The Housing Secretary Michael Give has endorsed a proposal from Policy Exchange (A School of Place) to set up a new professional training centre to boost architectural and urban design skills. Remembering the 40,000+ responses to Boris Johnson’s two white papers in 2020 it could be well subscribed. He reflects the deep, widespread disappointment with … Continue reading Is poor design the problem?

Yesterday the 1922 (Conservative) BEIS Backbench Committee published a remarkable recommendation in their report Energy Market Reform: tackling the energy trilemma. It is to pay up to 100% of domestic household energy bills to those most affected by new renewables or fracking projects near them. Three miles is mentioned. Former Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom’s committee, … Continue reading Breakthrough?

The statements this week by the Prime Minister, and a day later by leader of the Labour Party suggest both favour more local control. Which is good. On Wednesday Sir Keir Starmer put his finger on it, saying devolution is an opportunity to move past the short term mindset and the sticking plaster politics of … Continue reading New homes. And delivery.

In run up to Christmas Michal Gove made a written ministerial statement and wrote to MPs with some reassurances, intended to keep the 50+ rebels on board. By way of clarification in his DLUHC statement he added these important words ”If we are to deliver the new homes this country needs, new development must have … Continue reading Has hope died?

Date Blog Title

Yesterday blogs concluded that in urban areas like London, Michael Gove has locked himself into a room and cannot get out because he has lost the room key. If there is no land, and you cannot increase densities where do the new homes go? Must they all go on brown land in a London? Well, … Continue reading Way out. Public control.

The councillors in Barnet (see previous blog) have Michael Gove on their side. In a letter to MP’s (8 December 2022) the Secretary of State for levelling Up Housing and Communities said ‘local authorities will not be expected to build at densities that would be out of character with existing areas’ such as high rise … Continue reading Building upwards: a fantasy?

Is there a politically acceptable solution? Can the houses needed be provided? Local resistance to change is strongest in Tory held areas, but Labour councillors find the threat of losing their seats to angry local residents just as worrying. Perhaps this is why an official government report ( see July 2022 blog below: Planning reform … Continue reading No hope of solution? Or……?

Ex-PM Gordon Brown’s recent report (Renewing our Democracy and Rebuilding our Economy) proposes some important and promising planning changes. And a mechanism for resolving policy conflict between the centre and local areas. These are sensible steps towards a grown up planning system which balances local wishes and national priorities. The Executive Summary of Recommendations sensibly … Continue reading Labour back strategic planning?

As the government has no housing policy, growing media frustration is welcome if as a result a chronic, vitally importance domestic policy problem receives earnest scrutiny rather than flippant or slipshod thought. These four sound examples capture the point. Radio 4; Week in Westminster (26 November 2022). Rachel Wolf ( founding partner at Public First, … Continue reading Frustrations grow