Month: July 2002

To make up for the lack of progress with the window planning application today, I’ve been ultra-productive in other areas. This morning involved an extensive shopping trip around the city, leading to purchases at Waterstones (watch the “current reading” list), Army and Navy (a long-sleeve t-shirt and a brilliant new jacket, both reduced by 50% in the summer sale), some odds and ends (highly exciting – I won’t bore you with them) and a birthday/housewarming gift (the selection of which was a little prolonged as my first choice gift wasn’t available).
After all that, I came home, had a spot of lunch, and then stripped the kitchen bare, washed the walls down (a major undertaking), removed the abominable blind from the window, and slapped on the first coat of ivory paint. It’ll need a second coat as the original colour shows through (you’ll find it on Dulux colour charts labelled “Hideous Pink”). I’ve also to paint the ceiling, replace the light fitting and fill a couple of holes I overlooked in the wall alongside the fridge. And then there is the small matter of the replacement taps, the new floorboards and new carpet – but I promise you, it looks a hell of lot better for a lick of paint!
Now to head to the Chinese for a takeaway, then freshen up and head down to Brookes for some light refreshment.

I’m being less verbose this year. Last year I posted an average of 60KB of text to my blog each month. This year I’ve only posted around 51KB per month so far.

My grand plan for tonight – fill out the forms (all four copies…grrrr) for the planning application for my new windows, and take them to the planning office tomorrow. However, I’ve just discovered that the office isn’t open on Saturdays. grrrrrrr.

Happy birthday to Tom, who seems to have been having a problem getting a handle on the whole concept of turning 30. Well, for me it was great. I had one of the best birthdays I’ve ever had, in spite of having to work the whole day, largely because I was surrounded by my brilliant friends. And since then, I’ve felt more empowered, more sorted, even if the feeling does not entirely reflect the reality.
If you’ve had a thirtieth birthday, go and talk about it at Tom’s 30th Birthday Project.

Beer last night with Bren and Greg. bzzzz.

It seems that AOL Time Warner really *are* not doing as well as they should.

I think there is too much emphasis on providing low cost homes for key workers. Whilst I understand and sympathise with the needs of these people, little mention is ever made of other low-paid workers who are just as vital to the community and who are often even less able to afford to buy housing.
A Grade D nurse living and working in this area will be on a salary of £16405 according to the RCN, including a special cost of living allowance. That’s nearly 25% more than I get as a manager in horticulture – and my wage is typical, judging by adverts I see in the trade press. And I earn considerably more than workers such as those who have been striking recently that work for local authorities, maintaining the infrastructure that supports our everyday lives. And they earn more than many people who work on production lines, in farm fields, in shops and offices.
With a one bed flat in Chichester now costing not less than £95000 (five-and-a-half times the nurse’s income), none of these people can afford to buy a property.
There is only one effective way to solve this. It is not to pay these people more, be that in wages or housing allowances – all that will do is to feed the housing market still further, and drive prices still higher. Nor is it to introduce longer term mortgages of 40 or 50 years duration – that will have the same impact on property prices, but will also lead to debt in old age for a generation. The ONLY solution is to release more land for building, and fast. By dramatically increasing the supply of houses, prices will fall and property will become much more affordable. There will be greater choice and availability.
And 200,000 is peanuts. Independent estimates I have seen suggest that a million homes are needed by 2010 (see below) – so today’s initiative goes only one-fifth of the way to that target within half the time. When will someone wake up to this?
Related:

• Government stifles development by failing to provide supporting infrastructure
• Number of households in UK exceeds number of houses – Shelter estimate 90000 council or housing association dwellings must be built each year for a decade
• South East England Regional Assembly – Planning – the unelected quango that, following Mr Prescott’s statement today, will be taking planning powers from your elected county councils. Whatever happened to Labour’s pledges on democratic and accountable local government?

OK, I’m going to enter this competition. The lure of £1000 is too great. Although how I’d ever cope with the stigma if I won, I just don’t know.

Oh great. In the latest Blogpop rankings, I’ve slipped to 25th, below inkiboo. Although it rates Nico above Meg, so you have to wonder.