Planning our future London
Stage: Evidence gatheringFrom housing to transport and climate change, City Hall’s Planning for London programme needs your help. Your views are essential to exploring and designing London’s future.
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1267 Londoners have responded | 01/06/2023 - 31/07/2023
Did you know that London has far fewer homes per person than capitals like Paris or Berlin?
Over the past 20 years, London has created 1.75 million extra jobs, drawing more people to live in the city. Homebuilding, however, has consistently lagged behind.
This doesn’t just lead to high prices and rents. It also means many more Londoners are homeless or live in overcrowded housing than in other parts of the country.
To overcome these problems, the city needs hundreds of thousands of extra homes for its current and growing population.
City Hall is using what funding is available to get more social and affordable housing built. The scale of the challenge means we need new homes from major housebuilders, small builders, councils and community group developers as well.
There are only so many places that new homes can go, and each option involves compromises. Land could be used for something else such as businesses, and what a neighbourhood looks like could change if it is to have more homes.
What Londoners told us so far
City Hall’s planning team spent a day exploring this challenge with 40 Londoners representative of the city’s diversity. They explored the housing needs of different groups and the impacts of new homes on existing communities. They discussed the trade-offs involved in designing and locating new homes. The group then explored together where more homes could be built.
Here's a snapshot of what they said:
"You can’t just change a couple of areas and not the rest…everyone needs more housing."
"We're changing the authenticity of London and I feel that that's what London is…I don't think we should go and change every environment."
"In places where you have just one train line, chances are that you have more people who drive which means that you’d probably want more parking there – so you wouldn’t want high rises."
"I would say for an older person, I think the shopping, the amenities and the transport links are really important because as you get older you might not be able to drive."
"If you're going to do a lot, are you going to invest in all the other things that will impact more people coming into that area? You can't just treat housing as separate."
Join the conversation
Tell us where you think new homes should go and what sort of homes you’d like to see. Think about:
- What kind of places do you think are most suitable for building new homes in London?
- What is most important for new homes to offer – more space, a lower price or a location close to jobs and services?
- Would you rather more new buildings that are taller (leaving more space at ground level for other uses) or more new buildings that were lower but took up more space?
- What facilities are needed in your local area to support more new homes?
The discussion ran from 01 June 2023 - 31 July 2023
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Log into your accountNatashalondon
Community Member 1 year agostop building luxury flats for the rich and for property developers- build flats for LONDONERS! A criteria should be London birth - why should we and our young people have to leave the areas they grew up in in order to have a roof over...
Show full commentstop building luxury flats for the rich and for property developers- build flats for LONDONERS! A criteria should be London birth - why should we and our young people have to leave the areas they grew up in in order to have a roof over their heads.
Show less of commentAnd please don’t tell me that you give 10% of flats built to social housing - you don’t. We have to start helping our young - otherwise we lose as a society!
RainD
Community Member 1 year agoI agree with you but want to add that in London it's not just young Londoners who need housing. Waiting lists of 15 years even for people in most urgent need. Without older Londoners, society is also lost
RainD
Community Member 1 year agoAnother option could be let London born Londoners join social housing registers outside London. Lots of us aren't young and have never had housing security.
London is focused on being for the young including from outside London who move...
Show full commentAnother option could be let London born Londoners join social housing registers outside London. Lots of us aren't young and have never had housing security.
London is focused on being for the young including from outside London who move here. So let older London born Londoners have access to housing in other parts of the country and with support to settle to avoid isolation
Show less of commentNatashalondon
Community Member 1 year agoWe desperately need more social and cheap long term housing. I’m watching my daughter living in horrible, unsafe and outrageously expensive awful rooms just to be able to work and live in London.
Show full commentshe is 23yrs old and doesn’t want a...
We desperately need more social and cheap long term housing. I’m watching my daughter living in horrible, unsafe and outrageously expensive awful rooms just to be able to work and live in London.
Show less of commentshe is 23yrs old and doesn’t want a mortgage yet. Why should she? However she is already talking about leaving the country and working somewhere where housing isn’t an issue - this leading to a brain drain .. as our young educated people look for a higher standard of living elsewhere. Can we blame them?
