DD2791 Homes for Londoners Collaboration: London Fire Commission Estate Strategy

1.1.    In October 2021, the Mayor asked Lord Kerslake to chair an independent review to streamline and further improve housing development on public-sector land across the Greater London Authority (GLA) Group. Lord Kerslake spoke to a wide range of stakeholders from within the GLA Group, and externally, to review the performance of housing delivery to date. In March 2022, Lord Kerslake made 15 recommendations. The Mayor accepted these; and, in responding to the report, committed to delivering them in full. These recommendations formed the workstreams of the Kerslake Review implementation programme, now known as the Homes for Londoners Collaboration (HfLC) programme. 

1.2.    As part of the HfLC programme, the GLA and the LFC are working closely to help develop the LFC’s estate strategy. Part of the strategy has identified sites with the potential to be released for housing. The HfLC programme is in a position to partially fund this work, and so further the objectives identified by Lord Kerslake.

1.3.    Mayoral Decision (MD) 3108 set out the identified workstreams for the programme and expenditure from 2023-25. It also delegated budgetary decisions to the Executive Director of Housing and Land. This work will contribute to recommendation five: establishing a preferred process of internal collaboration on housing delivery. See: GLA, MD3108: Implementation of Kerslake Recommendations for Housing Delivery, 31 March 2023.

1.4.    In July 2025, MD3378 was approved. This sets out how the GLA will work across the housing sector to understand and overcome barriers to housing delivery across all tenures. This work will contribute to objective 3.1: building more homes. (See: GLA, MD3378 Delivery Plan – Building More Homes, 29 July 2025.) This objective seeks to support public landowners to release land for housing.
 

2.1.    The GLA has been working closely with the LFC on developing the LFC’s estate strategy, to identify sites for redevelopment and/or optimisation for housing. This work has considered the whole of the LFC estate and its operational use, alongside the potential to release land for housing. A steering group has been established, composed of officers from the GLA and the LFC, to steer the process and ensure the project’s success.

2.2.    Consultants have been competitively procured, with oversight from the steering group, to provide a commercial assessment of four identified sites. Consultants have been commissioned to undertake RIBA Stage 0 site appraisals, including indicative massing, feasibility and viability. This will result in an evidence-based assessment of the development options for the shortlisted sites. 

2.3.    The total budget across all four sites is £100,000. As part of the HfLC programme, the GLA will reimburse, to the LFC, 50 per cent of the costs of this commercial advice. This recognises that the work will support the release of sites for housing – a Mayoral priority.

2.4.    Commissioning this project will result in the following outcomes:

•    Fire station: Retention or reprovision of a fire station on site, including the provision of necessary appliances and uses. 
•    Best value: Considering additional land use(s) to deliver best value on each site, in line with planning policy.
•    Homes: Where homes are proposed, the objective is to create comfortable, well-proportioned homes that: suit a range of residents; are tenure-blind; and are adaptable to changing ways of living and working.
•    Affordable homes: Where residential housing is proposed, the objective is to target the delivery of affordable homes to meet the Mayoral requirements, in accordance with the tenure split preferred by the local planning authority.
•    Community: To create an outward-looking, inclusive, lifetime development that can be enjoyed by everyone; and that effectively meets the needs of the diverse local community and neighbouring sites, identified through meaningful community engagement and consultation.
•    Landscape and public realm: To create a high-quality connective public realm that forms part of a safe, healthy neighbourhood rich in biodiversity; and that has integrated green infrastructure, surface-water management, and active ground floors.
•    Connectivity: To support new and improved cycle and pedestrian connectivity for the local area as appropriate, and safer, greener multi-modal streets.
•    Sustainability and biodiversity: To deliver a zero-carbon, climate-resilient and low-environmental-impact place that promotes clean energy; minimises carbon emissions; and contributes to, and promotes, positive environmental outcomes throughout the design, construction and operational life cycle.
•    Viability and deliverability: To ensure the above aims can be delivered in a sustainable financial manner by the GLA, the LFC and development partner(s), whilst maximising the financial return to the LFC.
 

3.1.    The overall outcome of increased affordable housing delivery in London will help to address problems such as overcrowding and homelessness. Evidence indicates these problems disproportionately affect specific groups, including Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups; and women. The delivery of high-quality housing will also promote improved health and wellbeing, given that evidence indicates this issue disproportionately affects specific groups, including Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups, and women.

Links to Mayoral priorities

4.1.    This work will also directly contribute to the work set out in the Building More Homes delivery plan MD3378 – specifically objective 3.1c: public sector landowners are supported to release land for housing.

4.2.    Collaborating with the LFC to commission this piece of work will contribute directly to recommendation five of the Kerslake Review: the GLA Group should establish a preferred process of internal collaboration on housing delivery. This process should be based on the principles of clear oversight; proactive engagement; and sharing services and expertise. Collaboration should include the introduction of a peer-review function; a formalised internal planning consultancy; and a new Centre for Expertise.

Key risks

4.3.    The consultant contract in this instance is between the LFC and Lambert Smith Hampton. The GLA will be reimbursing the LFC for 50 per cent of the contract value, as agreed by the steering group. The contractual risk to the GLA is therefore considered low.

4.4.    The budget for this project has been entirely allocated, with consultants’ services being delivered at a discounted rate. The steering group may require additional information and/or deliverables, beyond the current scope, to enable decision-making and to progress this workstream. This may include formal pre-application advice; more detailed studies; or similar. Any additional work or costs could not be covered within the existing budget envelope; and therefore would need further approval before proceeding.

Conflicts of interest

4.5.    There are no identified conflicts of interest from any officer involved in the drafting or clearance of this decision.
 

5.1.    Executive Director approval is sought to spend £50,000 from the HfLC 2025-26 budget. This is to reimburse the LFC for 50 per cent of the costs associated with appointing consultants to review the development potential of four sites. This will directly contribute to recommendation 3.1c of the Building More Homes delivery plan. 

6.1.    Section 30 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (as amended) gives the Mayor a general power to do anything that he considers will further one or more of the principal purposes of the GLA as set out in section 30(2):

•    promoting economic development and wealth creation in Greater London
•    promoting social development in Greater London
•    promoting the improvement of the environment in Greater London.

6.2.    In formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought, officers confirm they have complied with the GLA’s related statutory duties to:

•    pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people
•    consider how the proposals will: 

o    promote the improvement of health of persons in Greater London
o    promote the reduction of health inequalities between persons living in Greater London
o    contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the UK
o    contribute towards the mitigation of or adaptation to climate change in the UK

•    consult with appropriate bodies.

6.3.    The contents of this report indicate that the Executive Director of Housing and Land has the power to proceed as recommended in this paper.
 

7.1.    This work will be completed according to the following timetable: