Legatum fellow and founding director of Create Streets, Nicholas Boys Smith, outlines the research programme that Create Streets is currently conducting together with the Legatum Institute

The UK’s house building record is poor when compared with many other countries; we build fewer homes, and these tend to be smaller and more expensive than elsewhere. House prices have also gone up faster than in any comparable economy. Recent statistics suggest that first-time buyers take an average of five years to save the required deposit, compared with just two years in the 1960s.

The Legatum Institute and Create Streets are working together to help tackle the housing crisis. Our Planning 3.0 project asks what the planning system should look like in 2030 in order to deliver sufficient numbers of affordable homes, creating a new pathway to prosperity, and a new generation of homeowners.

There is currently a call for evidence out with a quick survey. There’s a version for planning professionals here, and a version for the general public here.  Please do fill it in and share too if you have the time.