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The “dire state” of the UK’s transport infrastructure is making the housing crisis worse, according to a report from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
In Joining the Dots, RIBA issued a range of recommendations for an infrastructure policy more dedicated to supporting housing.
These span a number of different areas, the most expansive of which was on producing the right framework for decision making.
Recommendations in this area included the ring-fencing of local authorities’ planning departments, a scheme for planners akin to Teach First and setting compulsory purchase order compensation at existing use value, the expansion of the Housing Infrastructure Fund, permitting local authorities to pool housing and infrastructure funding, new devolution deals and granting powers to other regions similar to those given to the mayor of London.
The report argues that the problems with transport infrastructure are not just a matter of lack of investment.
It says that a lack of a holistic view of housing and infrastructure means that opportunities to maximise returns are often missed.
Meanwhile, it cited results of a survey produced by RIBA and polling company Comres. It found that there is a perceived lack of political power and resources in the English regions due to infrastructure decisions being made mostly in London.
Ben Derbyshire, president of RIBA, said: “This report should alert government to the reality that ploughing money into transport infrastructure in isolation is not enough.
“We are gripped by an escalating housing crisis and we need a new approach that links government’s disparate systems and processes together at a local and national level. We encourage the government to take heed of these common-sense recommendations and eradicate the barriers to improving our infrastructure and housing.”