Cheers and Boos, November 2019

...

---

(1.)
The Government has announced “the most ambitious heritage preservation campaign for 40 years“! Hurrah!

But it’s significant that its previous strategy has meant mainly big houses and loss of green belt and consequently massive profits for the big national builders. (Guess who sat on the committee advising the Government on the strategy?!)

Now, the Minister (Robert Jenrick) has announced more of the same but better (who advised him?). ) What matters now it seems is “Not, how many homes. Not, where do we build the homes. Or even, for whom are we building homes. But, what do those houses actually look like.”  This means even bigger profits for developers: lots of houses, big ones, on the Green Belt, for rich people,  and now with a further premium on looking good.

Ker-ching! It pays to sit on an Advisory Committee!

Gone in Kempsey, Worcestershire:  another piece of the Green Belt, plus all hope for first-time buyers and all trace of the Saxons (except the name)

---

.

---

(2.)
The Government has also accepted Archaeology as a ‘Shortage Occupation’ with regards to Tier 2 working visas. Hurrah again!

No need for such concessions for metal detectorists though. Any number of Americans can come on paid detecting holidays and any number of French people can come on detecting rallies without any let or hindrance.

So the Government’s position is: Digging to Study needs carefully controlling, Digging for Grabbing doesn’t.

---