Change begins now, as the Prime Minister told his party after the election, and change is very much on the agenda in housing. The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, is talking about imposing mandatory housing targets on councils. The recent changes to planning laws whereby new developments could be challenged if they adversely change the character of an area or the environment will almost certainly be scrapped. The PM is talking about the “grey belt”; that is, unloved areas in the green belt, as suitable for building.
Trouble is, most young people do not want to live in reclaimed garage sites off a motorway. Most want to work in London and in the centre of cities. Quite apart from the issue of local autonomy, the challenge is to provide high-density housing where it’s actually wanted.
