"The housing crisis is often presented as a zero-sum conflict. More houses
must be built to avoid rising homelessness, falling home ownership, and
wider economic stagnation. But they can only be built by forcing them
through against the will of local people, either by imposing high-rise on
our historic centres, or by concreting over our countryside with more
suburban housing estates. On this analysis, the interests of those who
already own homes are fundamentally opposed to the interests of those
who do not, and policy is simply a matter of choosing which interest
group will triumph over the other.
This analysis is profoundly mistaken. The appearance of opposed
interests is the result of a defective system, which excludes existing
communities from the benefits of development while imposing on them
its adverse effects. If existing communities are allowed to control the form
of development and to share in the benefits that it brings, they can become
enthusiastic supporters."
I like it. I do hope it is possible for communities to become enthusiastic supporters.
The more I read of this proposal the more I like it. It feels realistic. I feel like it properly addresses the reasons people oppose development and offers a practical way out of the bind.
I know right? Reading it is like a pleasant balm. Sensible and humane, especially compared to a lot of the other stuff the UK government gets up to nowadays. I really hope it gets through Second Reading in 2022.
"The housing crisis is often presented as a zero-sum conflict. More houses must be built to avoid rising homelessness, falling home ownership, and wider economic stagnation. But they can only be built by forcing them through against the will of local people, either by imposing high-rise on our historic centres, or by concreting over our countryside with more suburban housing estates. On this analysis, the interests of those who already own homes are fundamentally opposed to the interests of those who do not, and policy is simply a matter of choosing which interest group will triumph over the other. This analysis is profoundly mistaken. The appearance of opposed interests is the result of a defective system, which excludes existing communities from the benefits of development while imposing on them its adverse effects. If existing communities are allowed to control the form of development and to share in the benefits that it brings, they can become enthusiastic supporters."
I like it. I do hope it is possible for communities to become enthusiastic supporters.