, which were meant to take the odd tractor and a few cars, now have the sort of congestion you'd expect on the M25. The main road into town is also having 500 new houses built along it. That road is choked with traffic *^now^*, so what the hell is it going to be like when 500 extra cars are added? This beautiful weather has really brought it home to me. My sister lives in a village 30 miles from here, and it's exactly the same where she is. In fact, it's worse. Everywhere I go they are jamming more and more disgusting rabbit hutch 'houses' on top of one another. Instead of bird song, all you hear is the drone of cars and the screeching and backfiring of idiot boy racers. I think we really are living through the death of the British countryside. There will still be fields and trees, of course, but the countryside as I knew it will soon be gone forever. What sickens me is that I know the left get a kick out of all this. They seem to think that everyone in the countryside is a rich, fox-hunting 'Tory' in a big mansion. In reality, the vast majority of so-called 'nimbys' are just ordinary people who've worked hard and desperately want a bit of peace and quiet. My sister has devoted 30 years to the NHS, as has her husband. They've slogged their guts out to buy a little semi-detached house in a village. Now that village is being destroyed around them. Is it just here in the south east? Or is this happening in other parts of these islands?

Nessastats · 31/03/2025 19:39

How long does a house need to be built for before it's ok to buy it because there used to be woodland there? 10 years? 5 years? 50 years? How old is your house op?

Crikeyalmighty · 31/03/2025 19:40

I agree about the expansion however it has sod all to do with the ‘left ‘ as you describe it and makes you come over a bit like a ‘nimby’- it’s a thing regardless of local councils or gvt - I know Tory, liberal and Labour areas both urban and suburban and semi rural all with similar things happening. I’m a centre left voter and have a range of opinions, just as not everyone who is more to the right thought Brexit was a great idea.
if you want space though then look at Wiltshire- we live in Bath but drive through Wiltshire a fair bit - rail connections aren’t good so although there has been a lot of building round Swindon and Chippenham vast amounts of it have had little building and some very lovely villages too.

what I mainly object too is vast amounts of expensive 4 and 5 bed detached going up but little social housing in relatively pleasant areas. Although it’s good to see at least a decent number of developments now incorporating some shared ownerships.

Didshejustsaythatoutloud · 31/03/2025 19:41

I'm with you op. When we moved to our current area 15yrs ago, (West of Scotland) semi rural, we seen foxes, hedgehogs and deer regularly. Now they have built estate after estate and I can't remember the last time I even heard a fox.
Yeah I am a bit of a nimby 😏
Why can't they build all the houses needed on the derelict industrial estates instead

suburburban · 31/03/2025 19:44

Yes it’s a real shame

yanbu

BalladOfBarryAndFreda · 31/03/2025 19:44

The "left" absolutely do not "get a kick" out of biodiversity being shredded in the name of profits for NoddyBox house builders.

Sofiewoo · 31/03/2025 19:45

What sickens me is that I know the left get a kick out of all this

No, they just think the people who claim the British countryside is dead are beyond stupid.

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 31/03/2025 19:46

Fortunately not the case where I am (Cumbria, near the Lancashire border).

Choughinthemist · 31/03/2025 20:16

I agree op, it's shit. Same where I live, ancient woods being cleared for houses that stand empty for years because no-one can even afford them here anyway. Erases the character of the town in a flash as well. Welcome to Nowheresville, we have grey, greyer, greige.

garlictwist · 31/03/2025 20:37

I suppose it depends what you mean by "countryside". If you live next to fields then there's a risk they'll be built on. If you live in the fells or the side of a moor then they can't/wouldn't build there. So the risk is living in a relatively rural location where suburbs will encroach.

Purplefoalfoot · 31/03/2025 20:41

I’m in a north Essex village too and came on this thread to see if that’s what you meant by the title.

The rate of development here is shocking. Our small villages are doubling in size in terms of housing but we’re getting no extra doctors/ school places/ woodlands etc. It’s heartbreaking and depressing.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 31/03/2025 20:41

I live in Yorkshire/Derbyshire border. In a city.

All l can hear atm is an owl. There miles and miles of open country 2 mins walk away.