A studio or one bedroom flat at under £1000 a month should not be an issue, but it is. Sadiq Khan. You have to do something about this - so much brown belt land! Build on it - let people have the right to a home! Because this is currently unacceptable.
paperfriend
Community Member 1 year agoCompared to other major cities, London doesn't really have that many tall buildings, especially for housing. I wouldn't mind if this changed - London, and Londoners, can't continue to function without good housing. Greater housing density...
Show full commentCompared to other major cities, London doesn't really have that many tall buildings, especially for housing. I wouldn't mind if this changed - London, and Londoners, can't continue to function without good housing. Greater housing density would mean the need for more supermarkets, daycare nurseries, schools, and local transport capacity. Basically, build communities, not just buildings.
Show less of commentSouthLDN
Community Member 1 year agoagreed, but tall buildings that are meant to last. The standard of 'new builds' are not currently built to last, not even mentioning the cladding issue. I have been put off from living in anything build post 1990. If I am ever lucky enough...
Show full commentagreed, but tall buildings that are meant to last. The standard of 'new builds' are not currently built to last, not even mentioning the cladding issue. I have been put off from living in anything build post 1990. If I am ever lucky enough to buy, it will NOT be a new build apartment.
Show less of commentpaperfriend
Community Member 1 year agoTfL has an enormous amount of land. This coupled with the Mayor's commitments to building more truly affordable housing seems like a win-win. Much of the land is likely to be near good transport routes. Why not show the way and build some...
Show full commentTfL has an enormous amount of land. This coupled with the Mayor's commitments to building more truly affordable housing seems like a win-win. Much of the land is likely to be near good transport routes. Why not show the way and build some really major projects on this land?
Show less of commentRavenLady
Community Member 1 year agoWe need council housing for rent and equity transfer where people pay rent over years and eventually own their own home. We also need to exclude cyclists from pavements, make them not cross pedestrian crossings on the pedestrian right of...
Show full commentWe need council housing for rent and equity transfer where people pay rent over years and eventually own their own home. We also need to exclude cyclists from pavements, make them not cross pedestrian crossings on the pedestrian right of way and register them with councils and ban e scooters as Paris has
Show less of commentWeav8
Community Member 1 year agoLondon is the place to be for businesses, young people looking for work, and for anyone looking for job prospects however the housing market is ridiculous. Anyone looking to rent could spend up to 50% of their pay on a home which isn’t that...
Show full commentLondon is the place to be for businesses, young people looking for work, and for anyone looking for job prospects however the housing market is ridiculous. Anyone looking to rent could spend up to 50% of their pay on a home which isn’t that big or in a good location. Also, I think more people would live on the outskirts of the city if transport prices weren’t so extortionate as trains into London can be an extremely high price so this is also something to look into.
I believe the best places to build new housing are on current brownfield sites without compromising any further green spaces. A lower price is one of the most important factors to consider taking into account the multiple jobs that are available. Space is also an important factor but given there is limited space in London so this may not always be possible with housing.
Regarding the high and low building question, as long as there are no green spaces being compromised then I do not think this matters however being in a house than a flat I believe is more desirable to Londoners.
What would be good to look into is are there any buildings that are empty in London with no one living in them because the price is unaffordable as that would be interesting to understand.
Show less of commentRainD
Community Member 1 year agoA partial solution would be to let London born Londoners join social housing registers outside London
London being the place to be for young people has added pressure on affordable housing in London. Lots of vulnerable or older Londoners...
Show full commentA partial solution would be to let London born Londoners join social housing registers outside London
London being the place to be for young people has added pressure on affordable housing in London. Lots of vulnerable or older Londoners are stuck without hope of decent housing. Some of us would be happy to leave but we can't apply for affordable housing anywhere else because of local connection rules
As London is different because it has many mainly young people moving here, it would be reasonable to have sort of swap where London born Londoners particularly the vulnerable and older ones could apply for housing outside London (but with support to settle so don't end up isolated)
Show less of commentElizabethPace
Community Member 1 year agoPeople need somewhere affordable and comfortable to live. But we also need to feel connected to each other and part of a community. Loneliness is a growing issue and our working lives are changing with more people working from home.
