Popular wisdom says, when you in a hole, stop digging deeper. The Conservatives remain in denial. They want more new homes and a more balanced economy, but remain prisoners of their Party’s activists, who are opposed to new housing near them and any government interference in the spatial market. For them, levelling up is a … Continue reading Facing facts

It is. Whereas levelling up is a just a label. If you doubt it, read Levelling up- planning’s most intractable problem? says Dr Nick Green, senior tutor in the School of Planning at the University of Manchester (article in The Journal of the Town and Country Planning Association, November-Decemeber 2022, vol. 91; no.6). Pointing out … Continue reading Long term is the key

It is time to look again at these proposals. At the Labour Party conference in September 2022 Starmer said he wants to accelerate house building. He also admitted their plans, to stop private firms from delaying the start of development will be opposed by Conservative MP’s. “None of this will be easy-it won’t be like … Continue reading Labour’s planning reforms

Sunak says his party will deliver on promises to level up, by investing in local areas to boost growth and reinvigorate high streets and town centres. Starmer says his party, as part of a five year, parliamentary term growth strategy will reform the planning system. In reality, will either mend the broken planning system, and … Continue reading Tory v. Labour vows

Some useful light was thrown on Conservative and Labour housing supply policies during a debate last Thursday in Westminster Hall. Labour’s shadow housing minister said there are not enough sites on brownfield registers to deliver the volume of homes that the country needs every year, let alone that are viable. Matthew Pennycock MP added “Even … Continue reading Makes no sense

It seems the Treasury too is not convinced levelling up budgets are good value. Their scepticism is valid. What is levelling up? Money to smarten up town centres in slow growth locations, or seed corn to make slow growth locations into fast growth locations? The two are fundamentally different. Levelling up literally means what it … Continue reading No money

Another housing and planning minister, Lucy Fraser has left her job. The frequency of the ministerial changes is worrying. Is it because new homes do not matter, or is it because the PM gives low or perhaps no priority to mending the broken planning system? After decades of central government policy failure finding individuals who … Continue reading Minister leaves

The Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Select Committee new decision to examine the government’s pre Xmas deal with 50+ Conservative backbench rebels opposed to housing targets is reassuring. Clive Betts, who chairs the committee says he wants to hear a range of views on the government’s proposed policies and will take evidence from March onwards. … Continue reading MPs query U-turn