4 INDUSTRY NEWS
Publisher Anthony Parker
Managing Editor James Parker
James Parker
FROM THE EDITOR
Given the seemingly impossible set of challenges facing Liz Truss, is it perhaps a natural instinct to be suspicious of someone who really seems to relish the job of Prime Minister at the moment? However we should at least praise her courage, if wondering slightly fearfully how it’s all going to end, and if it’s likely to be sooner rather than later in her case?
In order to placate diametrically-opposed parts of her party, Truss somehow has to cut taxes, while giving millions of people the support they need through one of the most demanding winters the UK will face. Capped energy bills of £2500 are still a massive increase for many families and individuals – they will still be 96% higher than last year. This is going to be a panic-inducing time for those seeing their mortgage payments jump endangered as the interest rates continue to escalate to try and curb infl ation.
Maybe a ‘rebalancing’ in house prices is overdue, to help people on the lower rungs get onto and progress up the ladder. However that doesn’t mean there won’t be considerable collateral damage, and a big welfare bill, in the meantime. The UK’s productivity (which is a complex thing) lags behind that of many European competitors, and infl ation shows little sign of slowing.
ON THE COVER
The Social Network: Patrick Mooney says now is the time for Truss to prioritise social housing
Climate Challenge: Wienerberger’s Paul Hodgkinson on the ‘biodiversity trilemma’ facing housebuilders
Case Study:
Caledonia HA tackles a brownfi eld site in Glasgow and turns offi ces into housing
HOUSEBUILDER & DEVELOPER
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2022
Truss’ optimistic growth plan relies on a big programme of ‘supply side reforms,’ to boost business, from deregulating planning permission to loosening of restrictions in fi nancial services, and the oil and gas sector. This means more gas extraction in the North Sea, and pursuing fracking; the latter in particular will be wildly controversial even among her own party members.
But with such a widespread impact, if the planning reforms genuinely open up areas such as green belts, they could be the scene of the most confl ict. The industry knows that ‘green belts’ are often far from green, and are simply the ‘edge of a town.’ However, tell that to a potentially violently disgruntled local who thinks their house price will drop.
The notorious ‘mutant algorithm’ brought in to speed planning in 2021, brought down the Tory candidate in the Chesham and Amersham byelection. Conservative-voting locals were virtually up in arms at the spectre of their Buckinghamshire properties plummeting in value thanks to new developments. The planning reforms (allegedly coming soon), might be where Truss and co really need to do some invasive work on ‘hearts and minds.’ Or if not those organs, the pockets of disgruntled voters.
HOTEL LIVING IN CHELSEA
GRID Properties teams up with Marriott International to fi ne-tune all the details for high- end buyers in a luxury west London scheme
HBD10
Cover.indd 1
© GRID Properties go to page 32
11/10/2022 14:07
The problem is, if Liz Truss doesn’t survive long-term, will her successor pick up the baton on planning? Or will, as ever, a new administration mean reinventing a team and the agenda, and reiterating the problems yet again?
James Parker
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