Reading The Political Animal by Jeremy Paxman makes me wonder if the housing deficit in England can ever be overcome.The task, despite its domestic nature, needs levels of understanding and foresight that exceed the resources recent local history shows. . Paxman may be a cynic but cites valid points. Perhaps the most forthright and blunt is, describing the strengths and weaknesses of MP’s,, when he says ‘In which other job would you expect to be taken seriously on subjects about which you know nothing’. Chapter 4, New Boys and Girls.
This condemnation is not to doubt the sincerity and good intentions of many Ministers and MP’s. They want to solve the nation’s economic growth problem. Most know that local resistance to local (spatial) change is the broken connection. The snapped link, which stops delivery of necessary local change. Local residents, in vast armies, with convictions of absolute sincerity do not believe the right remedy is change near them. Their conduct over four or five decades of veterans resistance to local change may be due to ignorance; or may in some cases be due to more malign reasons which are less sincere. Well they have succeeded in blocking change beyond measure.
The common denominator locally and in Whitehall is a failure to see actions, and non-actions have long term consequences. Unfair house prices. Congested roads. Unplanned building. Reduced economic growth. Put in more subjective terms: dislike and distrust of the new. And an overwhelming preferences for no change. It could have been so different and so much better.
I bought my first house building site in Windsor in 1968. That year I wrote and published my first research report into future change areas in the South East. Over the following four and a half decades I advised clients on the drivers of local change; the likely locations for local change; and the market forecast, not the official reality of local change. By the late 80’s when average house prices and buying ratios were less than half today’s levels I pointed out that in popular areas like the Thames Valley house prices were set to become unaffordable. For the last 12 years I have devoted time and energy to trying with no success to open the eyes of local decision takers to the risks of short term planning horizons. Again, with no success I have tried with MP’s with whom I corresponded and I have failed. Most showed the same level of disinterest. At least one acknowledged I had identified a problem but as the public preferred to remain in ignorance there was nothing he could do.
My career in property stretches over 60+ years (1963-2025). . In that time, by acting in my own convictions in an area of extreme growth pressures, which were obviousl to those who looked in the 1960’sso by moving to the Thames Valley I built up a highly successful property advisory firm, call it an estate agency, which in my seventies I sold. And personally with several judicious house moves around the Thames Valley I became personal wealthy too. It was not difficult for those with eyes to see the consequences of short sighted official planning policies. Remember I bought my first three bed house in West London in 1968 for £6650. Today it will be worth 100 times more.
I think about the consequences for young families starting out today. Unless the Bank of Mum and Dad can offer enough support, most are doomed to be tenants. Some will live in tomorrow’s slums. The countryside will be disfigured with haphazard housing estates. And there will be lots of wealthy landowners, who each won the pools. This what will happen. But it seems to need a lifetime for the penny to drop. Unless someone has a magic solution.
Ian Campbell
2 July 2025
There is no chance ……
