TL/DR (according to ChatGPT-4):
The article titled "Why Britain doesn’t build" by Samuel Watling, published on 23rd May 2023, discusses the history and challenges of housing development in Britain. Here are the key points:
Post-War Housing Crisis: After the Second World War, Britain faced a severe housing crisis due to strict planning rules enacted by both Labour and Conservative governments. These rules gave local councils the power to block nearly all housebuilding, with little incentive to permit it. Despite various attempts to address this issue, such as regional planning, a land commission, New Towns, and attempts to loosen planning controls, all of these efforts failed.
Historical Context: Britain's housing situation has been shaped by its historical context. From the Victorian period onwards, cities expanded with the help of trains, trams, and underground railways, creating the world’s first suburbs. However, housing supply collapsed during the First World War due to the mobilization of potential construction workers for the army, leading to a housing shortage and subsequent rent strikes.
Green Belts and New Towns: The concept of green belts and New Towns was introduced to control urban expansion. However, this led to a shortage of building land and an increase in its price from 1955. The green belt around London expanded from a 9- to a 35-mile radius, as neighboring counties rushed to end the prospect of displaced development from the original green belt areas.
Land Commission and Housing Production: The Wilson government set up a Land Commission in 1965 to deal with the shortage of land designated for housebuilding and the resulting high land prices. However, local administrations in the South East of England and the Midlands opposed the measures and refused to cooperate with the commission. The Commission was disbanded in 1970, leading to a flatlining of overall housing production in the mid-1960s.
Current Situation: The article concludes by stating that the housing crisis in Britain is not due to a lack of political will but due to a lack of understanding of the political dynamics of housebuilding. The author suggests that future leaders should learn from past mistakes and devise smarter strategies to address the housing crisis.