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The UK is running a large immigration program, but its cities are fundamentally limited in size due to restrictive green belts. As a result, any increase in pop

The UK is running a large immigration program, but its cities are fundamentally limited in size due to restrictive green belts. As a result, any increase in population will lead to a direct increase in land values, incentivising corners to be cut on the actual building work in order to meet budgets. The UK and other developed countries should set a population cap (they are all at or below replacement fertility anyway) and restrict immigration to ensure this cap is never exceeded. We are seeing the same problems in other countries like Australia where heavy levels of immigration are pushing land values beyond reasonable levels and straining the construction and planning industry.

RobLach 8y ago
I don’t intend this to be a personal attack but I think you need to take a step back and re-evaluate what you’re saying because what I’m reading is that because of increasing populations, property is more valuable, which creates more opportunities for corners to be cut as land is developed; and then the solution to that problem is to ensure land doesn’t increase in value by implementing strict population controls by the state. I don’t even think immigration is a core element of your argument since logically you’d still want to limit the native population through some sort of dystopic state level program.
- beerlord 8y ago
  The UK fertility rate is 1.80. Replacement rate is 2.10. All of the increase to population is through immigration, and can be controlled through simple Government policies.
  - RobLach 8y ago
    Currently
tonyedgecombe 8y ago
The main reason we have a housing problem is we have gone from a population of three generations to four. Immigration has an effect but it's small compared to this.
- beerlord 8y ago
  Overseas net migration the UK is 273,000 per annum. About half of the increase in the population is due to births exceeding deaths, the rest is just foreign immigration. The entire point of the argument is that if houses and land are too expensive for young people, then either increase the supply or reduce demand. The most direct methods are to remove the green belts/urban boundaries around cities, or reduce immigration.

RobLach 8y ago

I don’t intend this to be a personal attack but I think you need to take a step back and re-evaluate what you’re saying because what I’m reading is that because of increasing populations, property is more valuable, which creates more opportunities for corners to be cut as land is developed; and then the solution to that problem is to ensure land doesn’t increase in value by implementing strict population controls by the state. I don’t even think immigration is a core element of your argument since logically you’d still want to limit the native population through some sort of dystopic state level program.

beerlord 8y ago
The UK fertility rate is 1.80. Replacement rate is 2.10. All of the increase to population is through immigration, and can be controlled through simple Government policies.
- RobLach 8y ago
  Currently

tonyedgecombe 8y ago

The main reason we have a housing problem is we have gone from a population of three generations to four. Immigration has an effect but it's small compared to this.

beerlord 8y ago
Overseas net migration the UK is 273,000 per annum. About half of the increase in the population is due to births exceeding deaths, the rest is just foreign immigration. The entire point of the argument is that if houses and land are too expensive for young people, then either increase the supply or reduce demand. The most direct methods are to remove the green belts/urban boundaries around cities, or reduce immigration.