Building London's future: The next generation of council homes

Working alongside a range of London boroughs, with support from London Councils, City Hall has released new research to help councils ramp up the supply of new homes in the capital. The research identifies three key challenges faced by councils wishing to build more homes and suggests what can be done to overcome them. The areas identified relate to:

1. The supply and acquisition of suitable land by councils on which to build affordable homes, particularly public land;
2. The funding crisis facing many local authorities after years of austerity; and,
3. Increasing the levels of skills and expertise available to councils, many of which are starting to build council homes again for the first time in decades.

Increasing the number of genuinely affordable homes – particularly council homes and homes at social rent – has been the Mayor’s number-one housing priority. Last year 3,300 new council homes were started in London – the highest number since 1983 – but the Mayor has warned that achieving his ambitious targets will only be possible if ministers back him, and councils, to deliver.

This new research is released alongside a supporting research report produced by Bloomberg Associates, a pro-bono, not-for-profit consultancy firm that provides advice to Mayors around the world.

Find out more information about the Mayor’s ‘Building Council Homes for Londoners’ programme.