Social Progress Party
Politics to serve all of society, not just the wealthy and powerful.
Housing & Planning
Invest in public housing to reduce homelessness and waiting lists:
End “right to buy”; expand and improve temporary accommodation; greater local consultation and community input to planning.
Underlying Principles:
A progressive society should be able to create conditions that allow for its population to be safely housed in accommodation that lets them pursue healthy and productive lives.
Planning consent should respect the communities and the natural environment in which the related development will be based.
Permissions for new developments, whether commercial, retail, public, or for accommodation, must properly consider the impact on local infrastructure as to whether the build is sustainable, and if contributions to the expansion or improvement of that infrastructure by the developer would be appropriate.
Climate change impact must also be a key factor for planning approval, both of the development itself on climate change, and of climate change on the development. Incorporation of energy efficient measures, renewable energy sources and low carbon materials must be prioritised. Potential impacts of coastal erosion, flooding, drought, extreme temperature fluctuations, wildfires and pollution should also be prominent factors in the decision-making process.
Defensive planning measures to mitigate the impact of climate change must be considered in light of the total financial and social value they represent over the medium and long term. Assessment of such value should reflect the cost of construction and long-term maintenance, the likely effective lifespan, the incremental environmental impact of the measures, the cost and impact of alternative solutions, and the social, cultural and historical value of the areas being protected. We acknowledge that in some cases it may be a better overall approach to abandon the area to change and compensate any affected individuals or businesses for their loss than to implement prohibitively expensive and/or unproven defensive measures. We must avoid “sticking plaster” solutions that drain resources but are ineffective in the long term.
Sales & Purchases in the private and commercial housing sectors should be as frictionless as possible, with fewer opportunities for bad faith actors to disrupt them for personal gain.
Penalties for bad faith property chain disruptors.
Stamp Duty to be paid 50/50 by buyer and seller
Rent and letting costs to be linked to local residents’ average household incomes.
Tenant regulation to be tightened to protect the rights of renters to maintain a home and those of landlords to collect rent and protect their property.
Policies - please click on the areas you are interested in for more details
Second home ownership and holidays lets to be restricted to a maximum proportion of an area’s local homes, fixed by local councils.
Remove “Right to Buy” to protect stock of council accommodation.
Tighten accountability, regulations and penalties for home builders on service charges, ground rent, 'land-banking' and/or substandard builds.
Tenant regulation to be tightened to protect the rights of renters to maintain a home and those of landlords to collect rent and protect their property.
Increase planning control budget and number of inspectors.
Use quality mobile home accommodation parks to reduce housing waiting lists and avoid B&B solutions.
Review any existing long-term planning responses to climate change to ensure that these have considered the relevant factors outlined in the Underlying Principles section above.