Housing Emergency - Michael Keaveny, Grainger PLC
I am joined by Michael Keaveney the Director of Land and Development at Grainger PLC, the UK's Largest Landlord to discuss the UK's Housing Emergency.
Michael is probably the most qualified person I have ever spoken to on UK Housing, and my gosh did it show!
We discussed;
- Michaels background and career going from a degree in Building surveying to working for project managers and private developers to his current role at Grainger PLC.
- The difference between how private companies and public companies operate in the Development space.
- How the Development industry has changed over the past 30 years.
- The problems of Town Planning and how it has been politicised.
- How NIMBYism is a disease.
- Why the rhetoric & the narrative of pro development is the biggest single change to planning reform.
- Why he feels we are in a Housing Emergency.
- £2.3 Billion a year being spent on Temporary Accommodation and housing waiting lists being out of control.
- Why the Renters Reform Bill & Renters Rights Bill were direct responses to the Private Rental Sector being used by people that cannot afford it and should not be in it.
- Mom & Pop Landlords, accidental landlords, part time landlords and how important they are for the PRS.
- Why he does not agree George Osbourne's main aim was to institutionalise the PRS.
- According to surveys of customers/tenants in the PRS, the vast majority get a good deal, so why are the PRS demonised?
- Why he is happy with the majority of reform of rental industry in the renters rights bill.
- Why no one speaks about how the PRS has propped up housebuilding in the UK.
- Similarities with Section 106 in suburban areas holding up development and the PRS demonisation stalling ultra urban development.
- Why Private investment is vital for UK housebuilding, development and infrastructure.
- Why most house builders are now avoiding ultra urban schemes in favour of less units of housing.
- Why rate of sale is so key for house builders.
- The ability of private capital to say no to investing in Housing in the UK.
- Why policy makers need to understand what development needs to be viable.
- Why Michael agrees with approaches by the GLA in the past to percentages of affordable housing needed on sites.
- Why he prefers the ideas of grants to the dropping of tariffs for housing.
- Why the loss of SME developers in the market is a disaster.
- Where he feels there are opportunities for SME Developers.
- The costs of getting to planning for SME Developers.
- Why big house builders cannot be set up in this environment and what needs to change.
- Labour seeking to tackle red tape around town planning.
- Planning isn't THE problem but it is a problem.
- Why Landbanking is a misnomer.
- £90 Billion required to build 90,000 social homes.
- Why the SME builds in a different way to big house builders and why we have lost capacity in the UK to build lots of houses in different areas.
- Why subsidy for social homes is vital.
- Michael gives advice to any young person who is looking to get into the real estate industry.
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