The wrong kind of growth and building homes only where needed
In MetroTalk: house building and will Trump's assassination attempt change the Right's opinion on gun control?
We all want our economy to grow, but at what cost?
One reader in MetroTalk wonders where climate change fits into the discussions of growing the economy.
Meanwhile, is an alternative to building on the greenbelt staring us right in the face? And after the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, could what happened make him acknowledge America’s gun problem?
Share your thoughts on these topics and more in the comments.
We need to get more thoughtful about water
Further to P Munden urging us to reduce our water usage (MetroTalk, Fri).
We are thoughtless about how we waste resources. And we see this thoughtlessness in major infrastructure proposals that nearly always entail environmental destruction.
There is ‘good’ growth, which encourages the local economy, local employment, local food growing on local farmland, local housebuilding for local people, up-skilling the local population, local autonomy, the restoration/adaptation of existing buildings, and which reduces the need to travel far for work and supplies.
Contrast this with ‘bad’ growth, which strips away environmental protections to let big business more or less take over local areas for their own economic benefit in exchange for indifferent jobs, freedom from paying local taxes, building indifferent (almost defective) houses, schools and hospitals and other infrastructure. All dedicated to intensifying the current economic model that has brought us to the edge of climate collapse.
In all the talk about the rush for ‘growth’ we have not heard one word about climate change and the need to protect the land that assures us of our domestic sources of food. Peter Thompson, Altrincham
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Maybe we don’t have to build on the greenbelt?
Building on the green belt – as proposed by Labour – may not be required. There is plenty of land in our inner cities and suburbs not being used. Trouble is, there are derelict properties everywhere on this land, particularly rows and rows of empty shops.
Maybe councils could be asked to identify which of these properties would be suitable for demolition and the land used to build affordable three-storey flats and terraced houses, hopefully not too far from where people work, so involving less transport costs. Irene, Liverpool
GGT (MetroTalk, Monday) is correct in saying that there are issues other than the green belt holding back housing.
It’s basically an issue of affordability and is the reason Barratt Homes is going to build fewer homes in the next year than they did in the last.
I’m not a Nimby, I’m surrounded by houses, but I am an environmentalist and Labour’s plans to build on our beautiful countryside that’s not in my back yard worries me.
It’s not just housing either – I’ve walked over many majestic upland areas and the thought of them being destroyed by wind turbines is of huge concern.
It’s said that housing is needed in central London so let’s see Labour build over the parks there. Hampstead Heath, near Sir Keir Starmer’s home, could accommodate thousands of homes.
And guess who objected to a 1,500-home house-building project in his constituency in 2021?
A Tory MP in the shires? Err no, a Labour MP in London – Matthew Pennycook, the new housing minister! John Daniels, Redhill
Sir Keir Starmer and his crew say not enough housing had been built in the South East. Are they having a laugh?
In north-west Kent, from Dartford to Gravesend, thousands of homes have been built. In and around Dartford there are thousands of flats and houses, in the belt between Bluewater and Northfleet, thousands more, likewise between Greenhithe and Swanscombe Peninsula. There are 700 opposite Darent Valley Hospital and more still in every nook and cranny in between.
So, before they build any more in this area, look to the north. Den, Dartford
The last time Labour was in power, the then environment secretary, John Prescott, overruled borough planners and allowed the so-called ‘developers’ to build a housing estate on what had been an unspoilt area of riverside parkland in the heart of Colchester.
An avenue of much-loved, flowering cherry trees fell victim to the same inexplicable ruling. John Tavner, Dedham
Julian Self (MetroTalk, Fri) blames debt-ridden Thames Water’s problems on the culture of rewarding apathy and incompetence at the top.
Surely, bringing the company to the brink of bankruptcy by the payment of high dividends and excess remuneration out of non-existent profits amounts to fraudulent trading.
In that case, those responsible should be facing a prison sentence. Oh sorry, there aren’t enough prison cells. Martin Grossman, Hackney
Will gun laws finally change?
Will the attempted assassination of Donald Trump (Metro, Mon) see Republicans and the National Rifle Association finally agree to better gun control laws?
Trump himself has claimed shootings like this aren’t a ‘gun problem’.
If this shooting isn’t enough to make these people reconsider, it will show they consider human life second place to the money made from the selling of guns.
Matthew, Birmingham