The Davidson Prize

Britain is not building enough homes, but the failure is not universal. While some authorities have tackled the housing crisis head on, others have obstructed and vacillated. One child in every classroom is now homeless. This is a scandal and a crisis.

Consequences already exist for councils which fail to meet housing targets, but these are not enough. We propose a radical solution: any authority falling below 50% of its target becomes a "beta borough", where transformative and experimental planning policy comes into play, targeted at borough boundaries; often major transport arteries—the ideal location for experimentation.

This could take different forms: mandating minimum building heights of six storeys on every plot within 100m of Barnet's boundary, automatic approval of airspace extensions to blocks of flats along the edges of Ealing; or relaxation of space standards within a stone's throw of the borders of Brent. These interfaces become a petri-dish for innovation. Through hyper-local policy interventions, homeowners and developers can experiment with new ideas. Alternative forms of living are not well served by conventional policies: not everyone conforms to the standard model of family housing. Where are the two-bed two-person flats for cohabiting friends? The extended apartments for extended families? Do corridors compromise collective living? Do excessive window distances promote privacy but exacerbate loneliness?

Restrictive regulation has stifled innovation and failed to deliver the homes we need. Beta boroughs could shake things up, and in five years we could test some radical ideas that shape the following fifty.

RCKa
Russell Curtis, Architecture
Anna Crew, Architecture
Alan Beveridge, Architecture
Tahera Rouf, Architecture