Paul Smith
@pmsmith.bsky.social
Developer, land promoter, planner, surveyor, cyclist, YIMBY. MD of The Strategic Land Group, director at LPDF, advisor to PricedOut and columnist for Housing Today.
I write longer things on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/longwall
I write longer things on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/longwall
The Illuminations are good this year.
November 22, 2025 at 7:52 PM
The Illuminations are good this year.
When Jimmy Anderson got Michael Clarke with *that* ball at Trent Bridge in 2013, Clarke was singing the Jimmy chant as he walked into the dressing room.
From this:
www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricke...
From this:
www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricke...
November 18, 2025 at 8:01 AM
When Jimmy Anderson got Michael Clarke with *that* ball at Trent Bridge in 2013, Clarke was singing the Jimmy chant as he walked into the dressing room.
From this:
www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricke...
From this:
www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricke...
November 16, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Here’s the next episode in my 50 Shades podcast series about planning systems elsewhere, to coincide with World Town Planning Day.
This time I spoke to Melissa Neighbour about the Australian approach - the perfect excuse to use this photo of a snoozy koala.
open.spotify.com/episode/7BEz...
This time I spoke to Melissa Neighbour about the Australian approach - the perfect excuse to use this photo of a snoozy koala.
open.spotify.com/episode/7BEz...
November 8, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Here’s the next episode in my 50 Shades podcast series about planning systems elsewhere, to coincide with World Town Planning Day.
This time I spoke to Melissa Neighbour about the Australian approach - the perfect excuse to use this photo of a snoozy koala.
open.spotify.com/episode/7BEz...
This time I spoke to Melissa Neighbour about the Australian approach - the perfect excuse to use this photo of a snoozy koala.
open.spotify.com/episode/7BEz...
When the committee refuses your application against officer advice.
November 6, 2025 at 10:46 PM
When the committee refuses your application against officer advice.
There are few things more exciting than the arrival of a book you’d forgotten you’d pre-ordered.
The Land Trap by @birdyword.bsky.social
The Land Trap by @birdyword.bsky.social
November 6, 2025 at 8:05 PM
There are few things more exciting than the arrival of a book you’d forgotten you’d pre-ordered.
The Land Trap by @birdyword.bsky.social
The Land Trap by @birdyword.bsky.social
A really interesting new study showing that the smaller the area at which we plan for development, the more restrictive policies become.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
November 1, 2025 at 4:01 PM
A really interesting new study showing that the smaller the area at which we plan for development, the more restrictive policies become.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
The government have just published this "package of support for housebuilding in the Capital."
October 23, 2025 at 1:12 PM
The government have just published this "package of support for housebuilding in the Capital."
A young opposition politician once compared housing policy to a game of Buckaroo! - pile on too much and the donkey throws it all off.
Have we reached that point?
I've tried to answer that in this post (and you'll find out who the politician was...)
👇 👇 👇
longwall.substack.com/p/buckaroo-t...
Have we reached that point?
I've tried to answer that in this post (and you'll find out who the politician was...)
👇 👇 👇
longwall.substack.com/p/buckaroo-t...
October 21, 2025 at 9:31 AM
A young opposition politician once compared housing policy to a game of Buckaroo! - pile on too much and the donkey throws it all off.
Have we reached that point?
I've tried to answer that in this post (and you'll find out who the politician was...)
👇 👇 👇
longwall.substack.com/p/buckaroo-t...
Have we reached that point?
I've tried to answer that in this post (and you'll find out who the politician was...)
👇 👇 👇
longwall.substack.com/p/buckaroo-t...
Stockport have responded to the intervention letter from @matthewpennycookmp.bsky.social, but this foreword makes it clear they're really not happy about it.
Some Stockport facts:
- Last plan adopted in 2011.
- 1.77 year housing land supply.
- 238% increase in affordable housing need since 2019.
Some Stockport facts:
- Last plan adopted in 2011.
- 1.77 year housing land supply.
- 238% increase in affordable housing need since 2019.
October 17, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Stockport have responded to the intervention letter from @matthewpennycookmp.bsky.social, but this foreword makes it clear they're really not happy about it.
Some Stockport facts:
- Last plan adopted in 2011.
- 1.77 year housing land supply.
- 238% increase in affordable housing need since 2019.
Some Stockport facts:
- Last plan adopted in 2011.
- 1.77 year housing land supply.
- 238% increase in affordable housing need since 2019.
Sometimes I worry about tech companies knowing everything about me.
And then I get served adverts like this asking if I ever played elite rugby.
And then I get served adverts like this asking if I ever played elite rugby.
October 16, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Sometimes I worry about tech companies knowing everything about me.
And then I get served adverts like this asking if I ever played elite rugby.
And then I get served adverts like this asking if I ever played elite rugby.
I suppose it was inevitable that planning would feature in the new season of Partridge.
