Archive for the ‘garden grabbing’ tag
Garden Grabbing in Swindon?
The Government has made much of its proposals stating that these give the Local Authorities “the freedom to prevent over development of neighbourhoods”.
Will this make a difference in Swindon and will it prevent over development? According to the Government’s latest available figures which relate to 2005/2008, only 7% of all new building in Swindon was on previously residential land. That is hardly a significant figure. Whilst the proposals may have an influence in some areas, apparently not in Swindon.
In any event is there a problem with large houses with large gardens being redeveloped to meet modern needs? Many people no longer want nor can afford large houses with large areas to maintain. What this change in policy, coupled with the removal of the obligation to enforce national minimum density levels, is intended to achieve is to ease the problem of the shortage of housing across the country. I doubt that it will have this affect. I think it will exasperate the existing problem.