Comments for Half the problem, and half the solution at http://www.adamsmith.org , comment 1 to 3 out of 3 comments http://www.adamsmith.org Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:46:01 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.adamsmith.org/blog/government/half-the-problem,-and-half-the-solution-200807251757/#comment-647 Although not at the same level than UK, we have the same concern in France. I've suggested in several circles, to promote a law that would make every land developpable by default, and, if, for some reason, a plot of land should be prevented to be developped, the owner should be compensated of the difference of value between locked and unlocked land. The compensation would be affordable for collectivity only if the protected lands are few and unlocked land the very general case. This would prevent councils and other public deciders from restricting too much developping abilities on lands that don't represent significant environmental or historical value. Of course, the number of MP's interrested can be counted on one hand's fingers. - vincent Fri, 25 Jul 2008 19:52:25 +0100 http://www.adamsmith.org/blog/government/half-the-problem,-and-half-the-solution-200807251757/#comment-643 All we need is liberalisation of planning laws (carrot) and Land Value Tax (stick). The longest period of low and stable house prices in recent English history was in the 1950s and 1960s when: a) We were building 400,000 houses a year - rather than 100,000 or 200,000 as now - and that with a smaller and poorer population, and b) We had Domestic Rates and Schedule A taxation that amounted roughly to a Progressive Property Tax (an inferior version of Land Value Tax). But what makes you think that politicians WANT house prices to be low and stable? They don't, for two simple reasons: 1. Rising house prices create an illusion of wealth (see Barber, Lawson & Brown booms) The gummint is complicit in this with articifically low BoE base rates and restrictive planning. 2. Most MPs own two homes. Here endeth today's lesson. - Mark Wadsworth Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:50:05 +0100 http://www.adamsmith.org/blog/government/half-the-problem,-and-half-the-solution-200807251757/#comment-642 Decades of land use restrictions have certainly resulted in exceptionally high prices for even small plots of land. Trying to get any government, but particularly the current manipulative expression of the "Nanny State", to unravel restrictive laws and bureaucracy will be like trying to push water uphill with a sieve! It needs to be remembered of course that many members of the government will be personal beneficiaries of these high prices! I believe that the situation is a significant factor contributing to the "Rip-Off Britain" label, every business has to deal with high premises and rates costs. If we weren't one of the most densely populated significant countries in the world this wouldn't be such a critical factor (Unfortunately very few of the world governments are prepared to accept that the over population of the world will probably be our downfall as a species.), but the government continues to allow high levels of immigration. - Kevan Jones Fri, 25 Jul 2008 09:57:35 +0100