A report by the More in Common think-tank for the RSPB shows people want developers to build with nature, not against it.
The RSPB writes:
The UK Government has pledged to build 1.5 million new homes. In March 2025, it introduced the Planning and Infrastructure Bill with the aim of speeding up building new infrastructure and housing. As the Bill continues to make its way through Parliament, new research carried out by More in Common for the RSPB shows people reject the idea that nature must suffer to build more homes. The report highlights that politicians are out of step with voters. People want developers to build with care, improving the quality of new homes, and ensuring developments protect and enhance nature.
Nature and housing both win votes
The report offers a timely reminder to politicians that nature is a necessity not a luxury. 43% of British people are more likely to vote for a party that prioritises nature conservation, compared with only 10% who say they’re more likely to vote for one prioritising housebuilding. Voters of all parties see both issues as important, and reject the idea that one can only happen at the expense of the other. 72% of the public think more positively of politicians who say, ‘New housing and infrastructure should integrate with the natural world, not destroy it.’
Politicians out of touch
Politicians are seen as out of touch with the public’s values on nature. Only 14% of British people think politicians are aligned with their values on nature, while two-thirds (67%) say politicians are out of touch on the issue. There is a political consensus around the idea that housing and environmental protection should go hand in hand.?Supporters of all major parties want to see habitats safeguarded, green spaces preserved, infrastructure developed alongside housing, and more affordable homes built.
Luke Tryl, UK Director at More in Common said: ‘What’s striking about this research is how little the YIMBY–NIMBY debate reflects how the public actually think. Only a small minority – 17% – say they would usually oppose new developments in their area, while most people take each case on its merits. When Britons talk about what matters most, they point to specific areas in which they see current housing developments to be lacking: avoiding pressure on local services, keeping homes affordable, and protecting irreplaceable habitats. The challenge for policymakers is that while only four in ten people feel economic growth benefits them personally, nearly eight in ten say access to nature is vital for their mental health. Politically, the risk isn’t in protecting nature but in being seen to sacrifice it. Voters are far more likely to reward politicians who talk about development that works with nature, not against it.’’
Developers should build with nature, not against it
Two-thirds (67%) think developers should have to accommodate and look after the natural environment in new developments. In addition, another 64% said that important places for nature should be given even more protections from development than they currently have. At least three quarters of respondents consider breathing fresh air, walking in nature and hearing birdsong to be important when choosing where to live. Yet new developments are seen as failing to provide these basics. The public’s top priorities for new builds are avoiding pressure on local services (34%), affordability (32%), and not impacting natural habitats (31%). This shows they want comprehensive solutions, not trade-offs.
Homes vs habitats is a false choice
The research reveals that the political debate around housing has created a false choice. Rather than viewing housing and environmental protection as competing, British people want both issues addressed together. The protection of nature is the more popular policy across all political parties.
Only 20% of British people think environmental standards should be weakened to build more houses, while 52% say standards should be maintained even if it means building fewer homes. Another 17% say that environmental standards are not a barrier to building houses at all.
If nature is considered early in the planning process, environmental impacts and financial costs can be significantly reduced. The solution isn’t to sideline nature, it’s to integrate it from the start.
The RSPB’s Chief Executive, Beccy Speight said: ‘The UK Government has promised a planning system that delivers for nature and people, yet ministers’ words and actions continually threaten the very thing they claim to want to protect. It’s clear from More in Common’s research that people don’t see nature as a barrier to housebuilding. Poor planning, unaffordable homes, and a lack of services are the real problems. The public wants better, affordable homes built with nature, not at its expense. This isn’t homes vs. habitats, it’s about creating places that work for people and wildlife, with communities meaningfully involved from the start.’
More in Common is a non-profit think tank and a network of community groups that aims to tackle polarisation and division by finding common ground between people.
