Almost 77% Of People In The UK Demand More New Homes
Almost 77% of people demand more new homes from the government, but not if it means destroying the British countryside
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People Demand The UK Government To Build More New Homes
The latest research by Warwick Estates has revealed that almost 77% of people think that the government needs to build more homes, but if that means introducing Growth Zones or reclassifying Green Belt space, public support starts to dwindle.
With an obvious and well-reported shortage of housing stock across the UK, it comes as no surprise that 77% of people think the government should build more new homes.
There is, however, much less public support for two of the government’s proposed tactics for relieving the housing drought.
The concept of Growth Zones was introduced in this year’s Queen’s Speech as part of the government’s pledge to build 300,000 new homes every year. Any land that is zoned for growth will benefit from the automatic approval of initial planning permission, and councils will be unable to turn down any applications that comply with local rules and regulations.
Growth Zones
Growth Zones are just one part of what the government is calling the ‘biggest shakeup to planning for 70 years. The new planning bill also proposes to make the planning system truly digital, to create new frameworks for funding infrastructure development, and to ensure that a significant proportion of the new homes are built by small to medium size developers.
However, when asked whether developments inside proposed Growth Zones should automatically be granted initial planning permission, 61% say they disagree, while 59% say that an area being turned into a Growth Zone would also deter them from wanting to live there.
With Growth Zones proving unpopular, another way of creating new development land is to reclassify the Green Belt.
Green Belt
The Green Belt refers to designated areas of countryside, often boarding cities and other urban areas, that are protected from most forms of development. Green Belts are implemented to deter urban areas from sprawling into more and more of the UK countryside, although many have raised the point that much of the Green Belt has been wrongly classified.
Regardless of whether the classification is justified or not, 75% of the UK public say they are against this idea of building on the Green Belt.
No Quick Fix
COO of Warwick Estates, Emma Power, commented:
“The government faces a problem that has plagued the UK, and many a ruling party, for a long time: we need more new homes but we don’t have much space to play with. Although the public clear in their support for more new homes, their reluctance to create either Growth Zones or start building on the Green Belt puts the government between a rock and a hard place. Where are all of these new homes going to go and how can they be delivered in an acceptable time frame?
Unfortunately, there’s no one quick fix and that is why we’ve seen the can kicked from one government to the next with no long-term strategy on addressing the issue. Reclassification of some Green Belt land could certainly help but we also need to incentivise developers to build more.
Unfortunately, a proposed tax on profits to cover the cost of the Grenfell scandal is unlikely to fill the big housebuilders with an enthusiasm to build and so we can expect the housing crisis to remain a prominent issue until a resolution is found.”
Survey of 1,128 UK population carried out by Warwick Estates via Find Out Now (24th May 2021).
Do you agree that the government needs to build more homes?
Answer Respondents Strongly agree 40% Somewhat agree 37% Somewhat disagree 13% Strongly disagree 11%Do you agree that property developments in areas classed as ‘growth zones’ should get initial approval automatically?
Answer Respondents Strongly disagree 34% Somewhat disagree 27% Somewhat agree 24% Strongly agree 15%How much would these changes deter you from living within a renewal or growth zone?
Answer Respondents Very 34% Somewhat 25% Not very much 22% Not at all 18%To what extent do you agree that some parts of the green belt should be reclassified to build more homes?
Answer Respondents Strongly disagree 61% Somewhat agree 18% Somewhat disagree 14% Strongly agree 8% Warwick Estates was founded in 2007, and acquired by Aldridge in 2017 with the ambition to grow and strengthen the business. The goal of growth is one that unites the Aldridge family today across the diverse range of commercial and philanthropic activities in which it operates. Over 40,000 properties are managed for freeholders, asset funds, housebuilders and housing associations - a combined value of over £9bn. Annual revenues exceed £10million Warwick Estates is run by a newly strengthened management team of industry heavy-weights with decades of combined industry experience - chaired by Adrian Ringrose, former CEO of Interserve Current head-count is 186 staff at seven office locations throughout EnglandThe post Almost 77% Of People In The UK Demand More New Homes appeared first on ValueWalk.
Source valuewalk