[oliwarner]

No, we need to spread out a bit.

The UK is a ridiculously unsustainable mix of mega-high demand cities with others in almost constant decline. There's no reason everybody has to work in London, Birmingham and Manchester.

That, and stopping developers sit on land while they wait for house prices to come up. Screw it, if we need houses so much, why aren't councils renationalising housebuilding?

There are so many more, objectively better options than continuing the cycle we're currently locked into.

[delucain]

My understanding is that the densely populated cities are the most sustainable form of living we do. It reduces carbon emissions because we need don't have to drive so far to get to the shops or work, and we can use public transportation, further reducing the carbon emissions. The housing gets expensive, because of demand, but it reduces destruction of wildlife habitat. http://www.citylab.com/work/2012/04/why-bigger-cities-are-gr...

[pjc50]

why aren't councils renationalising housebuilding?

They're not allowed to do so, they don't have the money, they don't have any way to raise it, and it would be vulnerable to NIMBYs.