Finn Williams and David Chipperfield have written an opinion piece in The Guardian that argues against the government’s plans to deregulate the planning process in an attempt to build more housing. Responding to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s ‘new deal’ speech, they argue that the housing crisis that the UK is facing is “not because we have an over-regulated planning system but because we have a disenfranchised and dismantled one”. Pointing out that the private sector has failed to deliver either the number or quality of homes required over many years, the article makes the case for a stronger public sector, with the power and structures to plan proactively.
Finn Williams is co-founder of the Public Practice, a non-profit social enterprise that seeks to build the public sector’s capacity for proactive planning. He was interviewed by David Chipperfield in the July/August issue of Domus magazine.