Pathfinder government policy encourages knocking down of old properties in run down areas so land can be given to private developers. If new houses are unaffordable, they are then rented to people on low incomes, but paid for by housing benefit – in 1 famous case in London, a homeless family were installed in a £1 million pound home because the council is legally obliged to provide housing but unable to build houses to rent. Property developers treat housing the same way as shopping centres – extract maximum profit by reducing public space, creating enclaves which reinforce divisions. Areas are bought up with planning permission but there is no incentive to actually build – they are kept as a speculative asset. Small packages of houses are released at a time to maintain house prices. Land value taxation would help. [Anna Minton’s book, reviewed in Sunday Herald]
By contrast, Scotland’s Housing Expo in Inverness represents £12 million of investment in sustainable housing, with 50 different designs of affordable houses.  An attempt has also been made to avoid a car-based topography, with narrow streets that encourage community contact.