Amid the housing crisis, England’s first-time buyers are becoming “nature-poor.” Many first-time buyers are ending up in areas with little green space because nature-rich neighborhoods cost more. Countryside Link mapped ONS 2023 data and found a tight link: for every square meter of green space lost per resident in an area, about 494 more first-time buyers move in. And with prices already pulling them, new policies are trying even harder to push them there as well. A new planning bill would let developers build on once-protected sites and “replace” nature so new estates can open without local parks. This is an issue for more than views though; studies show living near green space cuts anxiety and depression by roughly 20%, but low-income areas are twice as likely to be in “nature deserts.” (The Guardian)
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