If you support streamlined planning, ask yourself this: what if someone built a new home on your roof? | Kirsty Major
R.Hough Wanstead is a quiet suburb in East London, located on the edge of the EPPing Leafy forest, things were not very peaceful for Harley Court. A two -storey extension, contains 12 new units, is built over the mass of apartments. It is a story that reveals one of the many challenges in our housing market. In the pursuit of housing targets, there will be some disturbances, but what is too much for current residents and societies?
In the fall of 2022, James moved to the post -war building. It was the first time that he lived alone. He loved the open -strip living room and has a space for making it. This time was at the time his health began to falter, and in the new year, he was diagnosed with cancer. He increased more time at home to recover from chemotherapy treatments that he left exhausted.
Soon after, construction work began on the new floors. His sister, Naomi, who moved with him to help in his care, told me: “I felt the noise in the same way that the dentist feels inside your head.” Windows remained closed to reduce sound – and dust from construction. Naomi is now wondering if they are right to make a decision to stay, but at that time she felt the best option. Her brother did not want to uproot her, be out of work and receive personal independence payments, was not sure that he would be able to secure another rental contract. “We were trying to look at new characteristics, but we were unable to move quickly enough. Then his health deteriorated quickly. We did not move, but those past months were very trying.” After his death, Naomi moved from the apartment.
In 2020, then conservative Minister of Housing, Robert Jenrik, I presented a policy This would make the extensions like those in the Harley court easier to pass the planning of the Council. The owners will have the so -called “permissible development rights” in an attempt to increase the number of homes and give a boost to the slow economy.
On the surface, these “houses” (a previous name for such developments) appear as a simple solution to the “housing crisis”. The town of London, Redbridge, which covers Wanstead, 16 % growth is expected In population for the next 22 years, and according to national goals, 1409 new homes per year are required. Last year, a Just 224 homes It was built. In an attempt to achieve these goals, a The Council official wrote This planning permission will not be rejected except “as the damage is large and outperforms the benefit of providing additional housing.”
But in practice, it comes at the expense of the current population. In 2021, Blue Gower Ltd bought the land on which Harley Court stands, and with free free holder the right to develop a lot. Those who have apartments in the property, as tenants, had the opportunity to lift objections to new additions as part of the planning process. Among other issues, they mentioned that it would affect their well -being, create noise pollution and harm air quality. Redbridge said that such concerns will be transferred to the developer and the conditions imposed on alleviating any risks. The town is green insert the application. (Later, the council agreed to build five additional houses on the site where the apartment deposits are currently standing). The developers have allowed themselves to the residents to deal with problems when they occur and they limit loud work for two hours a day, but they admitted that living with construction work will never be an enjoyable experience.
As is the case, the Labor Party has plans to remove the permitted development rights. In fact, the government set new residential targets, hopes to reduce planning regulations in an attempt to meet them, and threatened to do so Take the local councils If they don’t play the ball. In the coming years, where authorities work throughout the country are working on these targets, there will be more buildings, more turmoil, more five -homes, and more than Harley courts.
Defenders of this policy will say that this is a temporary disruption that will be paid in the long run and will help the town like Ridbridge achieve their housing goals, but numerical goals are only part of an answer: the residents not only need homes, but they need affordable homes. In 2024, and The average price of the house in Redbridge was 495,000 pounds. Once taxes and additional fees are taken into account, this cost is about 11 times the London salary. Developers are businessmen, not charitable workers. They build units that will turn the highest profit – and they have no incentive to sell units at a price less than the going rate. It may seem intuitive, but building more housing does not lead to low prices. The apartments in Wanstead are now on the market and they look beautiful, and even come with solar panels and under the ground heating. But it is far from the cost – one is At a price of 585,000 pounds.
The councils have a role here. During approval of developments, they can negotiate the conditions, such as inserting well -to -housing (houses that are sold by 80 % of the market price). Even if agreements are reached on the new buildings, the council planning departments – which were among the most difficult austerity strikes, with About 50 % discounts – It is unlikely to be able to make sure it is honored. In the Harley Court case, the developers contributed to what is known as A. Section 106 payment To go towards the local community and infrastructure.
This is not a matter of Nimbys and Yimbys – this is a reduction division. What we have is societies that need affordable housing, residents who want to enjoy the homes they enjoy in peace, and businessmen who want to make a profit. The councils should be the ones that separate these interests and find the best possible results. The government seems to have other plans for them.
