The worst housing crisis since the war

A massive new estate in my local town was earmarked to contain a new doctors surgery but with 2 out of 4 surgeries in the town mothballed due to a shortage of GPs this has been quietly dropped. I have no idea what the introduction of two thousand families will have on local services- but hey the local authorities have met their new homes target so bonuses all round.

What is your evidence for shortage?

A recent report says there is a surplus (https://propertyindustryeye.com/housing-crisis-is-not-caused-by-lack-of-supply-in-fact-we-have-a-surplus-says-new-report/)

"builders who claim it takes just 13 weeks to build a house"

My son had an extension "completed" in May and is still waiting for the floor to dry out so he can use it.

As the report above states, it may not be that there is a deficit of housing stock, but more that it is in the wrong area of the country.

So much of the industry and service of the UK has been focused on the South east. If you want to have a high earning position, then you generally need to work in that area of the country.

If everyone moved to the areas where the housing was plentiful and cheaper, there would not be the job vacancies available to employ them all.

I wonder that instead of going on a house building spree, government could instead incentivize decentralization of the large industries to move their headquarters and operational centres to other areas of the country. This may have the effect of partially assisting the housing issue.

Reply to the comment left by The Forever Tenant at 03/09/2019 - 16:21
Private businesses cannot be forced to moved, but there could be a much better balance if Government (who let's not forget operate for the benefit of the whole country) moved spread services/departments...which may encourage some private businesses to move also. As a start and a show of faith toward 'The Northern Powerhouse' Parliament could sit in, say, York whilst Westminster Palace is renovated, but that would mean leaving the 'playground' that is London...

Reply to the comment left by Luke P at 03/09/2019 - 16:28
No-one should be force to do anything, but encourangement could be given in the form of tax breaks. We see that often enough to get the business in the country in the first place.

There does appear to be quite a north/south divide and wonder if this is down to the loss of manufacturing in this country as we slowly moved into a service industry country.

Of course, this could also mean that Brexit could be a boon, as we may need to look to manufacture more in this country as opposed to importation.

Reply to the comment left by Luke P at 03/09/2019 - 16:28Yes, they should permanently move government and parliament to the middle of the country, somewhere like Stoke-on-Trent, and build a modern, spacious, fit-for purpose houses of parliament, and not waste money on refurbishing the undersized, unfit, existing buildings.
Parliament could go first; departments to follow later.
Video conferencing facilities mean there is no need for ministers to be near their departments or the Queen.
Then sell off the London properties, which should more than pay for the move (plus reduced pay for civil servants and support staff, because no need for a London weighting).

Reply to the comment left by Michael Barnes at 03/09/2019 - 16:47Communist ideas, take from those and distribute to other, dilute power.
I think the more softer climate in the SE is more responsible for settlements than political manoeuvring.

The Germans enjoy their lovely old prefabs with self-sufficient living and beautifully tended lifestyle gardens of Eden, ie vegetable, fruit , relaxing and, of course, the sun! Akin to owning a Summer/holiday retreat on the coast of Dorset. In the main these inhabitants/week end escapists were determined, educated/technical workers/managers who did well for themselves and their families, may have even worked for Siemens, IAG etc . To rebuild the country, money flowed into Germany like oil from USA etc, we British, the unloved by French, General Charles DeGaulle, struggling to pay the war debt to USA were unloved.
In the meanwhile, my mother was on rations until 1952 struggling to feed a family of 7 (5) children. No genuine thanks given by those who profited and could start afresh here and brought their political criticism and fight over to us here.
The problem lies with issues of entitlement and the belief that others are to blame for weaknesses Our Western society is broken and weak: to understand the difference is to imagine being an immigrant and walking thousands of miles across unknown terrains over months to get here regardless of their final destination, beliefs, suitability and situation.
Ask our own to turn up to work at 8.30am on time and be ready to dedicated themselves or protect this country or prove themselves working until 5.30pm, may be living in shared accommodation for a period, and you would be out of luck. who would you wish to employ? Ask someone who has endured hardship across 1000's of miles unknown terrain and they will ask when requested and how high/long to jump. But all this without our weak, spineless, benefit system. The prevailing lack of ideals and identity are to blame. Mother EU has taken the roles away.
In 1908, my grandfather came to this country and ploughed on and on to be a success, even helped the governmental war efforts WW I and II, - upright, tough, smart and proud (nick-named by the family: 'The Judge!') - he was a true supporter of Queen, Empire and Country - not always the best but helped lay down the edifice of England ongoing. Our society no longer supports self-endeavour, determination and maturity to observe, meet see the world and its peoples - only Bear Grillis does that.

no housing shortage--just uncontrolled immigration--deport all illegals close our borders and problem solved