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‘The object is to change the heart and soul’: Financial incentives, planning and opposition to new housebuilding in England

Author

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  • Andy Inch

    (University of Sheffield, UK)

  • Richard Dunning

    (University of Liverpool, UK)

  • Aidan While

    (University of Sheffield, UK)

  • Hannah Hickman

    (University of the West of England, UK)

  • Sarah Payne

Abstract

In 2014 the UK government announced plans to reduce opposition to housing development by making a direct payment to households in England. 1 This was part of a wider experiment with behavioural economics and financial inducements in planning policy. In this paper, we explore this proposal, named ‘Development Benefits’, arguing it offers important insights into how the governing rationality of neoliberalism attempts to govern both planning and opposition to development by replacing political debate with a depoliticised economic rationality. Drawing on householder and key player responses to the Development Benefits proposal we highlight significant levels of principled objection to the replacement of traditional forms of planning reason with financial logics. The paper therefore contributes to understandings of planning as a site of ongoing resistance to neoliberal rationalities. We conclude by questioning whether Development Benefits represent a particular strand of ‘late neoliberal’ governmentality, exploring the potential for an alternative planning rationality to contest the narrow marketisation of planning ideas and practices.

Suggested Citation

  • Andy Inch & Richard Dunning & Aidan While & Hannah Hickman & Sarah Payne, 2020. "‘The object is to change the heart and soul’: Financial incentives, planning and opposition to new housebuilding in England," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 38(4), pages 713-732, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envirc:v:38:y:2020:i:4:p:713-732
    DOI: 10.1177/2399654420902149
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Phil Allmendinger & Graham Haughton, 2013. "The Evolution and Trajectories of English Spatial Governance: 'Neoliberal' Episodes in Planning," Planning Practice & Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(1), pages 6-26, February.
    2. Michael Gunder, 2016. "Planning's "Failure" to Ensure Efficient Market Delivery: A Lacanian Deconstruction of this Neoliberal Scapegoating Fantasy," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(1), pages 21-38, January.
    3. Alex Lord & Mark Tewdwr-Jones, 2014. "Is Planning "Under Attack"? Chronicling the Deregulation of Urban and Environmental Planning in England," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(2), pages 345-361, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Dunning, Richard J. & Moore, Tom & Watkins, Craig, 2021. "The use of public land for house building in England: Understanding the challenges and policy implications," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).

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