<p><span>Successive governments have fuelled the housing crisis, with ministers failing to create a “coherent” strategy for the industry, according to a report from the London School of Economics (LSE).</span></p> <p><span>The report – </span><i>Why is housing policy in such a mess?</i><span> – commissioned by the Family Building Society, calls for a “far more strategic” approach, pointing out that governments have failed to assess the overall impact of proposed policy changes which can lead to “unintended consequences” of less funding for new homes.</span></p><p></p> <p><span>LSE has highlighted in its report broad areas of concern and specific aspects of policy. This includes drawing attention to government’s plans to make housing targets advisory as part of its 300,000 homes annual target, with each local authority permitted to set higher or lower targets based on local capacity and character.</span></p><p></p> <p><span>“Given uncertainties both about the planning system and the economy, new supply is almost certainly going to fall,” the report states.</span></p><p></p> <p><span>The report references “inconsistent and incoherent policies” such as the proposed Infrastructure Levy. LSE states this is set to “exacerbate regional and social inequality”, with the charge applying to the sales value of completed schemes and set locally for spending on local infrastructure and affordable homes.</span></p> …