October 13, 2025 at 5:49 PM
I suppose it was inevitable that planning would feature in the new season of Partridge.
One from the archive.
A Michael Gove piece from 2009 for Building Magazine, warning of the dangers of loading too many regulatory requirements onto new homes.
www.building.co.uk/comment/buck...
A Michael Gove piece from 2009 for Building Magazine, warning of the dangers of loading too many regulatory requirements onto new homes.
www.building.co.uk/comment/buck...
October 8, 2025 at 8:03 AM
One from the archive.
A Michael Gove piece from 2009 for Building Magazine, warning of the dangers of loading too many regulatory requirements onto new homes.
www.building.co.uk/comment/buck...
A Michael Gove piece from 2009 for Building Magazine, warning of the dangers of loading too many regulatory requirements onto new homes.
www.building.co.uk/comment/buck...
Slightly odd report, this.
It identifies viability as the biggest obstacle to delivery.
Then proposes some things that will reduce cost but a whole load more that will increase them.
🔗 keycities.uk/wp-content/u...
It identifies viability as the biggest obstacle to delivery.
Then proposes some things that will reduce cost but a whole load more that will increase them.
🔗 keycities.uk/wp-content/u...
October 7, 2025 at 6:42 AM
Slightly odd report, this.
It identifies viability as the biggest obstacle to delivery.
Then proposes some things that will reduce cost but a whole load more that will increase them.
🔗 keycities.uk/wp-content/u...
It identifies viability as the biggest obstacle to delivery.
Then proposes some things that will reduce cost but a whole load more that will increase them.
🔗 keycities.uk/wp-content/u...
And we’re building far fewer than they are too.
October 3, 2025 at 7:47 AM
And we’re building far fewer than they are too.
We have far fewer homes relative to our population size than other European countries.
October 3, 2025 at 7:47 AM
We have far fewer homes relative to our population size than other European countries.
He’s braver than me though - would you cross this man?
September 28, 2025 at 8:56 AM
He’s braver than me though - would you cross this man?
A summary of Andy Burnham’s housing record from @rcolvile.bsky.social in today’s Sunday Times.
September 28, 2025 at 8:56 AM
A summary of Andy Burnham’s housing record from @rcolvile.bsky.social in today’s Sunday Times.
Labour will miss its 1.5m homes target by 2030.
But missing the number doesn’t have to mean missing the chance to change direction.
I’ve explained what’s been done, what still needs to happen, and how delivery can rise again.
🔗 open.substack.com/pub/longwall...
But missing the number doesn’t have to mean missing the chance to change direction.
I’ve explained what’s been done, what still needs to happen, and how delivery can rise again.
🔗 open.substack.com/pub/longwall...
September 17, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Labour will miss its 1.5m homes target by 2030.
But missing the number doesn’t have to mean missing the chance to change direction.
I’ve explained what’s been done, what still needs to happen, and how delivery can rise again.
🔗 open.substack.com/pub/longwall...
But missing the number doesn’t have to mean missing the chance to change direction.
I’ve explained what’s been done, what still needs to happen, and how delivery can rise again.
🔗 open.substack.com/pub/longwall...
I've written about puddles again, this time for Housebuilder magazine.
We've found ourselves in a position where the planning system is actually doing a *worse* job of protecting homes from surface water flooding than it used to, despite it being a really easy policy fix.
We've found ourselves in a position where the planning system is actually doing a *worse* job of protecting homes from surface water flooding than it used to, despite it being a really easy policy fix.
September 10, 2025 at 11:07 AM
I've written about puddles again, this time for Housebuilder magazine.
We've found ourselves in a position where the planning system is actually doing a *worse* job of protecting homes from surface water flooding than it used to, despite it being a really easy policy fix.
We've found ourselves in a position where the planning system is actually doing a *worse* job of protecting homes from surface water flooding than it used to, despite it being a really easy policy fix.
Got a chance to actually say Yes In My Back Yard today.
August 31, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Got a chance to actually say Yes In My Back Yard today.
When we say the planning system is discretionary, here’s an example of what that means.
It’s the last section of an actual consultation response from a council on a live application.
Essentially “this is what we think right now, but we reserve the right to change our mind.”
It’s the last section of an actual consultation response from a council on a live application.
Essentially “this is what we think right now, but we reserve the right to change our mind.”
August 29, 2025 at 1:53 PM
When we say the planning system is discretionary, here’s an example of what that means.
It’s the last section of an actual consultation response from a council on a live application.
Essentially “this is what we think right now, but we reserve the right to change our mind.”
It’s the last section of an actual consultation response from a council on a live application.
Essentially “this is what we think right now, but we reserve the right to change our mind.”
The “things to do” page of the Windsor Castle website is 🔥
August 19, 2025 at 6:45 PM
The “things to do” page of the Windsor Castle website is 🔥