The UK housing shortage is a well-known and well talked about issue for that matter which could impact the UK economy on the whole unless preparations are made.  By the year 2020, according to many economists, the housing shortage could end up costing many people their lives if the problem is not dealt with right now.   The housing shortage is being dealt with in many ways across the country.  Garden cities are one possible solution to helping to add to the pool of available housing, but the idea has many opponents moving forward.

Some economists have even referred to the possibility of garden cities aiding the shortage of housing as absurd.  A professor of economic geography at the LSE, Paul Cheshire, has stated the new Ebbsfleet garden city will help create only 15,000 homes total.  This total will provide aid to only 1% of the entire UK housing shortage.

Cheshire also cautioned those thinking the shortage is just a passing issue with no impact to other facets of the economy.  He believes it could pose serious problems to the financial system overall.

Cheshire added: “Downswings will become more violent, as well as the upswings.”  

One individual in support of ideas other than garden cities is town planner, David Rudlin.

He said: “They’re not the solution; they’re part of the solution.”

Planning to rectify the shortage of housing and develop a working solution is going to be tedious work and will not happen overnight.  That being said, it will require not only those in economic development, but also city leaders.