"someone owns the land"

In England, only the King owns the land, and Parliament can deploy any resources in the UK it wishes by simple Act of Parliament.

The only other thing there is is human labour, and that can similarly be deployed if we choose to.

As we discover every time we go to war.

So no there is no cabal of hoarders preventing anything, and no shortage of stuff or money. All that is preventing regeneration is the political will to do so.

In reality Gary is a member of the Outer Party, and he wants to take money off the Inner Party and give it to his mates so they can all play at looking after the Proles while value signalling to one another.