The Spotlight on London Demand examines the challenges London will face with an ever growing population. Download here.

■ We need a common vision and a strong Mayor at the centre

The Mayor should be encouraged to use his power to determine major planning applications that might be slowed down at borough level. We would also like to see more examples of mayoral development corporations, the vehicle used to instigate the development of the Olympic Park. This mechanism acts as a conduit for Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) to complete the assembly of the land needed to create a new regeneration site. Boroughs should also be required to maximise densities on every site.

■ London must work as one city not 32 boroughs

A clearing house mechanism at GLA level that can pull together payments in lieu of affordable housing, would help. Capital receipts (via Section106) from boroughs with higher value property can thus be used to fund a greater number of affordable homes in outer boroughs where land is cheaper and more plentiful.

■ Land availability should not be a constraint on housing targets

Molior, a residential development research company, has identified enough sites on which to build 850,000 new homes. This is the equivalent of just over 47,000 homes a year over 18 years. Extra new homes could come from surplus public land, industrial land and estate regeneration.

■ We must be ready to exercise the ‘Right to Contest’

The new scheme allows the public to challenge the government and local authorities to release land which is vacant or underused, even if it is currently in active use. The measure is part of a wider Government Strategic Land Review to help identify where further land can be sold to support construction.

■ Greater London Authority owns 653.7 hectares

Not all of these sites will be easy to bring forward. But there could be further public sector land available in the shape of 29.4 hectares owned by the London Fire Brigade, 45.9 hectares owned London Legacy Development Corporation and 103.3 hectares owned by Metropolitan Police Service.

■ Infrastructure is key to bringing new sites forward

The Northern Line extension was crucial to the redevelopment of Battersea Power Station and Nine Elms. We would urge the Mayor to secure funding for further rail and Underground lines such as Crossrail 2. Current plans to open up outer London town centre hubs by extending the Bakerloo line beyond Elephant and Castle and the DLR to Bromley would encourage development in those areas.

■ Expanding the private rented sector could help reduce council housing waiting lists

Institutional investors are poised to inject £7 billion into rental homes according to the PRS taskforce. But the lack large blocks of residential property to invest in remains the biggest constraint. Public/ private partnerships are a key way to deliver a greater number of homes for private rent at the lower end of the market where the demand is greatest.

■ Planning flexibility is key

Regulatory burdens as well as unviable affordable housing demands and CIL can delay building. Conditions attached to many permissions can still prevent construction work starting on sites. Local planning authorities must be open to negotiations regarding affordable housing requirements in order to deliver private rented housing where the market demands.

■ Housing Associations and Local Authorities must build more

The economic downturn caused a sharp reduction in the number of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in construction. Given that large private and listed housebuilders are more likely to target bigger sites, this gives public sector players the opportunity to compete for smaller plots.

Taken from
Spotlight: London Demand