@richardblyth.bsky.social
Chartered town planner and trainee theologian
What that graph tells me is that the greatest damage to housing was 1 the GFA and 2 Brexit. We had the same planning system as now in 2000-07 and it was doing pretty well - alongside helpful policies like Growth Points. So the focus on planning "reform" may be misplaced.
November 11, 2025 at 10:29 AM
What that graph tells me is that the greatest damage to housing was 1 the GFA and 2 Brexit. We had the same planning system as now in 2000-07 and it was doing pretty well - alongside helpful policies like Growth Points. So the focus on planning "reform" may be misplaced.
Seems so very odd to people in, say, Prague who just put their waste in the big bins under the pavement any day they like.
November 11, 2025 at 7:29 AM
Seems so very odd to people in, say, Prague who just put their waste in the big bins under the pavement any day they like.
Yet I'll bet a lot of greenfield land round Sleaford has been allocated since, er, 1976...
November 10, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Yet I'll bet a lot of greenfield land round Sleaford has been allocated since, er, 1976...
I think if we adopted international accounting standards we would do this, I was told. But, Treasury brain.
November 10, 2025 at 3:55 PM
I think if we adopted international accounting standards we would do this, I was told. But, Treasury brain.
The anti-developers because they don't want to improve development, they just want it to stop it altogether. 2/2
November 9, 2025 at 6:08 PM
The anti-developers because they don't want to improve development, they just want it to stop it altogether. 2/2
Both sides in this debate pay little attention to the effort made by planners to improve applications.
The anti planners because they don't want to allow for the state to be helpful at all.
1/2
The anti planners because they don't want to allow for the state to be helpful at all.
1/2
November 9, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Both sides in this debate pay little attention to the effort made by planners to improve applications.
The anti planners because they don't want to allow for the state to be helpful at all.
1/2
The anti planners because they don't want to allow for the state to be helpful at all.
1/2
London escaped well. A formative experience for me was seeing rows of fine 30s semis in Liverpool scheduled to be destroyed to extend the M62 by one junction. The railway line adjoining, the oldest intercity line in the world, remained diesel until about 50 years later.
November 9, 2025 at 1:15 PM
London escaped well. A formative experience for me was seeing rows of fine 30s semis in Liverpool scheduled to be destroyed to extend the M62 by one junction. The railway line adjoining, the oldest intercity line in the world, remained diesel until about 50 years later.
Ditto Northern Ireland
November 9, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Ditto Northern Ireland
I feel rail to trail campaigners really let the side down. The only time a ROAD was ever turned into a trail (to somehow even the score) was the Winchester bypass.
November 9, 2025 at 9:08 AM
I feel rail to trail campaigners really let the side down. The only time a ROAD was ever turned into a trail (to somehow even the score) was the Winchester bypass.
I guess thats the idea
November 9, 2025 at 8:19 AM
I guess thats the idea
Reposted
Separately to my other reply, your post reminded me of a 1970s cartoon that I just managed to find online
November 8, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Separately to my other reply, your post reminded me of a 1970s cartoon that I just managed to find online
The point of overhead lockers was to accommodate what was wanted en voyage, not passengers whole luggage
Do hope you get your bag back asap
Do hope you get your bag back asap
November 8, 2025 at 1:44 PM
The point of overhead lockers was to accommodate what was wanted en voyage, not passengers whole luggage
Do hope you get your bag back asap
Do hope you get your bag back asap
Such a stupid idea to make passengers carry their own bags. Sounded good when first proposed, but turns out it is a real tragedy of commons.
November 8, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Such a stupid idea to make passengers carry their own bags. Sounded good when first proposed, but turns out it is a real tragedy of commons.
Snap, as regards the 9.01 ...
November 6, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Snap, as regards the 9.01 ...
Pretty much goes for most areas of public policy IMHO. Especially housing.
November 6, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Pretty much goes for most areas of public policy IMHO. Especially housing.
Being able to write and say how are you has taken about 5 weeks...
November 5, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Being able to write and say how are you has taken about 5 weeks...
I'm now starting my first language with a different writing system. (You can't really say 'alphabet' as not all languages have alphabets.)
It feels like learning to read at age 4. Lots of putting the finger on the syllables and reading out loud.
It feels like learning to read at age 4. Lots of putting the finger on the syllables and reading out loud.
November 5, 2025 at 12:35 PM
I'm now starting my first language with a different writing system. (You can't really say 'alphabet' as not all languages have alphabets.)
It feels like learning to read at age 4. Lots of putting the finger on the syllables and reading out loud.
It feels like learning to read at age 4. Lots of putting the finger on the syllables and reading out loud.
Ah sorry I meant the "speculation" of journalists, not of yourself, who definitely does know the stuff! 🙂
November 4, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Ah sorry I meant the "speculation" of journalists, not of yourself, who definitely does know the stuff! 🙂
Govts have been "reforming" planning since 1980, usually by doing pretty much the same thing as their predecessors, but all it tends to achieve is delay and confusion. Wondee if putting the same effort into simply buying some land and building houses on it might have been better.
November 4, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Govts have been "reforming" planning since 1980, usually by doing pretty much the same thing as their predecessors, but all it tends to achieve is delay and confusion. Wondee if putting the same effort into simply buying some land and building houses on it might have been better.
What is at least as helpful as all this speculation on direct services is better and guaranteed connections e.g. at Lille or Brussels. None of this fretting about getting train manager stamps and hoping subsequent trains have seats. Much more doable surely.
November 3, 2025 at 12:39 PM
What is at least as helpful as all this speculation on direct services is better and guaranteed connections e.g. at Lille or Brussels. None of this fretting about getting train manager stamps and hoping subsequent trains have seats. Much more doable surely.