Building more appropriate houses, maybe? In small groups to generate a feeling of community. It is said that when the tenements etc. were pulled down, people lost contact with each other and a specific way of Life.
Net migration is down. Therefore less requirement for new houses. There are many 1,000s for sale and/or empty across the UK, many with absent Landlords. There are many that have been bought by Arabs that stand empty ........ OK those are out of most persons' pockets but the fact remains.
I couldn't live in a flat. Don't like heights
nor would I live anywhere without a garden. Or allotments.
Stellajane - there is no designated 'old age' apart from the phrase. So eventually 1 would require sheltered housing with pull cords
or 1 would have to move again. House prices aren't high, it's supply and demand. I would like to see houses the same price across the country, regardless: i.e. a 2 bedroom house with small garden £X, an 8 bedroom property with woodland, £KX .........
Sheila - I travel to the Fens on a monthly basis, the most productive growing land in Europe and properties are not being built there. In-fill maybe but certainly not in the fields. Which currently stand in water but that's another topic ! Have a 'chat' with Nicholas at : bugga, forgotten the farm name : but if you send him a query regarding food production he is likely to reply promptly. He also has open days on his farm, not far from Spalding. I meet with him at Bird Fair and have his monthly e-mail. Deeping St .
.......... bugga mind's gone blank .
Immigration isn't pushing house building. European Government is, however. We are having to meet quotas that are certainly not necessary though most new-builds are bought: then the owners find out the snagging problems rarely get done. [long story short]. In my area the water authority insists that there is no more capacity but I don't see them turning down water rates from the new Estates!! nor are they blamed for any flooding problems that occur.
We have never been 100% sufficient in food stuffs. If we were it would cut out a lot of fruit for example that we cannot, due to our climate, produce. Potatoes currently are not being drilled due to flooded fields so we will have to import them.
Let's fill the houses that are empty? Let the Government take responsibility for finding absent Landlords, as well as filling flats in towns that remain empty over shops. Easier though to allow the big building Companies to buy up land in the 1990s and then build once the by-passes have been pushed through land. Don't get me started on HS2
