Unlocking housing development in London

The Mayor’s London Plan states that 52,000 new homes need to be built each year, but in 2022-23 a net total of only 35,300 homes were delivered in the capital – down 10% on the previous year. The Planning and Regeneration Committee will find out what the barriers are to housing development in London and look into how they can be overcome.

This investigation will consider the various factors that may be restricting the development of new homes in London. It will examine:

• The challenges that developers face in constructing high quality homes;
• What alterations could be made to the London Plan to help speed up delivery of housing developments and targets; 
• The Government’s review of the London Plan, the Mayor’s response and the experience of the sector;
• How commitments in the Mayor’s manifesto to unlock development opportunity (Land Assembly Zones & Mayoral Development Corporations) could aid with meeting housing targets. 

• London needs between 52,000 to 100,000 new homes annually, but delivery is falling short of these targets. In 2022-23, only 35,300 homes were delivered in London.
• Planning applications and permissions dropped significantly in London in 2023, with a 22 per cent decrease in applications and a 34 percent decrease in permissions.
• There has been a reported increases in the cost of labour and construction materials.
• A Government-appointed panel identified barriers to housing delivery on brownfield land, including complex policies and infrastructure constraints. Recommendations included a ‘brownfield presumption’ – which the panel states could result in 11,5000 additional homes per year. 
• In November 2023, the Mayor called on the Government to provide funding to deliver more homes on brownfield land. 

• What specific challenges do developers in London encounter when developing sites, especially on brownfield land?
• Would a brownfield presumption support delivery of more homes in London? 
• What are the key updates needed in the London Plan to assist in addressing the challenges raised?
• How does the London Plan inform and increase the development of healthy and sustainable new housing?
• How can the Mayor and boroughs work together to support the development of appropriate sites, especially on brownfield land? 
• What other policies could be implemented by the Mayor/GLA to influence the speed of housing development, including on brownfield land?
• What can the Mayor do to help mitigate the costs and processes that impact the financial viability of development projects in London, including the remediation of contaminated land? 
   

As part of this investigation, the Committee issued a Call for Evidence. 

This Call for Evidence has now closed. All responses received will be used to shape the Committee's output for this investigation.