News from Andrew Boff: Pop-up housing could cut cost of London’s rental market by a third

High quality pop-up homes could cut the price of renting in London by a third and provide fast, cost-effective building solutions across the capital, a new report shows.

Modern factory-assembled units, which can be customised to match the appearance of surrounding areas, cost half as much to build compared with standard techniques yet match and often exceed building standards and safety regulations.

A new report by Andrew Boff, ‘Pop-up Housing: A London Solution’, shows that modern pop-up homes, which are often indistinguishable from standard homes, can take just a third of the time to construct and are already providing housing solutions in Amsterdam and across other parts of the UK.

One case study in Mitcham shows pop-up apartments are being rented at £148pw, almost a third less than the local market average of £210pw.

Pop-up housing not only combats rising rental costs, it is a cheap and flexible option for small developers and self-builders and could be used to create high-quality and spacious temporary or student accommodation.

Conservative London Assembly member and housing spokesman Andrew Boff said:

The standard of pop-up homes has improved beyond recognition in recent years. This realistic and sustainable housing solution is an un-tapped goldmine. I’ve said before that we need to look at innovative ways of providing a diverse housing stock in our capital and these homes provide a fast, affordable solution that could help drive down the price of building and, subsequently, renting in London. The London Land Commission recently identified space for 130,000 new homes on public land and previous reports have shown there is potential for at least 10,000 homes on small disused sites across the capital. Why not utilise these spaces now by erecting high-quality, desirable homes that are genuinely affordable. I will be pressing the Mayor of London to work with local authorities to spearhead the adoption of pop-up housing across London.