Housing the Next Generation – on Green Field Sites?
The Planning Minister, Nick Boles, said his speech, Housing the Next Generation, that future residential development should take place on green field sites.
Mr Boles argued that the Government has a moral responsibility to force councils to find land for residential development.
-
Nick Boles MP
There is no doubt that demand for affordable housing is outstripping supply; this can be seen with the large increases in property values seen since 1991 when the average house price was £54,626.00(1) which, by 2001, had risen by 63% to £88,791.00(1) and by 2011 had risen by 86% to £165,131.00(1).
There are reports that the average age of a first time buyer has reached 35(2); but what is behind this figure – are we becoming nation of renters? Are children living with their parents longer? Or are friends sharing a property rather than buy their own?
Choose from latte, cappuccino, mocha and espresso.
Terms: Ts and Cs. One coffee per customer
Contact: 01452 223150
Valid until: Thursday, June 06 2013
The answer is all three, and whilst the Government and Local Councils struggle to agree on where residential development takes place there are real people out there that desperately need affordable housing.
Second Steppers
The lack of housing is also impacting on the quality of life for second steppers; typically they are 40 years old and bought their home 5 years ago. The average deposit they need is £62,000(3), but the average deposit they can raise is just £11,500. Add to that the cost of moving and the challenge for second steppers increases. Which has a knock on effect for potential first time buyers compounding the shortage of properties coming onto the market.
Local Picture
According to Gloucestershire County Council there is a shortfall of 10,000(4) affordable homes with the expectation of an additional 3,500(5) new households annually.
So how do we break the cycle in Gloucestershire?
The first step is to increase the availability of property for first time buyers. There are a range of options available. As Mr Boles states we need to consider green field developments; not to be confused with green belt land. Therefore it is important to consider developments outside of the current urban developments.
Gloucester Brown Field Sites
Opponents to developing green field sites often state work should be done to identify and develop brown field sites; this is already happening in Gloucester and Stroud, and includes work underway or planned development in the following areas:
- Blackfriars – 300 new homes
- Canal Corridor – 450 new homes
- Gloucester Docks – 236 new home
- Gloucester Quays – 1,000 new homes
- Greyfriars – 400 new homes
- Kings Quarter – 200 new homes
- Railway Triangle – 400 new homes
There is also the site of Gloucester Prison due to close at the end of March. The site represents a great opportunity to develop riverside real estate and enhance the Blackfriars redevelopment plans.
Stroud:
- Brockworth – approximately 500 homes
- Ebley Wharf – 120 new homes
- Cam & Dursley – 600 new homes
- Cheapside Wharf – 140 new homes
Conclusion
If we are to provide much needed housing for the next generation and to reduce the impact of families trapped in property no longer suitable for their requirements, the economic and planning environments need to be improved to encourage the development of brown field sites and green field sites need to be made available to developers.
About The Property Centre
The Property Centre was launched in 1997 with its 1st office in Tuffley. It has grown to encompass seven offices in Gloucestershire and Worcestershire; accounts for nearly a third of all sold properties in Gloucester*, and offers a residential lettings service. In July 2012 The Property Centre won their categories for Estate Agency Gloucestershire 2012 – 2013 and Estate Agency Worcestershire 2012 – 2013.
(1) Nationwide House Price Index
(2) The Telegraph 11-9-2012
(3) Lloyds TSB
(4) Gloucestershire County Council – Gloucestershire Story 2011
(5) Office of National Statistics
4 Comments
by charliemoores
Wednesday, January 23 2013, 10:35AM
“'Riverside real estate'? Yes, that'll be affordable. Thanks for your solution.”
by BadgerMash
Tuesday, January 22 2013, 10:37PM
“While the UK population continues to increase by 400,000 every year (half due to the birth rate, half net migration) we shall have to keep building about 200,000 new places to house people every year. If we want to stop this, we need to address the problem, not the symptoms - and find a sensitive, compassionate but effective and robust way to reduce our population (not just the rate of increase!) And then we need to encourage other countries to do the same. This is at the root of all our major problems, economic, health, social and environmental, it's not just a local housing problem.”
by honeybee6
Tuesday, January 22 2013, 7:46PM
“Absolutely disgusting!!! We don't need new housing! The average street in Gloucester has several unoccupied houses at one time. Not enough thought goes into the provision of services such as schools and doctors for all the new development. The houses that are built look awful and are badly made. There is too much urban sprawl as it is, we are losing our countryside and that has a big impact on wildlife. We will see more flooding as the surface water has nowhere to go. We should be focusing on educating people not to breed so much as well - too many humans! The planet is being killed!”
by TimMessanger
Tuesday, January 22 2013, 5:30PM
“Conclusion, this was written by a company with a vested interest in the turnover of properties ie they want everyone to upgrade so THEY can get their pound of flesh!
Yes a large garden is nice to have but you could use a park, the modern boxes that they build these days aren't built to last so where do you go?”