whatagwan

The use of green belt land to help overcome the UK housing shortage

By
Azeem Iqbal

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree
BSc (Hons) Building Surveying

Leeds Metropolitan University
April 2013
ABSTRACT
The housing market has been a topic of discussion for many years. This dissertation is concerned with the current state of housing in the UK. The number of homes being built a year currently is way short of the targets set by the government to build 3 million new homes by 2020. The shortfall in the number of homes built and has caused the UK facing a severe housing shortage. The aim for this dissertation was to see whether the use of green belt land will help overcome the housing shortage.
Both primary and secondary research was undertaken to establish the scale of the housing shortage and the factors influencing it. Interviews with all relevant professionals within the housing industry were conducted to give an alternative opinion. The collection of this data helped form a key aspect of the dissertation and give a better understanding of the current conditions within the housing industry.
Continuous building of new homes is crucial in order to meet demands which are never ending. The evidence suggests that UK population is projected to continue to grow to an estimated 67.2million by 2020; a rise of 4.2 million from the year 2010, the increase is due to net migration to the UK and a projected natural increase (more births than deaths) as a consequence of people living longer and higher birth rates.
It is argued by many within the housing industry that the housing shortage will be overcome by the release of some less valuable green belt land. It is mentioned that there is lack of availability of suitable brownfields site in areas of housing demand and where there is availability the sites are littered with problems which make the sites economically unviable

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