Planting ideas to help ease the housing crisis
Tax relief for shifting a nasty week is among the plans to boost housebuilding, says Roland Gribben
The Treasury is digging deep in its efforts to turn more derelict land into sites suitable for housing. Proposals trailed in the Budget to improve the incentives available to developers have been broadened to bring a voracious plant – the Japanese knotweed – into the equation.
Knotweed may appear almost incidental to the housing debate but it is one of a series of issues slowing the pace of development at a time when the housebuilding industry is engaged in feverish consolidation and is battling with the Government over green belt policy. The two sides remain at odds over policy and strategy.
Meanwhile, there is little sign of the gap between housing supply and demand narrowing or the pace of house-price inflation slowing amid concern that industry reconstruction may result in fewer rather than more homes being built. There is no sign either that the march of knotweed is being controlled.
Knotweed is spreading at an alarming rate, causing widespread damage to buildings and adding significantly to the cost of reclaiming land. It is estimated the cost of eradicating the virulent invader could top £1.5bn.
29 March 2007
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