Third see decline in neighbourhood

Wednesday, 26 November 2008 08:01

One in three people believe their neighbourhood has declined since they moved into the area, a survey shows.

The report, commissioned by insurer LV=, shows one in three (33 per cent) believe their neighbourhood is worse than when they moved in, while (32 per cent) people have seen a rise in street crime in the area and over a quarter (28 per cent) say they feel unsafe walking in their neighbourhood at night.

John O'Roarke, managing director of LV= Home Insurance, said: "This report shows that a large number of people throughout the country are not happy with the area they live in, and although there are many reasons for this, part of this is because of the apparent rise in street crime over the years."

For most people, an ideal neighbourhood is free from the threat of crime and anti-social behaviour.

However, the figures show many have seen crime become worse in their area and a quarter (23 per cent) of people said they felt crime prevention in their area was poor.

LV= welcomed a recent government plan to revive deprived communities across the country, with the aim of cutting crime levels, improving educational achievements and boosting job opportunities.

Mr O'Roarke added: "This paints a bleak picture of how large parts of society view their local areas, so given this the announcement by the government to inject £500 million into certain areas to help tackle street crime, is much needed."

The UK Neighbourhoods Report surveyed more than 4,000 homeowners and renters in the UK.

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