Cities for Growth: Solutions to our planning problems
Wednesday, 23 November 2011
Synopsis
Cities for Growth sets out two solutions to solve our housing crisis and boost growth. First, we need to recognise that the current local authority based planning system is broken. We need a more liberal and competitive system but, crucially, where those directly affected by development have the final say and we stop imposing costs onto local people without compensation. Second, we need new Garden Cities - large scale urban areas - where local people and business agree. These will act as beacons for development, creating huge housing and infrastructure projects, and showing the UK is serious about taking action to spur growth. They are a cost free way for the Government to see billions invested in new projects.
Related Staff
Alex Morton
Senior Research Fellow for Housing & Planning
Related News
The blue sheep of the family10 May 2012
David Skelton, Policy Exchange's Deputy Director, is interviewed by the Northern Echo. He calls for implementation of recommendations on planning policy from report Cities for Growth in Consett, his home town, a system of local pay bargaining and makes the argument from Northern Lights that the Conservatives need to appeal to aspirational working-class voters in the North if they wish to win another election.
Should we build on the green belt?03 May 2012
Alex Morton, Policy Exchange's Senior Research Fellow for Housing & Planning, takes part in a debate in The Times on whether we should build on the green belt. He makes the case from Cities for Growth that most green belt is intensive farmland and that high quality suburban development would be a social, environmental and economic improvement.
The National Planning Policy Framework changes nothing28 March 2012
Alex Morton, Senior Research Fellow for Housing & Planning, provides a detailed analysis of the problems with the planning system - and their consequences - and cites solutions from Cities for Growth, before slamming the NPPF for its failure to change the system.
Alex Morton on Radio Five Live26 March 2012
Alex Morton, Senior Researcher for Housing & Planning at Policy Exchange, appears on Radio Five Live to debate the government's proposed planning reforms. Alex argues that the reforms will change very little and makes the case from Cities for Growth that green belt space needs to be developed to solve our housing crisis.
Budget 2012: Osborne is right about the planning system, but will he really change it? 21 March 2012
Following the announcement in the Budget that the government will allow the creation of more Garden Cities (as recommended in Policy Exchange report Cities for Growth), Director Neil O'Brien writes outlining the advantages of such Cities, and calls for the Chancellor to make radical reforms to the wider planning system.
Garden City Blues20 March 2012
Inside Housing notes the success Alex Morton, Policy Exchange's Senior Research Fellow for Housing & Planning, has had influencing government housing policy, with many of the recommendations from Making Housing Affordable having been implemented and David Cameron himself embracing the proposal from Cities for Growth to build more Garden Cities.
If we want smaller government, we will have to think big09 March 2012
Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien sets out 12 big things the government can do to reduce public expenditure by helping growth, making government more efficient and reducing dependency on the state. He draws on recommendations from a plethora of Policy Exchange reports.
Growth and quality of life begins at home 06 March 2012
Alex Morton, Senior Research Fellow for Housing & Planning, writes criticising the policy of lending money to homebuyers rather than building more homes and calls for the Chancellor to create a five-year strategy to re-engineer the planning system.
Compassionate Conservatives find it's time to think again06 March 2012
The Guardian highlights Policy Exchange's 10th birthday, calling us the most influential thinktank in Britain, and citing our past successes as well as our future policy plans such as ending national pay bargaining and moving child poverty measures to a 'causes of poverty' target.
Is it over for 'vote Blue, go Green' as guru exits?04 March 2012
The Independent on Sunday claims that recommendations from Policy Exchange's report Cities for Growth for implementing a more flexible planning system and allowing local people to have more of a say in planning decisions are being considered by the Treasury. Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien is also quoted pressing for an increase in the provision of affordable housing to improve growth of the UK's economy.
Alex Morton on BBC Radio Surrey23 February 2012
Alex Morton, Senior Research Fellow for Housing and Planning, appears on BBC Radio Surrey arguing against the current planning system. He makes the case from Cities for Growth advocating that more power should be given to the local people to decide whether or not development takes place.
Housing stagnation is unsurprising16 February 2012
Senior Research Fellow for Housing & Planning Alex Morton criticises the UK’s planning system for stunting the level and quality of housing construction.
'Development is a good opportunity'03 January 2012
The Oxford Mail refers to recommendations from Policy Exchange report Cities for Growth that development should allowed on land currently classed as green belt in order to ease Britain's housing crisis.
Neil O'Brien on the Today Programme14 December 2011
Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien takes part in a debate on the Today Programme on unemployment in the UK, making the case from report Personalised Welfare for more specifically tailored job-search support for jobseekers.
Guardian Focus podcast: the housing crisis25 November 2011
Alex Morton, Senior Research Fellow for Housing & Planning, discusses the government's housing strategy on a Guardian podcast.
Report in call for building on Green Belt land24 November 2011
The Oxford Mail reports on report Cities for Growth, focusing on the report's argument that Green Belt land is mostly farmland rather than idyllic meadows and nature reserves and that development should be allowed there if local residents approve.
The News Matrix: Wednesday 23 November 201123 November 2011
The Independent includes the launch of Policy Exchange report Cities for Growth in its daily newswire, citing the report's recommendation that more housing should be built on green belt land as there are not enough brownfield sites to fill housing demand.
Our economy and housing supply are being held back by planning: Liberalise now23 November 2011
Alex Morton, Senior Research Fellow for Housing & Planning at Policy Exchange, writes in City A.M. highlighting how planning laws have created our housing crisis and showing how reforms recommended in Cities for Growth can both end the crisis and provide a boost to the economy.
Thinktank urges PM to relax planning laws23 November 2011
Calls from latest Policy Exchange report Cities for Growth for planning reform to build new cities are reported by PoliticsHome.
Green belt threatened by 'garden city' proposal23 November 2011
politics.co.uk covers Policy Exchange report Cities for Growth, citing its recommendations for new 'Garden Cities' to be built near existing cities in order to boost the economy.
Call for new towns on Green Belt23 November 2011
The Independent covers Policy Exchange's latest report Cities for Growth, quoting author Alex Morton calling for the construction of new 'Garden Cities' that will allow for greater economic growth and better quality housing.
Planning reform could boost economic growth - think tank23 November 2011
Reuters reports on Cities for Growth, Policy Exchange's latest report, quoting Senior Research Fellow for Housing & Planning Alex Morton arguing that UK cities are stagnant and that allowing the expansion of cities will boost growth and productivity.
Think-tank urges green belt changes23 November 2011
Calls from Policy Exchange report Cities for Growth for new 'Garden Cities' to be built near existing cities are covered by the Press Association.
Developers should be allowed to build cities on green belt to 'boost growth'23 November 2011
The Daily Mail reports on Policy Exchange report Cities for Growth, quoting author Alex Morton arguing for the creation of new 'Garden Cities' and passing power over planning from local authorities directly to the people.
Hands Off Our Land: Build on the green belt, says Cameron thinktank23 November 2011
The Daily Telegraph extensively covers recommendations from Policy Exchange report Cities for Growth and quotes author Alex Morton criticising current planning laws that have led to too little and poor quality development.
Hangover of housing boom23 November 2011
The Yorkshire Post quotes Policy Exchange's Senior Research Fellow for Housing & Planning, Alex Morton, calling for reform of the planning system in order to resolve the housing crisis.
Green Belt should be home to new cities23 November 2011
Construction Enquirer covers Cities for Growth, Policy Exchange's latest report, citing the report's calls for planning restrictions on the green belt to be lifted so that popular suburban development can take place there.
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