Affordable Housing LPG

Publication Type: Draft for consultation

Consultation Start Date: Wednesday 3 May 2023

End date: Monday 24 July 2023

One of the Mayor’s key objectives is to provide more of the homes that London needs, including affordable homes, for a fairer and more inclusive city.

Before the Mayor came to office, the level of affordable housing provided in new developments had reduced significantly. In response, he took steps to ensure that more affordable homes are provided for Londoners. This included introducing the threshold approach to planning applications and new requirements for viability testing, which are set out in the policy of the London Plan. This has embedded the requirement for affordable housing into land values and sped up the planning process in London, helping to deliver more affordable homes.

However, there is still a very high level of need for more affordable homes across the capital. The Affordable Housing LPG provides a further step to implement the London Plan, ensuring that developments assessed through the planning system maximise affordable housing delivery. It sets out how the threshold approach should work in practice and clarifies the requirements of different types of affordable housing and how they should be secured and monitored.

This guidance has been prepared by the Greater London Authority (GLA) in consultation with representatives of London’s local planning authorities, community groups and the development industry. It has been prepared in accordance with the Public Sector Equality Duty and an Equality Impact Assessment has been produced.

Public consultation on the guidance will close on 24 July 2023. All feedback will be reviewed and a consultation summary document will be published. A final version of the guidance will be published later in 2023.

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