Boris Johnson says "newt counting" is the cause of slow building in the UK.

According to the Conservative Party's own detailed analysis, that is, I'm afraid, bollocks

The analysis which was carried out by Sir Oliver Letwin found that slow build out is actually due to homogenity of tenure. If you try to put 100% market sale on a large site, the developer can only release them at the pace the market allows ie, the absorption rate.

That's what distinguishes us from other European countries who build faster. The government has been trying to solve this problem by cutting planning restrictions for 10 years because that's what developers keep telling them to do. But it hasn't worked so far and won't now.

He's promised to 'scythe through red tape' with 'project speed'. 'Red tape' is a block on developer profits, not on pace of housebuilding.

It usually means affordable housing requirements, environmental standards, space standards, safety etc

Cut this and you get worse housing developed for less and sold for more, not necessarily faster build out.

If you want faster build out, you need a blend of tenures (rental, sale, social). Ironically, his focus on 'getting people on the housing ladder' pushes that back.

Here is said report. It's only 18 months old: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-review-of-build-out-final-report

Essentially this is classic Johnson-ism. Newt counting makes it all sound silly, but what we're actually talking about is further deregulation of housebuilding.

I'm not sure recent new build quality screams 'just put the clipboard away and let them get on with it'