As reported in the Evening Standard and City AM, today the Housing Secretary has directed the Mayor to conduct a review of London Plan Policies.
The review aims to boost housing delivery in London and will focus on building on industrial land and opportunity areas. The Mayor has been asked to report back findings in September.
Alongside the intervention the Government has also announced a ‘super-squad’ of planners to work across London to speed up planning decisions.
Housing Secretary Michael Gove said:
Londoners are being let down by the Mayor’s chronic under delivery of new homes in the capital. We have already taken comprehensive action to reverse this trend - investing billions of pounds to build affordable homes and unlocking brownfield developments as part of our Long-Term Plan for Housing.
However, that alone will not build the homes we need, which is why I am now directing the Mayor to review aspects of the London Plan and announcing specialist support on planning to help unlock thousands of homes.
I look forward to continuing to work with the Greater London Authority, councils and the sector so we can get spades in the ground and deliver the homes the capital needs.
Minister for London Greg Hands said:
It is unacceptable that Londoners don’t have access to the homes they need due to persistent under-delivery of home building, which is why we’re directing the Mayor to review London Plan policies.
This action comes on top of millions of pounds in government investment to regenerate estates, unlock major brownfield sites, and build thousands of new homes. But government cannot act in isolation - we need the Greater London Authority to step up and work with us, so we can provide affordable housing for all.
The letter is available here: Housebuilding in London: Letter to the Mayor of London regarding housing delivery in London - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)