Hundreds ditch Bristol for countryside

CITY dwellers are leaving Bristol for a new life in the country at a higher rate than anywhere else in England, according to a new report published today.

The Commission for Rural Communities has carried out an in-depth review of country living that tracks movement patterns between cities and surrounding rural areas.

Bristol topped the league, with more than 2,500 residents moving to North Somerset in one year.

The CRC said many of those giving up city life were well-off, over 35 and in search of a better standard of living.

Chairman Stuart Burgess said: “People in rural areas generally enjoy healthier lifestyles and a better quality of life.

“Generally, the incidence of crime is lower.

“Most households moving into rural England are now families – people aged from 44 to 64 with young children.”

The figures were supplied by the Office for National Statistics, which uses GP registrations to keep tabs on migration.

They showed that, nationally, city dwellers making long-distance moves to find a rural idyll tended to head to the South West, Norfolk and Lincolnshire.

Although migration from overseas has increased dramatically in rural areas over the past four years, far more people are moving into the countryside from British cities.

However, the statistics show that, while many families are attracted by the benefits of country living – especially as children in rural areas tend to perform better at school – younger people are still heading for the bright lights of the city in search of jobs, shopping and nightlife.

About 1,000 people left North Somerset for Bristol during the year to March 2006, on which the report is based.

Mr Burgess said: “The decline in services in rural areas continues to concern rural communities.

“Each year we have found there are fewer outlets for many services and poorer accessibility to services for people without cars.

“While rural England has some major strengths and much to celebrate, significant ongoing challenges remain.”