On Monday, 2nd December 2024 The Times published a leading article setting out the paper’s view on planning reforms. It says the government must stick to its election promise to support infrastructure and housing development and reform Britain’s broken planning system. Now, I hesitate to say they miss the key point: there is no easy … Continue reading The Times view on planning reforms

When writing the last blog just two days go, Wokingham Council: how to fail your community (23 November 2024) I had not seen two new, important and encouraging pieces of evidence. For the first time since the election there is reason to hope this government and its advisers are on the right lines: seeking and … Continue reading Is reality on the horizon?

According to a piece in Wokingham.Today (Featured Wokingham) by Ruth Lucas, today (23 November 2024) Wokingham Borough Council will appeal to the government over new housing targets which it fears will ‘change the character and nature of Wokingham forever’. They must build 560 more homes a year under new housing targets set by the new … Continue reading Wokingham Council: how to fail your community!

Most of these blogs focus on removing the barriers to building enough new homes to release the economic growth the nation needs to preserve and increase national prosperity, so essential to deliver future voter expectations. But the changes needed will have consequences, sometimes dire consequences for many builders, developers, option holders and ,and owners as … Continue reading 2 Elephants, not 1 in the room?

In Kemi Badenoch the Conservatives have a new leader. Who comes from a radically different upbringing and background to typical Conservative party leaders. She says ‘It’s time for a fresh start’. ( Sunday Telegraph, 3 November). Yesterday on hearing the news the Prime Minister welcoming Kemi Badenoch as the new Conservative leader Sir Keir said … Continue reading Working Together. Myth or the Future?

Have now completed a first read of this recently published report, Beyond the permacrisis-delivering 1000 homes a day, intended to mould the new government’s approach to housing policy, I have one severe criticism. But first a personal declaration. Is there a conflict? As I am listed as one of the Contributors. There is a lot … Continue reading Radix Big Tent report: a view

Many respected planners assume that whatever changes the new government introduces to expedite new homes, infrastructure and economic growth must be delivered through the local plan system. But it is also possible local plans are the problem and not part of the solution. For example Catriona Riddell, who is an expert on local plans and … Continue reading Time to put local plans on death row?

6 parish councils in South Oxfordshire (Kidmore End, Eye & Dunsden, Binfield Heath, Stoke Row, Sonning Common, and Highmoor Parish) have devised a joint petition calling for the proposed new 3rd bridge over the River Thames at Reading to be removed from Reading Borough Council’s new 2040 transport strategy. Reading Council have refused. Talk and … Continue reading Infrastructure opponents too!

Perhaps I am wrong when it comes to housing policy. There is an elephant in the room, but it receives no attention. Why? No one, not even the Treasury seems to put a cost on buying the building land we need and the financial consequences of these costs, so essential if the government is to … Continue reading Elephant is Hidden? Cost of land for new homes

Or, as the Lindsay Richards, president of the RTPI says, it is not broken and instead planning is ‘not a blocker, we are an enabler’, (Planning, Alex King, 25 September). It is a question I have pondered many times in recent years as the number of planning consultancies seems to grow and grow whilst many … Continue reading Is the planning system broken?