IGNORE THE NIMBYS AND MAKE SURE YOUNG CAN AFFORD A HOME

WE ARE told the Government is going to take on the prevailing sanctity of the views of nimbys, those voting steadfastly against any new housing in their village/ suburb/town/city. Their views always prevail because the local planning committee is composed of councillors who wish to be re-elected and dare not offend the locals. So… applications to build somewhere for the young to afford and start a family are refused.

The irony is that if this had prevailed for the past 100 years half the nimbys of today would have no home because hundreds of thousands of homes are less than 100 years old.

If permission for new-build had been refused for the past century, millions of nimbys would have nowhere to live. They are playing dog-in-the-manger.

I am a great believer in the division, conversion and renovation of large old properties which, for a fraction of the cost of new-build, could convert into half a dozen affordable flats. Developers would happily do this but there must be (a) financial incentive and (b) not just permission but encouragement. Alas, dealing with bureaucracy, local or national, is like jogging through treacle.

That is why so little ever gets decided or built and the young have nowhere to live. It would take a human dynamo from the private sector, with Cabinet backing, to take over. There are such people but the Government is snoring at the wheel.