The problem isn’t the ‘left’

The problem is London centric policies which have led to overcrowding in the SE.

StMarie4me · 31/03/2025 21:03

So YOU have a house, and your sister has a house, but no one else should have a house.

Ok. Got it.

ladeedar · 31/03/2025 21:18

Ah yes, "the left".

Famously pro capitalism, including their massive support for large housing developers milking profits off building shitty housing estates for vastly inflated prices.

upinaballoon · 31/03/2025 21:55

It's been BOTH kinds of government for a long time. It certainly isn't only in the south-east. It's been all sorts of county councils, who make the marks on the maps, and district councils, who GIVE PERMISSION to the developers.

I have been watching excellent food-making land being built on for years, now at an increasing rate and on a huge scale. Some areas of countryside have very definitely been destroyed.

I cannot see why central government cannot make laws about the scale of building in any place, about the number of trees and hedges that are compulsory on any development, that only a few slabs are to be put down from a gate to a garage and not large expanses of soul-less gravel and slabs to be outside every house. If soul-less people want to gravel or tarmac over their garden earth let them damn well pay for it. Don't include it in the first plan.

I know houses are needed, but the brown and grey sites should be used first and there should be some strong sensitivity about what to put on villages. For far too long there has just been a rush to make as much money by the greedy grabbers, and scant thought about how to put a new estate on a village and keep it in reasonable harmony with the place.

No-one who lives within 6 miles of an agricultural field should be allowed to have any outside light on for more than 3 minutes during the night, and that light should have a shade on it, taking the light downwards. Cylinder-shaped lights and any others which allow light to go upwards should be illegal.

People shouldn't be allowed to move to the British countryside if they have city mindsets where they want street lamps and lights all over and buses every ten minutes. The attitudes of some people as well as those of the councils and the developers are what cause some of the damage.

PancakePatty · 31/03/2025 22:01

crackofdoom · 31/03/2025 19:09

Have you read the State of Nature report linked above?

Show quote history

Yes I have, I’m just sharing my own experience with wildlife on a farm.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 31/03/2025 22:04

upinaballoon · 31/03/2025 21:55

It's been BOTH kinds of government for a long time. It certainly isn't only in the south-east. It's been all sorts of county councils, who make the marks on the maps, and district councils, who GIVE PERMISSION to the developers.

I have been watching excellent food-making land being built on for years, now at an increasing rate and on a huge scale. Some areas of countryside have very definitely been destroyed.

I cannot see why central government cannot make laws about the scale of building in any place, about the number of trees and hedges that are compulsory on any development, that only a few slabs are to be put down from a gate to a garage and not large expanses of soul-less gravel and slabs to be outside every house. If soul-less people want to gravel or tarmac over their garden earth let them damn well pay for it. Don't include it in the first plan.

I know houses are needed, but the brown and grey sites should be used first and there should be some strong sensitivity about what to put on villages. For far too long there has just been a rush to make as much money by the greedy grabbers, and scant thought about how to put a new estate on a village and keep it in reasonable harmony with the place.

No-one who lives within 6 miles of an agricultural field should be allowed to have any outside light on for more than 3 minutes during the night, and that light should have a shade on it, taking the light downwards. Cylinder-shaped lights and any others which allow light to go upwards should be illegal.

People shouldn't be allowed to move to the British countryside if they have city mindsets where they want street lamps and lights all over and buses every ten minutes. The attitudes of some people as well as those of the councils and the developers are what cause some of the damage.

I live 2 mins from open countryside.

We have street lights, bus services every ten minutes. People even have their external lights on,

The world hasn’t ended.

finallysomesunshine · 31/03/2025 22:10

Mmm. @upinaballoon by the same token, people from the countryside should keep out of towns… no visiting towns or shops for them!

stop w this us and them attitude unless you’re really sure you’re happy never to get any town benefits again!

minnienono · 31/03/2025 22:14

Not sure why you are blaming the left, any major project starting now will have been approved under the Tory government, they take a long time!

Feverdream02 · 31/03/2025 22:15

You need to move out of the overcrowded South East. Plenty of countryside available elsewhere. Not so many well paid jobs though which explains the need for all the houses where you currently are.

samarrange · 31/03/2025 22:17

fromthevault · 31/03/2025 18:33

What sickens me is that I know the left get a kick out of all this.

