Housing has traditionally been an issue that has generated conflict between central and local government. Central government has to take a national perspective, and from this vantage point, it is all too clear that, for many years, we have not built enough homes to meet economic and social requirements. As a result, as Kate Barker's report demonstrated, there is a serious shortage of homes to meet needs, and house prices have been driven up to unsustainable levels. We are now experiencing the painful process of market adjustment. From a local perspective, however, the issue looks very different. Taking their lead from local residents, most councils tend to see new housing developments as potentially unwelcome impositions. Even if they don't succumb to NIMBY opposition, there are usually doubts about the type of homes being proposed, or the adequacy of local infrastructure to support new housing development. Even in authorities that are, in principle, sympathetic to more housing, local opposition can often prompt councillors to refuse permission, leaving the developer to secure planning consent on appeal. This, of course, just adds one further element of conflict, as the 'diktat' of an unaccountable planning inspector is blamed for the outcome.
展开▼
