New CEBR analysis for Babelfish finds 1.4m homes could be built on brownfield land, adding 0.9% to GDP a year for a decade. Half already have planning permission.
Laura Fled Domestic Abuse. Now Mouldy Water Drips on Her Kids
Laura has bid for a social home since 2018. She lives with three children in a damp, mice-infested flat plagued by mould, mice, ants, flies and even sewage issues.
After fleeing domestic abuse with her children, mother-of-three Laura, 41, thought they would finally be safe.
"Instead, we are living in conditions that are making us ill. Our flat is plagued by mould, mice, ants, flies and even sewage issues."
"The damp is so severe that I spent the entire winter fearing my children would become seriously unwell. I've had to stop bathing them at home because yellow, mouldy water drips from the ceiling into the bath. No proper repairs have been carried out – the only mould removal has been done by me."
Laura is in a two-bedroom temporary accommodation flat in London with her two sons, aged seven and two, and five-year-old daughter.
They became homeless after fleeing domestic abuse and she has been bidding for a social home since 2018 before turning to housing charity Shelter for support.
"It feels like nobody cares," she said. "My eldest son is autistic, and this environment is having a devastating impact on him. He needs a quiet, safe space to regulate – this is not a luxury, it is essential for his wellbeing. Instead, we are all crammed into a space where he cannot escape noise.
"I am a teacher, but I have had to stop working to home-educate my children because our housing situation is so unstable. We are stuck in limbo, not knowing how long we will be here or where we will be sent next.
"I am raising three children, educating them, and trying to help them recover from the trauma of domestic abuse – all while living in unsafe, unsuitable housing.
"We are still stuck far down the social housing waiting list. Bidding feels pointless. There are simply not enough homes, and too many families like mine are being left behind.
"A secure social home would change everything. It would give my children a chance to heal. It would allow me to return to work and rebuild our lives. Social housing in this country is not working. Families like mine are being forced to live in unsafe, degrading conditions for months – even years – with no end in sight. This must be a government priority. We are not asking for luxury, we are asking for safety, dignity, and a place to call home."
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Survation polling for Babelfish finds more people back than oppose charging housebuilders council tax on consented land they haven't built on. 49% back brownfield.
New CEBR research for Babelfish: 1.4m brownfield homes would unleash £259bn and return £1.92 for every £1 spent. The big five sit on 869,000 plots instead.
Britain's big five sit on 869,000 plots worth £275bn and build slowly to keep prices high. Start the rates clock the day permission is granted.
Barratt Redrow, Taylor Wimpey, Persimmon, Vistry and Bellway hold 869,000 plots between them. Taylor Wimpey's landbank alone would take 19.5 years to build out.