I was broadly on your side until I read this. What a ridiculous attitude. Apart from anything else, are you seriously trying to suggest that this has only been an issue since July 2024? Oh no, your post specifically cites 'the last ten years''. So how is this an issue of 'the left', exactly?

In certain political circles, the Tories and Labour are referred to as "The Uniparty" and regarded as crackpot leftists, each as bad as the other in their commitment to undermining the values of the UK, introducing Sharia law, forcing kids to change sex, kowtowing to the globalists <froths at mouth for several minutes>. Rishi Sunak comes in for particular disdain for some reason that I can't quite put my finger on.

Crikeyalmighty · 31/03/2025 22:19

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow me too !! I’ve got national trust land 3 minutes walk away but appear to have streetlights and a bus at end of road ( every 4 minutes too unless students are on holiday)

crackofdoom · 31/03/2025 22:19

upinaballoon · 31/03/2025 21:55

It's been BOTH kinds of government for a long time. It certainly isn't only in the south-east. It's been all sorts of county councils, who make the marks on the maps, and district councils, who GIVE PERMISSION to the developers.

I have been watching excellent food-making land being built on for years, now at an increasing rate and on a huge scale. Some areas of countryside have very definitely been destroyed.

I cannot see why central government cannot make laws about the scale of building in any place, about the number of trees and hedges that are compulsory on any development, that only a few slabs are to be put down from a gate to a garage and not large expanses of soul-less gravel and slabs to be outside every house. If soul-less people want to gravel or tarmac over their garden earth let them damn well pay for it. Don't include it in the first plan.

I know houses are needed, but the brown and grey sites should be used first and there should be some strong sensitivity about what to put on villages. For far too long there has just been a rush to make as much money by the greedy grabbers, and scant thought about how to put a new estate on a village and keep it in reasonable harmony with the place.

No-one who lives within 6 miles of an agricultural field should be allowed to have any outside light on for more than 3 minutes during the night, and that light should have a shade on it, taking the light downwards. Cylinder-shaped lights and any others which allow light to go upwards should be illegal.

People shouldn't be allowed to move to the British countryside if they have city mindsets where they want street lamps and lights all over and buses every ten minutes. The attitudes of some people as well as those of the councils and the developers are what cause some of the damage.

Buses every ten minutes in the countryside would be great, and stop the lanes getting congested.

It was the Tories' Eric Pickles who oversaw legislation enabling central government to override County councils' planning decisions- meaning that councils can't refuse development.

Although funnily enough, it was also the Tories that introduced the Biodiversity Net Gain legislation, meaning that developers now have to build space for nature and wildlife into new developments (in the words of an ecologist of my acquaintance "I'm not sure they realise what they did there" 😆).

crackofdoom · 31/03/2025 22:21

PancakePatty · 31/03/2025 22:01

Yes I have, I’m just sharing my own experience with wildlife on a farm.

Show quote history

Then you'll be aware how catastrophic modern agriculture as a whole has been for nature in Britain.

RampantIvy · 31/03/2025 22:27

What sickens me is that I know the left get a kick out of all this. They seem to think that everyone in the countryside is a rich, fox-hunting 'Tory' in a big mansion.

What sickens me is sweeping statements like this that are so blatantly untrue.

Our Labour MP's constituency is mostly rural.

Yes, there are some wealthy landowners. There are also lots of normal people who WFH or commute from our village and the surrounding areas into nearby towns to earn a living to keep a roof over their heads.

unsync · 31/03/2025 22:30

I know where you are talking about @Dappy777.Next village round from you currently 300 homes, city council wants to allocate 900 more on prime farmland. That's not a village anymore. The school is full, the doctors are full, there are no dentists, public transport is unreliable etc. It's a joke.

The housing policy is wrong. It should be social housing that's being built, not private housing. What is being done now will not take the heat out of house prices. It is stupid and short sighted on many levels.

Politicians don't care about the countryside, they don't understand it or how it works. They see it as a place for townies to play in. It's not, it's a food factory. Until you pave over it, and then everything will be imported, quality will decrease and costs will increase.