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Young 'leaving countryside'

17/07/2007

Britain's rural communities are facing an exodus of young people, an independent government body has warned.

In its annual State of the Countryside report the Commission for Rural Communities says there are 400,000 less 15- to 29-year-olds living in rural areas in Britain than there were 20 years ago.

As a result rural areas now face an ageing population, with the average age in built-up districts six years lower than in the countryside.

Stuart Burgess, the government's rural advocate, said: "The loss of young people is a real threat to the future diversity and sustainability of rural communities.

"This is pointing towards a demographic divide between rural and urban areas and is putting a severe strain on the viability of rural services, such as schools, the provision of youth services, healthcare and housing."

Today's report is not wholly negative about Britain's countryside. It found higher average spending in rural rather than urban households, a better employment rate and a "near-doubling" of energy crops in the last year.

But "big challenges" remain: only 44 per cent of households in "sparse isolated rural areas" were found to be within easy reach of a GP while migrant worker numbers, which have increased by over 200 per cent in the last three years, are putting a "big strain" on rural local authorities.

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