Tonight's Property Ladder, Channel 4

[al]

LOL ... certainly not London black cabs anyway!!

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[IMM]

It isn't Our snotty uni man said large parts of the UK cannot be built on for physical,reasons.

And I have.

Why? has someone moved parts of the UK?

Did get the big colour edition this Christmas.

Well I never! Well the UK is not tundra or desert. Look at your Times Atlas.

A small percentage.

It can be built on, without much problem. Ever been the Alps?

You mean tiny scruffy terraced house. IN the US they have walk in closets bigger than them. You can't be serious. The term house is questionable when talking about those structures.

They are damp ridden, scruffy, tiny boxes.

You are a fool. The country is short of 8 million of them. On TV yesteday Milton Keynes was presidted to be larger than Liverpool in 20 years and larger than Nottingham in about 8.

Those are not houses in modern sense.

Not so. People have said that about London for the past 40 years. It has never happened. Legislation is the only way to de-centralise.

Not by itself it wont.

[al]

Just because he likes things a different way doesn't mean he's sad. Slagging people off for being different makes you sad ...

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[The Natural Philosopher]

With climbers maybe, but who else would be prepared to pay the sort of tens of millions to get water, electricity and roads laid in, not to mention broadband etc etc,. I doubt you could even get TV there apart from satellite.

Have you ever BEEN to that area?

It has NOTHING going for it apart from a little forestry and killing the odd deer.

Anything you do there is twice to ten times as expensive as anywhere else, because its miles away from anything that needs doing.

[IMM]

So it can be built on then.

yep.

De-restrict planning and redistribute land and the area will prosper.

Salt Lake City is the most ridiculous place to put a city. The lake is a 40 mile wide ditch. Some religious freak said this is where we build because he was tired of travelling and up came SLC. The city is the centre and all revolves around it.

[al]

Oh you're so so badly wrong there. If you live here, let me suggest some proper places to eat and drink. If you don't, might I suggest when you visit you find some friends who can show you decent places to go? And I'm sorry, but the price thing don't wash either unless you're doing the tourist runs around the Palace and Westminster and eating ice-creams at 5 times the price! An Indian (abour £10 a head without drink), Chinese (about £13 a head without drink) or kebab (about £5 a head without drink) costs the same here as anywhere else in the "country" where I've tried it and is 9 times out of ten WAY WAY better food! Those prices are sit-in prices for full meals in proper restaurants - not plastic tabled holes!

Actually, I've lived here for 5 years, but know London a bit most of my life. I've spent most of my life, particularly early on, travelling a great deal in Europe, North Africa and Asia and have experience with all sorts of city types. Every city has people with the same attitudes ... the grass is always greener! What would you know about life in Rome if you only visit as a tourist? About the same as a tourist visiting London - usually a good impression, particularly if the culture is very different to what you're used to. Every country has corrupt politicians, crime and pollution problems. Mind you ... not all cities have smart arses like Ken Livingstone who want to turn an entire region (within the M25) into a congestion charge zone!!!! Grrrrr .....

I could say the same - I'm glad the country keeps it's high percentage of close-minded people with their boring lives (vast generalisation statement over now!!). Swings & roundabouts mate ... London has more than its fair share of w**kers and the country has its fair share of Deliverance style freaks! In the country I would just have to travel too far to get to all the things I like. In London or any other large city they're on my doorstep - and if you know the place properly they don't cost any more either!

Houses on the other hand (to bring the topic back round to the original reason!) are bloody ridiculous here. I live just outside of London near the end of a tube line so I can have a proper house with a proper garden (first time buyer 1 year ago!) and still get into Oxford Street in 35 mins on the tube. For the same money in say Northampton, I could have another bedroom or two and be detached. But I certainly don't live in a slum like most people think Londoners (even non-central ones) do.

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[al]

Old enough for that to be a compliment were you female ;P

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[al]

I'd have thought more people would hate Birmingham actually, and that's a tiny proportion of the UK population :P

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[IMM]

So true. I know many well priced restaurants in London, but you have to know where they are.

Paris is a much nicer people friendly city than London. Berlin, SF all have something London just lacks.

I love Ken. He is fab! He is the only one attempting to make London a kind of people friendly place. His aim is to make the quality of life of the people much better. the problem with London is that those who made the most money from it lived in villages in Surrey and couldn't give a hoot about the place. Ken want those who prosper most from London to be Londoners (those that live there).

If you want your small town car driving, go to a small town.

And the place would be twice as big.

London has some awful dilapidated property. Whole areas of it. It amazes me when the London based press have a go at Liverpool. They really must have selective amnesia when looking around London. Or are these the Surrey villages who only see the City rail stations and their own village?

[The Natural Philosopher]

Really? Coming from you that is....hypocritical beyond belief...

You will be voting Liberal next!

[The Natural Philosopher]

and

I rest my case. m'lud :-)

[al]

LOL ... I've just read this posting thinking it was IMM and being quite impressed for him presenting some actual facts for once! But of course I now see it wasn't him after looking properly ;)

I've done the sums - it's good for me here.

All very true.

Also very true.

I'd hate the 4 hours more. I'm happy to bring my kids (if/when that happens!!) up here. I only travel 40 mins into work door-to-door, which might seem a lot to some people, but for any sort of large town/city that's pretty good. I can also get myself home at any stage of in the night in virtually any state with the transport options available.

I think plenty of people want to and enjoy living here. The rest of what you're saying is true though.

All cities across the world attract people to them ... thus why they become cities!

I do like Leeds for a night out. Manchester once every year or two maybe!! I think Newcastle is my favorite in Britain. Followed jointly by London and Leeds.

not really ...

true for housing ... nothing else is particularly expensive ...

I don't see it happening in my lifetime! Actually - it better not now that I've bought! ;)

BTW, many firms do open up elsewhere. Look at the major technology firms lining the M4 corridor and around Glasgow. The other UK cities also have their fair share of head offices, etc. too. Just not as high a density of them.

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[IMM]

Is this case heavy?

[al]

Very true. It's easy to get a false impression from the road. Flying over parts of London/Home Counties is very educational. Even the zone 1 area of London is actually very green from the air! Long may it stay that way.

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[The Natural Philosopher]

It does have water however. AND its bang on a big trans-america route.

Try Vegas for an even more crazy place....BUT again, it had some water, and it was bang in the middle of a mining area and on a transport route...

whereas nearby there are many ghost towns that cessed to exist becase the mines ran out. No mileage in sticking there when the basic source of income has gone.

Vegas only survived because it was a 'play area' for the whole desert area, and of course because all teh mormons from Salt Lake city needed somewhere to go and have a bit of Sin now and again.

[IMM]

I am a highly factual person. I also "know".

[IMM]

[IMM]

The city is not on the ditch!

The communications came because of the town, now city.

[al]

Sounds like you had a hectic job ...

Good for you - at least someone can do what they feel makes them happy without worrying about what others believe is right for everyone!! Some days I too like the peace and quiet, some days I like to let it rip a little. Maybe we should meet for a quiet pint in a busy club or a hard night out in an quiet country pub. What's better - the middle ground or alternate extremes! ;o)

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[The Natural Philosopher]

I wuite LIKE Birmingham actually.

Its places like Hackney and Tottenham that scare the pants off me.