Well, David Cameron is going to announce that local planning laws are going to go through a year long holiday. That's nice. What's a holiday then? #selfemployed
The fall out of this announcement was splattered all over the Internet yesterday, and many of the comments were generally negative ones. As expected.
"all well and good if you have got the money to extend..", "looking forward to a year of shanty towns being built in people's back gardens"...etc.
So what does this 'relaxation' entail?
Well for us home owners, it means that we can extend further and grab more space to grow our families without having to move home. For commercial property owners, the amount of floor space that will be considered as a permitted development [without having to apply for planning permission] has been doubled!
It sounds good for the construction industry, it sounds great for Developers and Architects who are sitting on projects snarled up in planning red tape. You know who else it sounds good for? Us Engineers.
Especially structural engineering companies that specialise in the domestic and residential sector ;)
The majority of arguments against these proposals, are from government skeptics, conservationists and home owners who are worried about what is going to happen to their streets and towns.
How can I put this as delicately as possible?
Are you on crack?
It is well known that homes have a price ceiling, and over development is simply money wasted. Do we think that a home owner will seriously pay many thousands more on property extensions and loft conversions if they did not think that they would see a return in their investment?
AND, are we seriously saying that home owners will build monstrosities in their own gardens, just despite a neighbour with whom they are having arguments with?!
I believe there may be instances of this 'tit for tat' behaviour cropping up across England, yes... but please afford our population with a bit more intelligence and integrity than that.I met with a builder yesterday and we drank a pint and postulated what this might do for our respectful businesses. The builder was convinced that nothing will come of it. He explained that if home-owners could not afford a 20k extension today, then how does offering home owners an opportunity to build a 60k one with no planning difficulties help us tomorrow?
My answer was this;
This may be the case to begin with, naturally there will be skeptics, but as soon as neighbours begin to grown their homes, and reap the benefits - they will be thankful for how easy it will be to get the designs that they want, at the speed that they need it.
There will be an upturn in business. Be prepared for it.
Engine[er]
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Call me one of those "conservationists" if you like, Glen, but we need to look at the bigger picture here.
ReplyDeleteThis Government seems to be absolutely clueless about how to grow the economy, so now, in what appears to be one of their most ludicrous suggestions yet, throwing money at large developers, relaxing planning laws and removing Section 106 obligations, will somehow boost the economy. How exactly?
The problem is not the planning system. Figures show clearly that there are a huge number of developments that have planning but are not being built. Why?
The banks, of course. But the government aren't doing anything about their banking buddies are they? (other than still throwing money at them too)
Mind you, this is just the latest episode of this gov's attacks on planning authorities and the heritage sector generally. What do they have against us? I can only think this comes back to friends and funders at the upper end of the new-build sector. (I would add at this point, that the previous gov't were no better).
The only people who can benefit from this are the cash-rich businesses and individuals, who are quite used to walking over everybody to get what they want.
To me, looking for business opportunities in the face of all this is just another symptom of the self-interest disease infecting this country.
Rant over.(ps. I am not a socialist - just can't take any more of this moral corruption).
Hey Richard - I don't disagree with any of that lol.
DeleteI would love to have a rant too... perhaps I'll do it on LinkedIn ;-)
Now I've got that off my chest, maybe yes. A LinkedIn debate would be good. I'm open to hearing from anyone who genuinely thinks its a good idea! :-)
ReplyDeleteI think it's more like - we can't do much about it... so let's make the best of it?
DeleteAlways worth fighting against government lunacy. I think (hope) they have to 'consult' first...
ReplyDeleteRichard, you say "The only people who can benefit from this are the cash-rich businesses and individuals".
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid I disagree. There are many people who would like to move to a bigger home, but can't afford to, due to legal costs and stamp duty (so the TV tells me anyway). Extending your existing house is therefore a solution for them - and relaxing the planning rules will make it easier for them. And these people may not be cash rich - they may remortgage to get this money.
This also goes against one of your points Glen. You said "Do we think that a home owner will seriously pay many thousands [...] if they did not think that they would see a return in their investment?" Well, yes. Developing property isn't just for profit, it can also be to make your home the place you want to live in. If someone is in a property for the long term, investing £30k for only £20k added value at current prices might not be a bad investment, if it gives them better quality of life.
The big question for me that comes out of this, is whether as a nation we're happy with people improving their existing house, or would rather they got the property market moving by buying a new one.
Hey Andy. You have zoomed in on what I was trying to comment upon, thanks.
DeleteI still believe that most of us will consult the price ceiling of our properties before we carry out extension, especially the 250k ones! So we will have to agree to disagree.
I do agree that yes, some of us don't consider it a problem to over develop.
Hi Andy,
ReplyDeleteThe "cash rich" bit was aimed at the current scandal of bank lending as most "normal" people would need to loan or remortgage in order to build any extension, let alone a bigger one. Full VAT also affects viability.
Planning is really not the main issue here, other than the fact that cuts have slashed the effectiveness of planning services - thanks to the governments. Relaxing planning is a bit like shooting yourself in the head to cure your headache.
Sorry Richard, your reply was spammed for some reason! Sorted now.
DeleteWe engineers are quite talented at looking a the 'bigger' picture. I do however feel that this kind of thinking does not get anything solved on a small scale [i'm a completer finisher ;)]
Paralysis by analysis anyone?
We can talk ourselves in circles for weeks before anyone decides to lift a finger to help the situation. I prefer a different method.
Don't get me wrong, I am happy to debate the long term issues of the governments decisions - but my opinion here is that there will be some movement, and I plan on being positioned to capitalise.
To what end? This blog. Teaching graduates. Creating business. Development of a business model.
Sometimes, we just got to ride the wave... if only because we are swimming in the ocean and have a surf board...