The continuing urban-rural population movement in Britain: trends, patterns, significance

Urban-rural net migration remains the principal dimension of internal migration within Britain. Though its volume varies over time, there is a very consistent process of population movement down the urban hierarchy that can be called the 'counterurbanization cascade'. This involves a wide cross-section of the British population, though young adults and minority ethnic groups are not well represented. This process can be attributed to many factors, as in other countries, but two in particular are put forward to explain why it is more fully developed and persistent in Britain. These are the policy of urban containment and the strength of people's preferences for living in the countryside.