Environmental quality low in London’s deprived areas

More than two thirds of those living in the capital’s most deprived areas experienced three or more least favourable environmental conditions such as flooding, air pollution, or lack of access to green space, compared to just 1% of those in the least deprived areas.

This is compared to the north east, where only 1-2% of those living in the most deprived areas experienced three or more least favourable conditions – the same as those in affluent areas.

The figures are from the Government’s Regional Sustainable Development Indicators for England, published on Thursday, which for the first time include figures for environmental quality and wellbeing.

The wellbeing indicators included the results of a survey where respondents were asked to rate their overall life satisfaction.

The average response was 7.3 out of a possible ten. The highest rating was the in the south west, with 7.5 out of ten, while the lowest was London with 6.9 out of ten.

Overall findings from the Indicators showed that every region has shown improvement in a number of areas during the last decade, and with a few exceptions, every region is moving in the same direction as the national trends.

The percentage of waste recycled in the north east was the lowest of all the regions, but had seen the largest percentage point increase, while the north west had the highest level of household waste produced per person.

The West Midlands were the country’s top recyclers of construction, demolition, industrial, commercial and municipal waste, while the east of England recycled the most household waste.

People living in the south west made fewer journeys by public transport than anywhere else in England and the region had the lowest use of brownfield for new housing.

Kate Martin