Three in four people say derelict sites are an ‘eyesore’

Almost three quarters of people believe derelict sites are an ‘eyesore’ on the local landscape, according to a new survey.

The survey by property developers Romal Capital also found that 59% of Brits would like derelict land to be used for housing and cultural landmarks.

More the three-quarters (77%) of those surveyed feel that when brownfield sites are regenerated, they bring a sense of freshness, art and culture to an area improving the lives of everyone around it.

And almost three quarters (74%) believe that derelict sites are eyesores on the nations landscape.

Romal Capital’s survey also found that over four-fifths (83%) of respondents feel Westminster governments have failed to prioritise regenerating brownfield sites in their area, in recent years.

People in the North East of England (90%) felt strongest about this followed by those in the South East (85%).

It follows that a lack of commitment from central government will have a regional impact. 79% of people pointed the length of time it takes for decisions to be made as the most significant hurdle to change.

‘It’s great to see that people across the country want see their areas improved and repurposed. However, it is clear that speed is the issue more than ambition,’ said Romal Capital’s CEO Greg Malouf.

‘Regeneration and planning have a lot of due process and extensive local bureaucracy, and it is this that needs to be restructured to get things going. Local authorities need more support and resources to streamline these processes and fast track regeneration of these sites.’

Photo Credit – Jamie Hailstone