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The UK's planning system is the no 1 reason it is so poor – poorer than Germany, the US, Belgium – even France.
Everyone knows this – it's why housing is expensive and crappy. But we've never been able to find a fix that is *politically* workable.
Until now.
Everyone knows this – it's why housing is expensive and crappy. But we've never been able to find a fix that is *politically* workable.
Until now.
The solution is "Street Votes" – letting individual streets vote on their design and density rules, so suburban semi-detached streets can choose to build up into townhouses and mansion blocks.
https://policyexchange.org.uk/publication/strong-suburbs/
https://policyexchange.org.uk/publication/strong-suburbs/
This would transform England's suburbs by allowing them to densify, bringing more amenities to residents and better footfall for local high streets and shops.
And it would allow a huge number of new houses to build, lowering housing costs and increasing economic output.
And it would allow a huge number of new houses to build, lowering housing costs and increasing economic output.
Why would residents vote for this? It's down to something called "uplift".
If you own a plot of land worth £250k with a semi-detached house on it, it could become worth £1m+ if you're allowed to build a six-storey mansion block on it. The "uplift" creates a huge ££ incentive.
If you own a plot of land worth £250k with a semi-detached house on it, it could become worth £1m+ if you're allowed to build a six-storey mansion block on it. The "uplift" creates a huge ££ incentive.
By allowing residents to vote on their own design code, and requiring a supermajority to approve more densification, this would allow people to choose designs *they* want to live near, not whatever their local planning authorities chose for them.
What this does is enable Coasean bargaining. People cannot currently "sell" their right to object to new developments near them, so we end up with too little development *even as the objectors would view it*. This proposal enables that exchange to happen.
https://sambowman.substack.com/p/the-importance-of-alienability
https://sambowman.substack.com/p/the-importance-of-alienability
Obviously, lots of streets will decide they would rather forgo the money to hang on to their low density life.
That's the genius of the policy – unlike other planning reforms, which force designs and plans on people, street votes allow a bottom-up selection into density.
That's the genius of the policy – unlike other planning reforms, which force designs and plans on people, street votes allow a bottom-up selection into density.
Now, why is this paper so important? It's not the first one to propose Street Votes.
But it is the first to set out in *detail* how it would work. It's no longer just an abstract idea – it's a workable plan that the govt can adopt right now to fix the planning system.
But it is the first to set out in *detail* how it would work. It's no longer just an abstract idea – it's a workable plan that the govt can adopt right now to fix the planning system.
Eg, it gives a worked example of a cul-de-sac in Barnet. With the consent of the residents, 26 bungalows worth £14m in total can be given an additional £54m in uplift, £10m of which goes to the council, £44m of which goes to the homeowners (£1.7m each).
https://policyexchange.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Strong-Suburbs.pdf#page=70
https://policyexchange.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Strong-Suburbs.pdf#page=70
I've worked on housing and planning for the best part of ten years. I think it is the biggest problem the UK faces bar none: the main cause of low productivity growth, poverty, low fertility, and even the rise of Corbynite populism.
I am convinced that this is the way to fix it.
I am convinced that this is the way to fix it.
Every other attempt to fix planning has failed because of the political hurdles to doing so – even good MPs balk at the idea of towers and huge new developments being "forced" on their own constituencies.
This is the way to make the problem tractable. https://twitter.com/Siobhain_Mc/status/1361708632950325259?s=19
This is the way to make the problem tractable. https://twitter.com/Siobhain_Mc/status/1361708632950325259?s=19
With Street Votes, almost every homeowner in London will have a £1m+ reason to vote for densification of their street. Many will choose not to – OK. But many *will* decide they'd like to be millionaires & go for it.
To fix housing, change the incentives so NIMBYs become YIMBYs.
To fix housing, change the incentives so NIMBYs become YIMBYs.
I'm quoted here on why I think Street Votes could be the silver bullet we need to make housing affordable and massively boost GDP. https://order-order.com/2021/02/17/silver-bullet-housing-policy-could-make-homeowners-millions-and-build-more-beautiful-buildings/
