Simon Jenkins is right to say that the future of Britain’s economy rests in its towns, and I would add suburbs (The age of the office is over – the future lies in Britain’s commuter towns, 13 August). Unfortunately this will add to house price inflation, social disparities, congestion and pollution unless action is taken to mobilise under-used land close to railway stations and other infrastructure.
Such sites can lie vacant for decades, while housebuilders focus on easier and more profitable sites in the countryside (as can be seen around Stroud where I am writing from). The solution does not lie in more roads, but in using the Covid-19 crisis to rebalance the way we live and move. This could in turn provide a much-needed boost to our struggling economy.
My report on the state of London’s suburban town centres (Over the Edge?) highlighted contrasts with those in the surrounding areas. The disparities reinforce the need for regional and spatial planning, and for financial mechanisms to support planning reform. It would be folly to assume that somehow the property market will fix the problems without first levelling the playing fields.
Dr Nicholas Falk
Stroud, Gloucestershire
