Media speculation about Labour’s housing priorities is helpful. If as suggested in The Sunday Times this morning they will make three housing policy announcements the first two I endorse. . Asking local authorities to review green belt land allocations to identify grey land is sound if the policy criteria they adopt in the review are … Continue reading Housing priorities

Last night’s BBC1 TV debate between the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, from a housing policy perspective was useful. First it hardly featured, despite the crucial role local councils spatial policy play in promoting or impeding growth viz., pylons to distribute electricity for the next generation of clean cars. And second, the … Continue reading Conservative housing policy

The objective is enough homes. Plainly stated, enough new supply so house prices once again in a decade or two ahead become become affordable. Here is the direction of travel. Here is fairness. Here is economic growth. Here is control, in place of unforeseen haphazard outbreaks of building. But we have lost our way. Focus … Continue reading Housing targets, Conservative point scoring!

Shadow planning minister Matthew Pennycook on BBC Radio 4 Today programme on Thursday, 20 June highlighted the lack of mechanism for strategic planning to enable local councils to work together to deliver housing growth at scale. He is right to highlight the omission. His thinking must be applauded. But he faces big headwinds. It is … Continue reading Labour’s approach to strategic planning

In an interview.tonight with the BBC’s Nick Robinson Labour leader Keir Starmer says he will tell people who object to electricity pylons or housing. development near them they will have to see these plans go ahead.. I wish his prediction well. But he is wrong. His prediction is the first step towards another decade of … Continue reading Tough is insufficient