Feeling a little "Do Minimum" today, I've decided to sydicate a post from my Witch of Worcester Blog (see below). In doing this, I'm following the advice of Gerd Gigerenzer in "Gut Feelings -Short Cuts to Better Decision Making" published by Penquin, which I've just picked up in the local library.
Environmental groups in the UK have accused political parties of letting the environment recede as a priority, so it's time to remind ourselves that in sustainable development & regeneration these issues are inextricably linked. Development which is unsustainable economically is, often as not, environmentally unsustainable as well.
The UK could - if our politicians were minded to make this happen - be a global leader in planning for sustainability. We are a small island, with one of the highest population densities in the worlds. We need to reduce our own environmental bootprint, and set an example to other nations. Sustainable land use and area regeneration policies should be a priority for us.
The British Property Federation and the Planning Inspectorate.
A few years ago, I drew the Planning Inspectorate’s attention to an error on their website. This referred to Liz Peace as Chief Executive of the British Property Foundation (instead of Federation). Ms Peace was identified as an non-executive director of the Planning Inspectorate. At that time - and still - I have mixed feelings about this kind of appointment. No environmental interests, as far I can make out, are represented on the board of the Inspectorate, an Executive Agency of government. However, it has to be said that some of the most sensible work on area regeneration and sustainable development has come from the British Property Federation, and, indeed, some property developers are more advanced in their thinking on these matters than most local councillors and officers in an area like South Worcestershire.
It is fair to say that planning in South Worcestershire is dominated by the mass housebuilding industry. Certain places are positively swarming with house-builder’s “agents” wanting to expand their own or their client’s land banks, with a view to obtaining change of use for housing development and planning consents. This in turn drives local authority designations and planning permissions. The argument being that if change of use and actual consents are withheld, developers will win on Appeal.
This kind of practice is going on all over the country and is a contributing factor to the current parlous state of the mass housebuilding industry, for which, incidentally, I have absolutely zero sympathy, although I am sorry for individuals and small businesses who have lost their jobs. The fact is that too much land has been allocated for housebuilding and too many planning consents granted in places like South Worcestershire. Developers have land-banked excessively and the value of their assets have plummeted as a consequence. There is also no market for much completed development, particularly for apartments, notwithstanding the various government initiatives being promoted to convert these into affordable housing.
Perhaps we do really needs a British Property Foundation (as distinct from Federation) to tackle the underlying problems of the mass housebuilding sector, as no one else - least of all central government - is doing this. It has to be said that none of the other main (or minor) political parties have much to offer either. However, in the short term we need the Planning Inspectorate to demonstrate that it has a real grasp of land economy and property market issues, which has not, by and large, been the case to date
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