Ready, Aim, Miss

I recently went to one of those dubious travelling fairs, and obviously I couldn’t resist having a go at knocking a coconut off its stand. As runner-up in the Under 11’s throw-a-cricket-ball competition, held in the same year that Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, this should be a doddle.

I bought three balls and missed with every one. Three more – missed again. And again. And again.

I resolved that I would have one more go – to either spend the next two hours trying to open a coconut or sulk. I paid my money and got my balls, but before I could throw, the “gentleman” took all the coconuts away. I had nothing to throw at.

Which describes exactly what the government has done with its housing targets. They set them – miss them. Set them – miss them, and eventually take them away.

So having never met their own long-standing 300,000 new home target, it now transpires that we don’t need that many. Or any. I shouldn’t be amazed at what politicians will do to get a vote – but I am.

There will be an election soon. Whoever wins, housing will be a key issue. Not the promise of housing but the delivery of all types of new homes.

We need more homes. Especially affordable homes. Even NIMBYS accept that more houses need to be built – but luckily for them they are clearly needed somewhere else.

So even though the planning system is an underfunded over-worked quagmire, economic conditions are going against developers in every respect, and no one can afford to buy the houses that are built, expect change.

Hopefully, the next government will govern. If they do, they will see what needs to be done to make up the multi-year housing shortfall.

Just in case – here is my five-point-plan for whichever party will run the country after the next election:

• Simplify the planning system.
• Fund it properly.
• Simplify planning contributions – I mean really simple. Daily Mail simple.
• Let private developers build private housing.
• Make councils build affordable housing.

Simples….