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By the_hermit · Posted
V interesting ArchieCarlos. The UK is #1 at blocking and delaying investment (per the article I linked to above). This means we have pretty much the lowest gross fixed capital formation in the developed world and the economic results are there for all to see (this led to the nihilistic political environment that enabled Brexit which made things even worse). Some of this blocking and delaying is well intentioned and aimed at a better outcome but much of it a smokescreen to prevent any investment at all and is a money-spinner for consultants and lawyers. According to the FT the new Kent tunnel has cost £1.2bn so far even before construction starts of which £800m has been on consultants, planning and legal fees. 359,080 pages of documentation! This does not compare favourably with much more complex tunneling projects in countries like Norway or Germany. -
Hello We've been let down by our surveyor who didn't look at the loft as they said their ladder wasn't tall enough - we're about to exchange but are keen to check the loft/roof before! Does anyone near to Melbourne Grove have a tall ladder we could borrow for an hour tomorrow around 3? Thanks so much! This forum is the best, secured in 15 minutes! -
Trump is driving a wedge between the UK and EU. -
By ArchieCarlos · Posted
I am delighted to hear the development was approved. In my opinion, the UK is building far too little housing. And unless we build on green belts, the only solution is to increase the density of our cities, which is exactly what this scheme achieves. Where I'm from (France), planning is generally looser and in my home city it's common to see single dwellings being razed to make way for a 5-6 story block of flats, even in city centres. Does it change the character of the local area? For sure! But I don't see another way to provide the supply to meet demand and provide ample supply of housing for a growing population. My personal experience is that in the UK, there is a lot more time spent on consultations, on achieving a perfect outcome for everyone. This results in generally better and more harmonious building than in France, but it makes things slower and more costly, with the need to coordinate many consultants. It's interesting to compare France and the UK as they have similar populations and population growth, with an economy centred on a huge capital city. When you look at the number of houses/flats built in France and the UK over the past 10 years, the result is pretty striking. # France UK Difference 2023 298,100 150,370 -147,730 2022 392,100 182,070 -210,030 2021 410,000 177,160 -232,840 2020 368,800 129,440 -239,360 2019 387,700 153,000 -234,700 2018 401,200 168,610 -232,590 2017 434,700 164,110 -270,590 2016 370,000 155,150 -214,850 2015 341,000 148,150 -192,850 2014 336,900 140,760 -196,140 2013 357,900 124,790 -233,110 2012 382,300 101,020 -281,280 Total 4,480,700 1,794,630 -2,686,070 Average 373,392 149,553 -223,839 When HS1 was built, the French engineers (it was built with the French high-speed signalling) were surprised at how Brits wanted to "gold-plate" everything. The UK arguably has the best, most effective, more reliable, more well-equipped high-speed line in the world, but we've only got 68 miles of it and it cost 2.5 times what it cost the French to build a line extension at the same time. In my view, there's no magic wand: just deciding who will be the losers. In France, people in established neighbourhoods my lose out as they see them change dramatically, while the new entrants benefit from a much higher supply of housing (and thus cheaper housing). In the UK, we give greater priority to preserving the lifestyle and amenity of the established dwellers over the new entrants who lose out as the supply is choked and prices are higher. A final point of comparison would be the price per square foot of property in Greater Paris is £467 while in Greater London it's £667 - 30% cheaper!
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