I wouldn’t want to exaggerate the matter but I have in recent times found myself thinking a lot about my housing situation and the current environment a generation of people like me find ourselves in. I’m a millennial and the reality is hitting home that I am part of a generation who is not only poorer than our parents but it’s also highly probable that I won’t be able to buy my own home. Definitely not in London anyway. My only option for home ownership in London is the notorious shared ownership housing scheme, which will never work for me because in my opinion leasehold will never truly be ownership, never mind the soaring costs.
So, what does a young family of four like mine do? We rent privately for the time being, save up as much as we can, manage small investments and aspire for a life away from profit driven housing developments, to spaces where a real home with uniqueness and character can be ours for generations. It’s funny how that increasingly sounds like a fairy-tale but I’m optimistic. Unfortunately, for housing developments like the one I live on currently, increased density isn’t part of my wish list.
There are a few personal and key reasons why. Starting with money. For investors more housing units would be attractive. The land is lucrative; charges increase and housing becomes more expensive, making the rich richer. However, for many of us the housing will become unaffordable, forcing us to sever our local ties and be pushed further out of London.
Secondly, density without fit-for-purpose community spaces and basic amenities never did breed social cohesion and a safe community. If our reality is living in boxes, it’s absolutely vital that we have spaces to enjoy nature, to gather, to be creative. On a basic level though, it’s about being able to complete the weekly grocery shop at an affordable supermarket without having to jump on a bus or get on a train with all the shopping. I would challenge any housing planner to do that with kids in tow.
Further, the fact that just a few years ago we experienced a global pandemic, it is baffling to me that health is not at the forefront of planning. Increased density without a health facility means in real terms that when I call my health provider at 8am instead of being 50th in the queue, I won’t get through to anyone.
I could go on but I really want to end on a lighter note. Housing really is a nightmare affecting local people but I want to share an actual dream I had. I had a dream that Barking Riverside was filled with pockets of houses surrounded by greenery and the serene of the River Thames. In the dream, I walked through one of the houses, it was terracotta, a space built with thoughtful materials, lots of natural light and exquisite furniture. The climax though was asking the agent the price to buy and the response made me realise I was in fact dreaming. That may have been the case in this instance but maybe we start with a dream to realise the possibility, maybe here change is gonna come.
Zainab
Communications & Outreach Officer