IF I WAS IN CHARGE OF HOUSING POLICY…

George Clarke is an architect, a very busy television presenter (currently filming FIVE series) and a committed Big Issue ambassador. He’s also a proud proponent of social housing, a vocal critic of the government’s housing policies, and a genuine expert when it comes to how to build for the future.

Given the housing crisis and the worrying likelihood of an imminent rise in homelessness, shouldn’t we be listening to experts? We say yes.

When the country is crying out for affordable, high-quality, future-proofed, ecologically sound housing – let’s hear expert voices on the state of the nation’s housing, on planning rules, on how we house people now and into the future.

And Clarke is the expert when it comes to these things. So we asked him what he would do if he was in charge of housing policy. And over the course of 90 minutes, he offered up his expertise, passion and vision.

A NEW PLAN FOR PLANNING

I would change the planning system. I would make it quicker and more streamlined but still accountable in terms of design standards. The planning system and our slightly antiquated way of categorising how people live and work is not right for 21st-century