Almost everyone agrees that Britain is experiencing a housing crisis. But ask a group of politicians about the nature of the crisis, and its underlying causes, and you will hear many different answers. Some will blame convenient scapegoats such as immigration and ‘red tape’, while others will say that ‘we’re just not building enough homes’. One thing is certain: few will mention the real culprit – our broken land economy.
Our new report published this week, ‘Land for the Many’, aims to put this neglected issue where it belongs: at the heart of political debate and discussion. The report sets out a bold agenda for changing the way that land is used, owned and governed. Our recommendations are wide ranging, and include proposals for increasing transparency of land ownership, overhauling property taxation, de-financialising the housing market, increasing community ownership, democratising the planning system, and much more.
But one of the most overlooked aspects of Britain’s housing crisis is the development process itself. Although poorly understood, Britain’s profit-led development model lies at the heart of Britain’s dysfunctional housing market.
