Public support for 15-minute neighbourhoods

Most Britons would like their area to become a ‘15-minute neighbourhood’, according to the findings of a YouGov study.

The concept of a 15-minute city (or neighbourhood) is the idea that most things that people need are located within a 15-minute walk or cycle of their home.

The policy, which has gone through lots of iterations, has been implemented in different places across the globe. 

In recent months, it has been the subject of intense media scrutiny, after Oxford City Council announced plans to make itself a 20-minute city to reduce traffic.

However, a new survey from YouGov shows that a majority of the public (62%) would support their local authority making it a target to make their area a 15-minute neighbourhood, including three quarters of Labour (73%) and over half Conservative voters (57%).

Around nine in ten respondents believe that people should have a bus stop (90%), and a post box (87%) within a 15-minute walk of their home. 

Having medical facilities such as a pharmacy (85%) and a GP surgery (83%) should also be included in the target according to most Britons. 

However, less than half see the need for a shopping centre (28%), restaurant (38%) or hairdressers (46%) to be close by.

One concern was the feasibility of implementing 15-minute neighbourhoods. Around half of respondents (48%) believe that it would be easy to make their area into a 15-minute neighbourhood, compared to 42% who think it would be hard – but this largely depends on how rural or urban an area they live in.

Those describing their areas as “very urban” or “somewhat urban” are more likely to say that it would be easy to achieve in their area, at 65% and 57% respectively, compared to just 21% in “somewhat rural” areas and only 8% among “very rural” respondents.

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