Some Ideas on Housing
Photo by James Feaver on Unsplash
We need more than Help to Buy and nil SDLT for first time buyers. There are many opportunities to create more and fairer housing that grows our economy. House building is a massive economic accelerator . Let’s put our foot down.
The great thing about building more homes is that we can solve a social problem by growing our economy.
Re grade some Green land to grey and allocate for new housing: Sites close to rail routes should be considered. Allocation of affordable housing land as separate planning use from housing land.
Reimpose housing target numbers on Local Planning Authorities: This will force LPAs to allocate land for housing.
Create guidance for higher density housing up to 5 stories: This to make housing developments more pedestrian and neighbourly. Do away with detached housing layouts.
Introduction of Help to build equity loans: This is a good idea but it has not yet taken off.
Removal of restrictions on development of small sites: Too much unnecessary red tape. BNG for example.
Increase availability of development finance: Government to work with established development funders to ensure availability of funding for SME housebuilders. Perhaps to provide low cost ‘top up’.
Make self & custom build 'material planning considerations': In order to allow more Self & Custom build.
More flexibility in Housing Association funding: Support housing associations who want to build new homes not just to manage them.
Promote alternative dispute resolution for construction matters: Support RICS in providing fast solutions.
Encourage 'tiny homes' in cities: Encourage off grid and innovative homes. Tiny homes. Floating homes: Allow innovative design of small new homes to reduce costs to residents.
Make private renting more attractive for Landlords: Allow all interest payments as an expense of letting. We still need private landlords.
Introduce a more secure lease akin to a commercial lease: 3 year rent reviews. Optional to Landlords. Both Landlord and tenant would have more security of tenure.
Encourage modular construction: Encourage fabrication of homes in factories not on sites. Better insulation, faster construction, reduce waste.
Place less emphasis on zero energy construction: Don’t let the ambition to create perfection get in the way of building new homes.
Retain No fault eviction until more rental homes are available: Don’t scare off landlords. We need landlords.
Set up a committee of housing experts to advise: Not TV personalities. There are experts in housing and housebuilding who can advise.
Reduce SDLT on purchase of land for small housing schemes: Where obsolete buildings are being demolished replaced by new homes.
Longer eviction periods in residential leases and mortgage repossession: A minimum 90 days. Fair mortgage code to be adopted by all lenders.
Maximum increase in rents in Short Hold Tenancies: 10% Per annum is advised.
Housing Minister to be cabinet appointment: This to show the importance of housing.
New town program and infrastructure investment: Inevitably long term. Will not e a quick fix.
Create a more balanced demographic for Britain: Grow Tyneside to be our second city.
Restrict restrictive covenants to maximum timescales: Restrictive covenants can restrict development. They should expire after a set period subject to no objection from a beneficiary.
Simplify the planning system: We now have an absurd number of reports and surveys in support of planning applications.
These are just a few ideas.