Chris Worrall, of Build for Britain is a well regarded commentator or current planning issues. His views on planning problems are serious and need to be taken seriously. So Worrall’s recent blunt assertion that ‘planning is political’ carry weight, especially for retired practitioners like me, who disagree.
Resolving the conflict matters. Politicians in Westminster now see there is a housing problem, which holds back economic growth. . You can order a new fridge by calling Amazon and have it delivered the next day. You cannot call Amazon and tell them to deliver to you a new home, at a competitive price and have it tomorrow. Oh, I wish!
At this moment we are awaiting the Budget (28 October 2026) to hear how Andy Burnham’s new government intends to deliver growth, faced with different views in parliament and fears of unwanted change at local level in the host locations. In addition Reform UK, is now consulting on its planning ideas set out in their recent Planning Teal Paper and the Conservative Party are also actively reviewing their housing policies. These initiatives are all welcome and all needed. Above all, the attention housing policy failure is now receiving at the highest level, after decades of inattention as the system unravelled from from 1970-2010 is welcome. It is attention which is long overdue. In February 1990 in Growth v Quality of life, A Thames Valley solution I wrote
“What is the future for the Thames Valley? In the 21st Century, it will be different- but better or worse? Many people who now live or work in the Thames Valley share a concern that whilst it is a prosperous part of the United Kingdom, all is not well. Competition on the roads; lack of affordable housing for vital workers, and acute staff shortages show that, despite the prosperity, something is wrong. There is fear that the problems of today may become acute as the years go by. These concerns exist. There is a growing consensus that “something must be done”. But no consensus on which is the right route forward. There is a growing risk that important issues and choices will not be addressed until the problems are generally admitted as immediate and acute. By then damage will already have taken place, to the environment and the economy. This paper proposes a way forward. It is radical. Its success depends upon the foresight of the community”
My hope in 1990 was that the proposal, for a new community would form part of the debate deciding the future of the Thames Valley. But housing was already unpopular. It was ignored. So was Berkshire County Council’s ideas in Towards 2000, also published in February 1990.
Since then it is tempting to say nothing has changed. In fact this is untrue. At local and regional level in the Thames Valley the politics of division has grown and the politics of civic duty has died. Most local councillors in the Thames Valley, if asked will say their area is full up. If you ask them what they intend to do about it, there will be silence. Any local councillor advocating building new homes anywhere in the Thames Valley is in all probability going to end their political career. Anyone who thinks this survival problem only applies to Conservative councillors is wrong. In April 2014 I again advocated a new community near Reading to overcome the local housing deficit. It was robustly opposed by the Labour councillors whose areas were most likely to be impacted. Unfortunately publication coincided with local elections.
After 1990 the result was ankther generation of policy stasis. Looking forward to 2050 or 2080 if current political divisions continue, the changes needed will not happen at local level, despite the obvious fact that local residents will live with the changes that occur. And will oppose all changes put forward simply because they do not trust those putting forward the proposals for change. As these people will be either be landowners with their own agenda, or local counllors who are here today, and gone tomorrow the level of local trust, already low, will continue to be close to zero.
What is the answer? Local leaders must find their own way of winning local residents trust. This will take years, perhaps a generation. It will not happen within the five year time frame of one parliamentary term. Cross-party alignment is essential at local level if trust in the benefits if change is to happen. We need to see recognition in Westminster that consensus might work, and conflict certainly does not. If not the house I bought in West Molesey in 1969 for £6650 (£160,000 in today’s money will increase from today’s value of £650/700,000 assuming the same wealth transfer rate continues ( in real money terms 4 times over 60 years) will be worth about £1.4million by 2041. (See last blog).
Ian Campbell
21 September 2026
