And our rivers too

Take it and pass it on to someone else who may need it once you are done with it x

I would love How to Grow a Grown Up. I was lucky enough to attend one of Dr Thompson’s talk. She is fab. I will happily buy a second copy of her book for someone struggling with their teenager or anxious about the teenage years ahead!

We can—and must—do better. This conversation is worth listening to, and so is the report linked below.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=BxA_...

Paving over green spaces may be lucrative in the short term, but we’ll all pay the price—through flooding, loss of biodiversity, disappearing farmland, and the erosion of village life. There are better, more sustainable ways to build. What we need is vision and leadership—not more of the same.

It’s frustrating to see you so readily swayed by the industry's narrative. Instead of challenging those with power and resources, your criticism are aimed at anxious communities. Why not hold developers and governments to higher standards? Why not expect integrity and long-term thinking?

People are tired. Tired of rogue developers prioritising profit over quality. Tired of the flawed 20% viability loophole. Tired of poor construction, broken promises, land banking, and a planning system that puts developers in the driver’s seat.

As a councillor in a small village, I deal with planning issues every day. Residents here understand the need for more homes. But they also understand that what we need are homes people can actually afford—not more luxury developments and £1m+ properties that do nothing to solve the real crisis.

I'm a big fan of your show and have been truly inspired by both of your contributions. That’s why I was so disappointed by your recent comments on planning. I believe you’ve got this one wrong. The housing crisis is a crisis of truly affordable and social housing.