Britain Needs a Housing Boom. Here’s How.
New policies to simplify and speed planning permissions will help. But they don’t go far enough.
Build better.
Photographer: Jason Alden/Bloomberg
Britain’s housing shortage is among the worst in Europe, a problem amplified by stagnating growth and rising debt costs. A new planning and infrastructure bill is progress; but it won’t be enough to dismantle the deep systemic barriers to building homes.
For many in the UK, finding a decent place to live can be harrowing. The country faces a shortfall of over 4 million homes. More than 160,000 children are stuck in temporary accommodations, with little chance to put down roots. Soaring house prices — eight times the average incomes in some areas — have turned ownership into a fantasy for many. Homelessness has reached record levels.