Real Estate:UK (RE:UK) has warned that the 10-year 558,000-home target set out in the draft London Plan ‘must go further’ and stand closer to the government’s assessment of housing need.
A consultation for the streamlined 20-year plan was unveiled in July by mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan, with a proposed target of delivering 558,000 new homes in the 10 years to 2037, revised 38% down from last year’s consultation.
However, according to the government’s own assessment, the capital requires approximately 850,000 new homes over that same period.
In response to the consultation, which closes today (15 October), RE:UK argued that while many areas of the plan, such as stronger recognition of industrial and logistics land needs, “should be commended”, the target is “materially below identified need”.
It also claimed that setting a target “substantially” lower than assessed need is not only “concerning in its own right but also sets an unhelpful precedent for other spatial development strategies [SDSs]”.
Sam Bensted, assistant director at RE:UK, said: “The draft London Plan contains many encouraging signals. Its streamlined approach, stronger recognition of industrial and logistics land needs and dedicated data centres policy are all positive steps.
“However, when it comes to housing, the plan does not go far enough. London faces acute housing, infrastructure and economic pressures, and needs a visionary strategy that confronts its problems rather than plans around them.
“While London’s development challenges have no doubt been reflected in the realities of the outlined housing targets, the new London Plan will be one of the first in a new generation of SDSs.
“As such, the GLA [Greater London Authority] must be more ambitious in outlining its blueprint for local delivery, setting the capital on a truly pioneering pathway to growth and equally importantly setting the tone and precedent for other SDSs to come across the country.”
