Homeless

[AHPP]

I think planners shouldn't exist. The expanded hot-take coming later. 

[Steven P]

I reckon that if they did they would build profitable houses on bland estates with no expensive infrastructure like social centres, schools, shops, churches, bus stops, parks and play areas. Planners at least can specify "build 100 houses but also build a shop"

[Steven P]

In the city where I am a lot of the 'homeless' are the same group and actually do have homes - they just found a profitable way of living. The genuine are not in the city centre really, pushed out by this gang - however there are enough visitors who don't recognise them to keep them in business.

 

I've known a few genuine homeless in my time (in passing not close buddies), many have accommodation available to take up (family for example) and many do... but the issues around them are not solved and many go back onto the streets again unable to do 9-5 living.. houses are cheap enough for them but the mental stuff and getting them to engage with that is a lot harder.

[openspaceman]

2 hours ago, Anno said:

Interesting so you think Planners should let developers do whatever they want and just not get involved?

Priceless.

I cannot speak for Alex but I do believe the planning system is necessary in a crowded island, trouble is people can manage to avoid it to the detriment of the system because the money for employing the enforcement is gone (often quite deliberately).

 

In this village about 5 little "corner shops" were reverted to dwellings as the bigger shops and supermarkets took the trade in the 60s. Now with the demise of department stores,  following growth in online shopping plus less commuting as working from home has increased, there must be scope for turning these commercial sites into housing.

[eggsarascal]

This is the town a grew up in, it was thriving when I was a kid. 6th biggest economy and this is the state of some of the town centres.

[josharb87]

Move back

 

support the local economy

set an example 

 

towns don’t become dilapidated cesspits because too many people want to live there and spend too much money  

[eggsarascal]

4 minutes ago, josharb87 said:

Move back

 

support the local economy

set an example 

 

towns don’t become dilapidated cesspits because too many people want to live there and spend too much money  

Come with me then, live amongst the junkies and beggars and we’ll do it together. These cities have been left to rot way beyond what I could change, and to be fair why would I bother, don’t we elect MP’s like Gullis, who’s offices are in this town to sort these things? 

[Mick Dempsey]

The Town centres and high streets need to be repurposed as residential.

High streets are finished as retail centres.

 

Dunno what to do about the homeless, I suspect there’s no magic bullet. Every case is different.

A mixture of mental health, drugs and alcohol and economic reasons.

 

There are solutions of course, but are we brave enough…?

 

Edited May 20 by Mick Dempsey

[eggsarascal]

8 minutes ago, Mick Dempsey said:

The Town centres and high streets need to be repurposed as residential.

High streets are finished as retail centres.

 

Dunno what to do about the homeless, I suspect there’s no magic bullet. Every case is different.

A mixture of mental health, drugs and alcohol and economic reasons.

 

There are solutions of course, but are we brave enough…?

 

That town I grew up in got a new retail park that is great, even get free parking, at the same time it got parking meters on the High Street and the town square. Talk about killing the town centre off! 

 

I choose to live how I do, I meet many that don’t have that choice in 

 

 

[Steven P]

If they repurposed the town centres as residential at least from office space and upper floors of shops that might attract people to live and shop there revitalise them that way. The ever increasing expansion away from the town into the fields drives a retail park and amazon culture - if you are going to drive anyway, might as well go for the free parking. However if you lived above the shops in an upmarket flat, sorry apartment, then the shops you live by will get your custom.

 

Might get the counsellors interested in town centres again enough to send some funds towards the homeless or rehabilitation places?