Mid-rise development and the London Plan

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

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 

• 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.”  

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?  

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.