Blog
Grey belt: the underestimated game-changer for housing
John Myers writing in Red Brick Blog A recent case in Bagshot in Surrey shows how the Labour Government’s new ‘grey belt’ rules, introduced in late 2024, will likely unlock hundreds of thousands of much-needed homes across the country. The reform of Green Belt rules...
Auckland upzones, again: an update from New Zealand
This is a guest post from Marko Garlick. Marko is a lawyer from New Zealand. He was a director on a pro-housing campaign which led to the widespread upzoning of Wellington in May 2024. Note that Marko sits on an expert advisory group that advises the New Zealand...
YIMBY wins around the world (September 2024)
US reform successes Recent research shows that 50 housing bills passed US state legislatures in the first half of 2024, compared to only 30 in the same time last year. In the preceding twelve months, 65 housing supply bills have been enacted. You can read more...
YIMBY wins around the world
With a new Government that is extremely focused on building more homes, it seems a good time to revive our regular update on YIMBY successes around the world, from New Zealand to California. ADUs Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are small, normally single storey, homes...
The 2025 Planning and Infrastructure Bill
This is a guest post from Alfie Robinson. Alfie is a historian and heritage consultant operating across England, with a keen interest in policy issues. You can find Alfie on LinkedIn or find his website here. The much-anticipated Planning and Infrastructure Bill has...
The biodiversity bottleneck
Image: a disused that does little for biodiversity. Source: Wikimedia Commons This is a guest post from Alfie Robinson. Alfie is a historian and heritage consultant operating across England, with a keen interest in policy issues. You can find Alfie on LinkedIn or find...
New Report: the Urgent Need to Build More Homes
UK housing is at a crisis point. Skyrocketing costs, inadequate supply, and misaligned incentives have created a perfect storm that impacts every aspect of our society - from individual aspiration to national economic growth. The Government has won a landslide...
Attlee’s secret weapon to build homes: zoning
Special Development Orders in the Town and Country Planning Act not only show zoning of the past but also look to the potential of the future. John Myers writing in Red Brick Block When people speak of planning, England typically emerges as a global anomaly in two...
Reform planning to build more social homes
Social homes are a crucial component of the UK’s housing mix. They are a vital tool in addressing the housing crisis and ensuring everyone can have a safe place to live. There are over 1.2 million people on local authority housing waiting lists, and many more who...
Location matters: price per square metre in England and Wales
It’s obvious that the price of a home varies massively from place to place, but simply comparing the average cost of properties sold can hide some major differences - particularly in the size of each home. The average cost of a home in London is £520,000 whilst in the...