Simon Jenkins rightly criticises Keir Starmer’s notion that the solution to the housing shortage is to create a series of new towns in the manner, presumably, of the 1950s and 1960s (Labour’s supposedly bold ‘new towns’ idea has been tried before. And it failed, 12 October). This announcement was no doubt music to the ears of the construction industry, much as John Prescott’s Pathfinder programme, with its egregious narrative of social cleansing and enforced renewal, was widely perceived as a sop to potential party donors in the building industry.
The Labour party would seem to have forgotten that we are living with a climate crisis, and the most sustainable homes are the ones that already exist in our cities. These should be urgently upgraded and fully insulated, without question. Unfortunately, UK governments have collectively subverted this objective by levying VAT on such improvements in existing residential buildings. This is surely one of the great environmental scandals of our time.
David J Black
Edinburgh
• Having sat on local planning committees and seen the damage that badly conceived housing schemes wreak on rural communities, I fear for the future. Such developments damage the environment and are completely at odds with the UK’s net zero commitment. In addition, planning laws that are there for good reason would be torn up, and the views of local people ignored.
The vast sums that would have to be spent on these mammoth projects should be used to improve existing housing and crumbling infrastructure – hospitals, schools, roads – neglected by politicians for decades. Levelling up should be in the forefront of Labour’s minds.
Catherine Francis
Hurtmore, Surrey
• I wonder if Simon Jenkins has ever thought to ask the people who live in new towns whether they consider them to be a success or a failure. My family and I benefited greatly from moving to the new town of East Kilbride. It is unfair to conflate new towns with brutalism. Cumbernauld should not be condemned as a brutalist failure because its town centre building was demolished any more than Portsmouth should be condemned for the demolition of the Tricorn centre. These buildings were the fashion of the time.
The UK has a housing crisis that only public bodies with the powers of a development corporation can alleviate. There is no reason why a carefully planned and situated new town – based on sustainable public transport, digital networking and, most importantly, decent and truly affordable public housing – would not be a success.
Michael Kenny
Glasgow
• Keir Starmer recognises that planning is needed beyond council level, and that infrastructure such as schools and medical facilities have to go alongside. Labour needs to go further, and include jobs in this; it’s foolish to build new towns and make everyone commute to work. At present, builders build where the jobs are, however over-built the locality is. We need regional planning to put jobs, housing and infrastructure together – a job for government, not the market.
Michael Hurdle
Send, Surrey
• Labour could make a good start by stopping all council house sales when it comes into office. The public stock is still being depleted as I write.
Steve Hoselitz
Usk, Monmouthshire
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