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Mid-rise development and the London Plan

Key information

Publication type: Current investigation

Publication date:

Introduction

The London Assembly Planning and Regeneration Committee is investigating mid-rise development and the London Plan.

Investigation aims and objectives (Terms of Reference)

This investigation will consider what role mid-rise residential development could play in meeting London's housing need, and how the next London Plan could support it. It will examine: 

  • The case for mid-rise development in London 
  • The challenges and barriers to developing mid-rise residential buildings in London 
  • The Mayor’s housebuilding targets for London and how mid-rise fits with this 
  • What policies the next London plan could include on mid-rise and density 

Key issues

  • London is less densely populated than many other comparable global cities and is characterised by a higher proportion of low-rise housing. In 2021, 88.3 per cent of London’s homes were in low-rise buildings (houses, bungalows, or flats in two- to five-storey buildings). By comparison, only 41 per cent of Paris’s homes, 48 per cent of New York’s, and 62 per cent of Tokyo’s were in low-rise (≤4 storeys) buildings.
  • The Government has set the Mayor a target of 88,000 homes per year over the next decade. In the financial year 2023-2024, 32,160 new homes were built, and in the past 20 years annual completions have never exceeded 52,200.  
  • The current London Plan does not include a policy on mid-rise. A new London Plan is due in 2027, and in 2025 the GLA launched its consultation Towards a New London Plan. In his foreword, the Mayor stated: “given the scale of the challenge we now face and our bold plans for growth, the next London Plan will need to go further.”  

Key questions

  1. Should London build more mid-rise housing. Why?  
  2. How could mid-rise housing contribute to meeting London’s housing needs? 
  3. What do Londoners think about mid-rise residential buildings (as opposed to alternatives)? 
  4. Should low-rise areas extend upwards into mid-rise, and how feasible is this? 
  5. How does London’s rate of mid-rise housing construction compare to other cities, and what factors contribute to any differences? 
  6. What role should the GLA, and the new London Plan play in supporting mid-rise housing development?  

 

Call for evidence

As part of its investigation, the Committee has issued a call for evidence.

Responses are particularly welcomed from developers, councils, individuals with experience living in mid-rise developments, those who have submitted planning applications for mid-rise developments, and experts on urban density.

 

 

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