Changing the Rules to Secure More and Better Housing

About this episode

In this episode, Paul sits down with Tony Vickers, Chairman of West Park’s Council, who has had a long career in land use, planning and property development. Together, they discuss how land value is created, the case for land value taxation, and what it will take to solve the UK’s housing crisis. Paul and Tony explore why collaboration between developers, policymakers, and communities matters, drawing on international examples and hard-won experience to reveal what really drives land values—and who should benefit. KEY TAKEAWAYS Traditional adversarial relationships in property development are holding us back. Collaborative approaches between policymakers and developers are essential for addressing housing shortages. The value of land is significantly influenced by the surrounding community and public investment, e.g. infrastructure, amenities, and shared demand, not so much by the owner. A land value tax would share the fruits of the value increase more fairly. Taxing land value, instead of just housing transactions, encourages development, can fund local services, and make housing fairer. Tony shares the details of the exact mechanisms that make this happen. The c