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Do you go to the Shropshire countryside for some peace and quiet? To see the stars at night? Then there is bad news for you. The rural landscape is becoming lighter and noisier as urban areas and roads spread. And tranquillity is being lost at a faster rate than ever.

In the early 1960s, just 8% of Shropshire was affected by urban intrusion. In 2007, that disturbance has grown four-fold to 26%. And the pace of encroachment is increasing. Between the early 1960s and early 1990s, Shropshire was losing around 4% of its rural tranquillity each decade. Now it loses 7% of its tranquillity every decade.

West Midlands Intrusion Map
Click for larger image

The maps show that major infrastructure, such as new power stations, runways and roads, has a far greater effect than the immediate land it takes:

• greenfield developments erode and urbanise the countryside projecting noise and light further and wider;
• new roads slice through undisturbed landscapes shattering their calm and disrupting habitats and wildlife;
• aviation growth threatens hundreds of homes with demolition, imposing constant noise on tens of thousands and blighting the skies of our protected landscapes.

The impact of new development can be minimised. Here are six ways how:

• Through ensuring that all external light sources are designed so that they shine downwards, and not upwards and outwards. This is particularly important for major roads, industrial buildings, goods yards and sports grounds. And why not turn off more lights at night?
• Providing quiet road surfaces and effective screening of roads.
• Tacking urgently the need to move long distance freight traffic from the A34 to rail.
• Moving power lines underground at every opportunity to remove visual intrusion.
• Using design to soften the impact of new buildings on the landscape. This involves careful choice of colour, profile, materials and screening.
• Planting more trees as a screen for sound, light and visual intrusion.

Intrusion Explained

By intrusion, we mean land that is disturbed by the sight and sound of nearby roads, urban areas and major infrastructure such as power stations, power lines and railways. Developments on green fields erode and urbanise the countryside projecting noise and light further and wider. New roads slice through undisturbed landscape shattering their calm, and disrupting habitats and wildlife. Aviation growth imposes constant noise on tens of thousands of people and blighting the skies. Currently 50% of England suffers from noise and visual intrusion; 49% of the West Midlands; and 26% of Shropshire. In the early 1960s, urban intrusion across England was just 26%, the West Midlands 28% and Shropshire 8%. Nationally an area the size of Greater London has been overshadowed by urban intrusion every two years.

Further Information

• National tranquillity map (Daily Mail)
• CPRE National press release (10 September 2007)
• Tranquillity
• Light pollution
• Noise pollution