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, maybe it time to build above suburban stations and allng the railway tracks too? Is it a viable option? Or do house prices first need to rise even higher to make these strips of brown land viable?
What about rural areas like the Thames Valley? In these areas plenty of undeveloped land exists. About half of Berkshire compromises unprotected open countryside, ie. not green belt, nor AONB, nor SSSI’s. So in policy terms this land is available for higher values uses including building. In practice will Theresa Villiers 50+ Tory rural rebel MPs be flexible and show the way? Or turn their backs because local spatial planning is too contentious?
On 2 July 2022 Sir John Redwood’s Diary said the government needed to look at the demand for homes, saying it is time to reduce economic migration into the U.K.otherwise we need to build a large number of homes for people who do not yet live here, saying this then drives prices too high for young people growing up here. The fact that an ageing population also drives up house prices is omitted.
On 16 July 2022 in the same diary John Redwood put this question to the five survivors in the PM race to No 10, ‘How will you help more young people achieve their dream of home ownership’. He forget that that the answer lies in his own hands and that of other local council leaders. Specifically there is no need for government to step in because 10 years ago in response to pressure from Tory MPs to obtain local control over new housing in their areas, David Cameron handed local councils these powers. Snag is he also handed over the spatial responsibility, which is the hot potato! After 12 years of Tory planning in the rural areas house prices remain unaffordable. This is because landowners, house builders and local councils have between them failed to build the homes needed even though the land exists, in plenty in Berkshire and in abundance in most rural and semi-rural areas.
Around London for example there are several locations where large volumes of new homes can be built in a sustainable manner (for locations see blog Another Way, 26 November 2022) but they cannot be masterplanned, or provided with the infrastructure by builders and developers. This is not a private sector duty. Nor can the appropriate land be used unless it is first bought by local councils. In plain words local councils must proceed with their responsibilities to ensure the future homes are there for the next generation as this sort of strategic planning takes times a lot of time. It also, using place stewardship principles creates a lot opportunities for local people to achieve the missing amenities they value.
Leaders in rural areas need to stop looking away, and take local control. They know where not to build. They know where to build. And ghey know money is not the issue. The local council’s housing policies can capture the hope value that planning creates. Each local council has in their gift.
Ian Campbell
21 December 2022
