Well, it was certainly worth waiting for. In just 12 months Kate Barker has produced a report which, if nothing else, shows she has sussed out how the industry works, how planning operates, and the effect of that on new homes supply. Her recommendations (see pages 20-22), are the basis for a deal between industry and government - you can have the land, but you must deliver on quality and innovation. Housebuilders have by no means got it all their own way - the planning changes have yet to be accepted and forcefully implemented, and if the industry does not deliver then the government will send in the OFT. But the report properly addresses the housing imbalance, its causes, damaging effects and possible solutions.<p></p><p>My worry is it reminds me of Professor Stephen Crow who, four years ago, said we needed 1.1 million homes built in the south east by 2016 and was sent to Siberia for his troubles. I am not suggesting that the government would treat Kate Barker in such a fashion - the understanding of housing’s importance has moved on a lot in those years. But what if the government finds the recommendation unpalatable and backtracks fast? There …