Creating long-term value for society and improving quality of life

Professor Anne Power, Head of Housing and Communities at LSE

Britain is a crowded island with the longest urban-industrial history in the world. Buildings are everywhere and matter dearly to us. But how can we ensure our built environment provides enough housing to go around, economic opportunities for all, and a sustainable and attractive quality of life?

First we need more low cost, secure, decent, long-term renting for those on too low incomes to buy. Protecting and densifying existing social housing estates with infill building, allows social landlords to provide more low-cost housing for core city workers.

Second, isolated elderly people often seriously under-occupy space they no longer need. We can create major incentives and support to downsize to smaller, higher quality units with amenities close by. Thus we free up much needed family housing for people with children.

Third, we should revalue and renovate existing infrastructure and buildings, creating clusters of cared for streets, gardens, parks, making local services attractive.

Fourth, cars use nearly half of our built-up space! We can tame traffic and displace many cars, with public transport, protecting cycle and pedestrian ways, turning density an asset.

Fifth, raising the skill level and status of low-paid jobs will make cities work. Constant repair and reuse makes more room in less space. Caring for what we have and sharing it more equally generates multiple economic opportunities and social opportunities. It is labour intensive, people-focussed, long-term and environmental.

Professor Anne Power

Head of Housing and Communities at LSE

 Anne Power has been involved in European and American housing and urban problems since 1965. She is Professor of Social Policy at the London School of Economics and Head of LSE Housing and Communities, a research group based within the Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion. Anne is a visiting senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in the United States of America, and leads the Housing Plus Academy programme.

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