Building London's future: the next generation of council homes

Working alongside a range of London boroughs, with support from London Councils, in 2021 City Hall published a research report about council housebuilding in the capital.

The research identifies three key challenges faced by councils wishing to build more homes and suggests what can be done to overcome them. The areas identified relate to:

1. The supply and acquisition of suitable land by councils on which to build affordable homes, particularly public land.
2. The funding crisis facing many local authorities after years of austerity.
3. Increasing the levels of skills and expertise available to councils, many of which are starting to build council homes again for the first time in decades.

Increasing the number of genuinely affordable homes – particularly council homes and homes at social rent – remains a top priority for the Mayor of London.

This research was released alongside a supporting research report produced by Bloomberg Associates, a pro-bono, not-for-profit consultancy firm that provides advice to Mayors around the world.

A key recommendation from the Building London's Future: The next Generation of Council Homes report called for the Mayor to publish guidance about the legal framework that governs land appropriations between a council’s General Fund and their Housing Revenue Account. The GLA has procured this advice from Trowers & Hamlins LLP and the full legal guidance can be accessed at the link below.

Read the Legal guidance on the appropriation of General Fund land to the Housing Revenue Account.