The premise of this book is that there is now a deep crisis in housing supply in many parts of England and that the policy proposals promoted by the government and many commentators are either just tinkering with the problem or will actually exacerbate the situation. We have not learnt the lessons of the 2008 credit crunch and, in fact, we have had a housing deficit whether the country has been in boom or bust. This book contends that we have failed to understand the fundamental deficiencies of the current system and that it is only by radical policy changes that the challenge can be met. It is time to throw off long-held ideological assumptions as to ideal forms of tenure and the relationship of state to market. In the last couple of years, as housing has moved up the political agenda, there has been a plethora of policy reports from think tanks and lobby groups proposing reform to existing housing and planning policy. However, in the view of this author, many of these proposals, if implemented, would have a relatively marginal impact. While there is widespread opposition to the government's recent legislation both within Parliament and from both professional and campaigning groups, there is less certainty as to what the alternative is and how we would get there. At the time of writing in September 2016, both the government and other interested parties are considering measures to intervene in housing delivery in the light of the downturn generated by the European Union (EU) referendum. This book argues that there is a systemic problem that cannot be corrected by short-term measures and that more radical solutions are necessary if the housing market is to be stabilised and the delivery of new homes increased.

I should note the limitations of this short book. First, it is about England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own housing policies as housing is a devolved function. They also have their own national spatial plans, something that England lacks.

The first section of the book sets out the context for the current housing supply crisis. The first chapter summarises the policies of the new Conservative government, focusing on the Housing and Planning Act 2016.