Mayor urged to listen to Londoners as disconnect over housing design grows

A letter published today from the London Assembly Planning and Regeneration Committee to the Mayor of London warns of a growing disconnect between what Londoners want to see built in their communities and the developments that are actually being delivered.

The letter follows evidence heard by the Committee highlighting that Londoners broadly agree on what good design looks like. Public polling and visual preference surveys show that around 70–80 per cent favour human-scale buildings with coherent frontages that fit local character, often preferring traditional forms over impersonal “statement” designs — preferences that frequently diverge from what is currently built. Evidence also suggests Londoners are open to development if they are engaged early and clearly informed about what they can influence.

With London required to deliver 880,000 new homes over the next decade, the Committee warns that failing to align new development with public sentiment risks fuelling opposition, increasing delays and undermining delivery.

The Committee is urging the Mayor to use the forthcoming London Plan to embed evidence-based design principles and strengthen early-stage community engagement across boroughs.

The letter calls for:

• Updated London Plan Housing Design Standards to reflect established public design preferences
• Greater use of borough-wide design codes developed with representative, paid community participation
• Expanded use of Neighbourhood Plans to clarify locally supported design approaches
• A pan-London evidence report by August 2026 drawing on community research and visual preference studies
• Structured early-stage engagement requirements for major schemes

Chair of the London Assembly Planning and Regeneration Committee, James Small-Edwards AM, said:

“Londoners are not anti-development, they just want to be engaged early and see homes built that they find visually appealing. 

“If we are to deliver 880,000 new homes over the next decade, we must close the gap between what Londoners want and what is getting built. Embedding popular design principles and meaningful early engagement will be essential to maintaining public confidence and delivering the homes our city needs.”