MP’s in Westminster all know we need to build lots more homes. It is not politically divisive. Prices and rents are too high. Nor is the need to also have for local support divisive. The divisions that arise are spatial, where do the new homes go? But community leaders priorities in local areas do diverge, … Continue reading Can political parties work together?

In The Times last Friday (16 February 2024) their correspondent Emma Duncan (Build houses where people actually want to live) was the first national journalist to correctly identify the key to solving the chronic housing crisis. She rightly said that “If the government is serious about solving this crisis, it should start talking to the … Continue reading Working together

Our Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak wrote an revealing Comment piece in The Times, Tuesday, 13 February 2024 about his government’s housing policy in England. His intentions may be good and his objectives seem to be worthy, but my goodness. His understanding of the reasons why 14 years of Conservative policy making have created an unaffordability … Continue reading Is there a plan?

Michael Gove says he wants to force councils to accelerate brownfield development. I wish him well. Having spent a career trying to assemble brownfield sites in high demand areas like the Thames Valley, for both residential and commercial redevelopment, ie. regeneration of brownfield land, my opinion is that he will discover this solution to the … Continue reading Can brownfield sites help?

Reports on today’s Sunday Telegraph that the Housing Minister is worried that young people unable to buy or rent homes will turn them away from democratic values and a market led economy have truth. As someone said, he does not touch on the impact of immigration. Nor does he touch on the damage to economic … Continue reading Michael Gove is worrying

They call themselves POETS, or Planning Oxfordshire’s Environment and Transport Sustainability. A dozen former Oxfordshire planners, sustainability experts and one or two academics have launched an attack on the latest draft of the Oxford local plan, according to PLANNING 18 January 2024, by Samantha Eckford. These experts ought to know what they are talking about, … Continue reading Spatial reality or planning waffle?

Is this possible? To solve the housing supply shortfall, to make new homes affordable, to meet the demand that is blocked? To permit economic growth, whether it is employment space, new infrastructure or new energy distribution structures like pylons and power turbines? Indeed, there is a capitalist argument we should also seek to meet the … Continue reading Blocking The Future

The aims of the Housing Minister, Michael Gove which he honestly explained in his historic speech at the RIBA, 19th December 2023 directly conflict with his other towering aim,: to remove the Tory back bench revolt led by Theresa Villiers MP against mandatory housing numbers. He wants local councils to willingly accept the housing and … Continue reading Conflicting aims

Michael Gove’s speech on 19 December 2023 is laced with good intent. But fails two life or death tests: They are the delivery test and the politics test. Delivery polices built on sand, lacking foundations, ignoring market custom and powerful vested interests, or the indispensable role of time in creating premium values will result in … Continue reading Can Gove deliver new homes?

The Times did not publish a letter I sent them following Michael Gove’s speech. It is below. But the paper kindly did publish an earlier one on 15 December 2023 (page 26), issued before he spoke. Here it is “Sir. Something seems wrong here.. Michael Gove intends to say that councils will no longer be … Continue reading Responding to Gove’s speech