Apologies, but we have bad news for the Princess Royal
Princess Anne has suggested that something must be done:
The Princess Royal has said that the UK needs a “long-term vision” and “a coherent national programme” when it comes to building affordable rural housing.
We agree, something must be.
The Princess added: “We must now ensure these local efforts are backed by a coherent national programme.”
But not that.
Before it’s possible to suggest a solution to a problem, it’s necessary to grasp the root cause of the problem itself. A sort of Reverse Chesterton’s Fence exercise.
So, what has gone wrong? As we never tire of repeating it’s the Town and Country Planning Act 1947 and successors. That is, for the past 78 years we’ve had that coherent national plan. With a long term vision. Run by the Rolls Royce minds of the Men in Whitehall who know best. Which is how we’ve ended up with the output we’ve got, something that would disgrace a Trabant factory.
As it is national control of planning - the TCPA really does define who may build what where, is the nationalisation of land use - that is the problem then the solution is to get rid of what caused the problem. Blow up the TCPA, proper blow up - kablooie.
As we’ve also noted before. Back a century this country had a Homes for Heroes plan for housing. The minimum housing that was righteous for the working man:
Semi detached, not huge to be fair. But kitchen, living room, parlour, 3 beds and indoor bathroom. … Note, they’ve front gardens. They’ve also back ones too… the Homes for Heroes needed to be on 1/4 acre gardens. The working man needed the space to grow vegetables for his family and to keep a pig.
Note, this was the minimum, these were the council houses for the working man. It is illegal to build these today. No, no matter what price you might decide to try and charge for them once built - you are not allowed to build at such density. Because that coherent national plan with a long-term vision.
Modern British housing is worse, markedly worse, that the minimum considered acceptable a century back. Blow up the system - kablooie.
Tim Worstall