Download - GRaBS

enough is enough
Pickles chants: ‘Localism, localism, localism.’
The Twitterati awake. The big screen behind the Panel lights up with thousands of Twits: ‘Get a grip Eric.
Get a grip Eric…’
Johnson sees where this is going: ‘Ed, Eric (not Ernie and Eric of Morecombe and Wise fame), look at
this from my perspective. In my first term, I set a target for affordable housing for London, and I delivered.
In 2012, I set a new target of 15,000 a year and I am delivering. In my third term, I will do the same.’
Pickles keeps chanting: ‘Localism, localism, localism.’
Balls bounces up out of his chair, looks Boris in the eye and shouts: ‘Yes, you are building 15,000 homes
a year, but London needs 50,000 a year.’ He points at Carter: ‘And that is why 10,000 families move to
Kent, and another 15,000 to Essex, and a further 10,000 to the other shire counties. Does that work for
you?’
A thousand new Twits appear on the big screen: ‘Come on Paul, what works for you? What works for
you? …’
Carter is startled, and with remarkable honesty says: ‘Yes, I know, many of those now living in Kent
moved from London, or their parents did, and now they want to halt the flow of in-migrants. On the other
hand, we have to plan for the possibility that London cannot build enough homes. That is why we are
promoting the expansion of Ashford and the Thames Gateway. But we need the Government to meet the
costs of the new roads and schools that we need for these new families.’
Pickles keeps chanting: ‘Localism, localism, localism.’
Ignoring the background rumble, Balls sees a real opportunity to score. He looks at Carter: ‘Are you
saying we need some sort of regional plan which sets out how many homes we need in London and Kent,
and shows where these homes need to be built? Otherwise London’s housing crisis will get worse and
worse?’
Carter looks bemused: ‘Yes, Ed, I guess I am saying that we need a new regional plan. It should start
from the premise that the shire counties are part of the effort to meet the housing needs of Londoners. It
should recognise that London provides employment for many of those living in South East. In return, the
shire counties provide housing for Londoners. This pattern was established 100 years ago – nothing has
really changed.’
A new tsunami of Twits floods in: ‘Balls and Carter agree on the need for regional planning, Balls and
Carter for regional planning... Labour and Tory leaders join forces on how best to solve London’s housing
crisis.’
Pickles keeps chanting: ‘Localism, localism, localism.’
Dimbleby tries to regain control of the programme and fails. The Director cuts to classic BBC
promotional video – Morecombe and Wise singing Give Me Sunshine...
Enough is enough
Farce, foul-up or fairy tale? Probably a mixture of all three.
Today, as the Government progresses the reforms of the planning system through Parliament, there is
still no clear definition of what the ‘duty to co-operate’ will mean in practice. Indeed, in light of this
ambiguity, in due course efforts to test whether local authorities in London and the South East are
exercising this duty will feel like a farce – or maybe even a big foul-up.
Today, London and Kent face the challenge described above, but there is no evidence that either the
Greater London Authority or the Kent district, county and unitary authorities (they are not yet entitled to
elect a mayor… ) have the courage to acknowledge that their housing needs are truly interlinked. So it
feels like a fairy tale to expect that this co-operation will take place.
Today, it is not a fairy tale for those Londoners facing the relentless rise in house prices and for those
deprived families who will have to move away from their support networks because of the caps on
Housing Benefit. This is real life.
Enough is enough. London deserves some real leadership from the Government. The chanting must
stop.
● These are Dr E Nuf’s personal views and do not necessarily represent those of the TCPA.
Town & Country Planning June 2011 : GRaBS Project – INTERREG IVC; ERDF-funded 247