Starmer's vision quest

[First Aspect]

The article linked to gives several causes, many down to Government policy decisions.

I didn't even realise there was a link, sorry.

It doesn't really say that there are multiple reasons attributable to Labour, just budget uncertainty, meaning they are in a period of low demand resulting from decisions deferred back in the summer. This seems fair.

The article also said business confidence in the sector for the coming year is more positive.

Is that balanced?

 

[CXRAndy]

I don't imagine shrinking the UK population to appease the xenophobes is going to help: shortage of workers in necessary trades, and fewer families needing housing. I suspect Polish builders are benefitting.

Yet, it opens up the 'you are worthless white males' to opportunities they never thought they would get under DIE and mass immigration.

 

[Psamathe]

I didn't even realise there was a link, sorry.

It doesn't really say that there are multiple reasons attributable to Labour, just budget uncertainty, meaning they are in a period of low demand resulting from decisions deferred back in the summer. This seems fair.

The article also said business confidence in the sector for the coming year is more positive.

Is that balanced?

Also from same article

The budget’s prioritisation of higher welfare spending rather than investment will come as a disappointment to many builders, and the boost to activity from falling interest rates will be modest this year.

“Meanwhile, the chancellor’s mansion tax will exert further downward pressure on the housing market. So, we expect only modest growth in construction sector activity in 2026, with risks tilted to the downside.”

From April 2028, the government will introduce a high-value council tax surcharge – which has been labelled a “mansion tax”

 

[First Aspect]

Are they really arguing that the sector as a whole will be damaged by an additional tax on all of the £2m.properties they are building?

Last time I drove down the motorway the developments under construction right next to it didn't have very many of those.

Just a guess, but that might be bollocks.

 

[Xipe Totec]

From Yorkshire,

dont pay for anything I dont need to.

Well, I'm overjoyed to be able to tell you that it appears it's all a lie - courtesy of MechaHitler itself, which seems to have hallucinated a paywall feature that doesn't exist.

https://www.theverge.com/news/859309/grok-undressing-limit-access-gaslighting

So now you can, should you choose, disrobe & deepfake lefties, lesbians, murder victims & prepubescent children until your withered, blackened excuse for a heart's content, without parting with a single penny!

That doesn't exempt you from any awkward legal fees incurred after they come for your hard drive, though.

 

[CXRAndy]

My hard drives are fine thanks

 

[Pblakeney]

Are they really arguing that the sector as a whole will be damaged by an additional tax on all of the £2m.properties they are building?

Last time I drove down the motorway the developments under construction right next to it didn't have very many of those.

Just a guess, but that might be bollocks.

That's my impression too. There are houses being built on any spare land, including farmland, and none will be liable for extra taxes.
Obviously just a local perspective. Things may well be different in the already congested SE.

 

[First Aspect]

.

That's my impression too. There are houses being built on any spare land, including farmland, and none will be liable for extra taxes.
Obviously just a local perspective. Things may well be different in the already congested SE.

I would have thought outside of central London £2m was a fairly generous budget anywhere. Kevin McLoud might be short of work for his next series I suppose.

 

[CXRAndy]

View: https://x.com/i/status/2009675185428017565


This is going to backfire spectacularly for Starmer. He's not mentioning any other platform.

He is about to release the biggest Streisand effect

 

[Psamathe]

Are they really arguing that the sector as a whole will be damaged by an additional tax on all of the £2m.properties they are building?

I'm not a housing market expert but I assumed it becomes a question of mobility when wealthy buy more valuable putting less valuable property on the market purchased by somebody who sells their lower value property etc. A blockage in the "flow backs up to lower value properties as people are not moving up to higher value ones.

Near me small development <20 houses and developer can't sell them. Been on the market for over 10 months and not sold. All 4 bedroom "premium development".

 

[Pblakeney]

I'm not a housing market expert but I assumed it becomes a question of mobility when wealthy buy more valuable putting less valuable property on the market purchased by somebody who sells their lower value property etc. A blockage in the "flow backs up to lower value properties as people are not moving up to higher value ones.

Near me small development <20 houses and developer can't sell them. Been on the market for over 10 months and not sold. All 4 bedroom "premium development".

They should have built more affordable 2 or 3 bedroom houses.

 

[briantrumpet]

They should have built more affordable 2 or 3 bedroom houses.

I think the developers convinced themselves that there would be an ever-expanding market for more expensive homes, and time after time planning permission was granted on the basis of a certain number of smaller affordable homes, then the developers would say that the development wasn't economical, so the number of 'executive homes' was increased to the detriment of affordable units.

And here we are.

 

[First Aspect]

I'm not a housing market expert but I assumed it becomes a question of mobility when wealthy buy more valuable putting less valuable property on the market purchased by somebody who sells their lower value property etc. A blockage in the "flow backs up to lower value properties as people are not moving up to higher value ones.

Near me small development <20 houses and developer can't sell them. Been on the market for over 10 months and not sold. All 4 bedroom "premium development".

I don't see how an entirely new supply of houses in a climate of houaing shortages would be detrimentally affected by a reduction in supply of existing properties at a comparable value.

 

[CXRAndy]

Everyone is wary about taking on more debt- zero consumer confidence

 

[Psamathe]

They should have built more affordable 2 or 3 bedroom houses.

My understanding is it's the 4/4+ bedroom properties that provide max. profits. Hence developers not being so keen on 2 or 3 bedroom properties.

But I'm just repeating what I've read/been told except I can see that for a given land area higher bedroom numbers squeezes more bedrooms on given plot size.