[tweetiepooh]

The housing issue in Britain has been a problem for a long time and isn't simple to sort out. Certainly there is (was) a problem in SE and especially London. Covid allowing many to work from home has pushed some out of the city centres. That then pushes up prices and demand elsewhere. It also leaves some areas it trouble as businesses that started to accommodate that population close/relocate then leaves behind a deprived neighbourhood with declining investment and opportunities. Those that can also leave even if not ideal and further decay sets in.



WFH has also changed what people are looking for from focus on flats and maisonettes to houses with gardens (thinks about some developments near here where a large house with large garden is knocked down and 5-6 five bed boxes with little or no garden are erected). It's already been mentioned about "wealthier" people moving in and 2nd homes pricing locals out, especially in rural settings where locals work "on the land" at lowish pay but have always been able to cope because prices were lower too.



Higher prices also stop the usually move up the chain as people get more wealthy. It's cheaper and easier to extend. Profit is important for builders and there is more profit in larger houses so that's their focus. But we really can't simply build our way out. If there is empty stock somewhere that somewhere should be filled first before we destroy more countryside and enlarge towns. And simply building large estates around towns/cities may not be the best solution as often infrastructure isn't always there to cope either. And NIMBYism is also valid, I live within 150m of open countryside and I'd like to keep it that way. So instead of a few thousand homes around my home city why not spread it out so a few homes around each of a few hundred villages. Less impact on roads/schools etc.