Well...
Show full commentPeople need somewhere affordable and comfortable to live. But we also need to feel connected to each other and part of a community. Loneliness is a growing issue and our working lives are changing with more people working from home.
Well designed housing can help to solve this issue by fostering interaction and community. I'm thinking of council housing circa 60s and 70s in Camden, designed by Neave Brown - low-rise high-density housing. For example Winscombe Street which Brown conceived not as a collection of individual dwellings but “as a community, an extended family".
We have the talent and the will to design attractive, affordable housing that brings us together, perhaps with communal work spaces as well as communal gardens and maybe even communal eating areas.
Show less of commentSaskiasavy
Community Member 1 year agoTest
jaredjeya
Community Member 1 year agoWe should be building tower blocks all over London. Tower blocks on top of Tube stations, over car parks, etc. It’s the only way to bring down house prices and rents, or even arrest their rise.
there is no need to add additional parking -...
Show full commentWe should be building tower blocks all over London. Tower blocks on top of Tube stations, over car parks, etc. It’s the only way to bring down house prices and rents, or even arrest their rise.
there is no need to add additional parking - just make sure you have good public transport links. There is no good reason to lock people into car dependency for the future, we’ve learnt now what a terrible idea that is.
Show less of commentRainD
Community Member 1 year agoWhat about disabled people and the elderly. Some rely on cars to get out. My cousin is disabled and her motability car is how she's able to work. Her older brother uses his car to do the shopping for my aunt and uncle. They could get online...
Show full commentWhat about disabled people and the elderly. Some rely on cars to get out. My cousin is disabled and her motability car is how she's able to work. Her older brother uses his car to do the shopping for my aunt and uncle. They could get online delivery but then they'd be lonely and isolated stuck at home. Going shopping gets then out
Show less of commentProud Londoner 7
Community Member 1 year agoExpansion IS the only answer. The GLA is to control all areas that are in the London dormitory. A radius of 20 miles from Charing Cross is a good starting point. This is needed so the professionals can plan the infrastructure and not the...
Show full commentExpansion IS the only answer. The GLA is to control all areas that are in the London dormitory. A radius of 20 miles from Charing Cross is a good starting point. This is needed so the professionals can plan the infrastructure and not the many Cowboys councillors.
usernamesteve
Community Member 1 year agoA significant amount of housing is required, both private and social. There needs to be a way to ensure that unused land which is suitable gets priority to be converted into housing.
Parking a new bus services need to be planned around...
Show full commentA significant amount of housing is required, both private and social. There needs to be a way to ensure that unused land which is suitable gets priority to be converted into housing.
Parking a new bus services need to be planned around new developments.
if there is a housing crisis, stop building 1-2 storey buildings. If land is an issue and you can’t build out build up instead! But make sure if you do build up that there are suitable facilities for families. 3 bedroom flats with lifts that don’t smell of urine and green spaces and parks below.
Show less of commentNickPretzel
Community Member 1 year agoHousing is an issue I've long felt passionately about. The fact that we're done of the richest nations in earth and London the wealthiest city yet we still have people who are homeless is shameful. The other chief factor and one that...
Show full commentHousing is an issue I've long felt passionately about. The fact that we're done of the richest nations in earth and London the wealthiest city yet we still have people who are homeless is shameful. The other chief factor and one that contributes to homelessness is the extremely high cost of housing in the capital. There are various factors that influence the price of housing. First and foremost is the shortage of housing stock and in particular social and affordable housing. The prevalence of house ownership, housing speculation and housing as investment all contribute further to the high cost of housing. The French have laws that discourage speculation by charging very high taxes on house sales made within five years of purchase. The Germans have extensive laws protecting tenants against rent increases and governing fair rents. In the USA you are considered below the poverty line if you spend more than ⅓ of your income on rent. Ideally you shouldn't be paying more than ¼, yet almost everyone I know is spending nearer ½ their income or sharing, quite a few both. We desperately need to build more affordable housing and should be using brownfield sights for this, repurposing empty or unused office and industrial buildings and thinking up alternative solutions. For example a form of communal housing I have heard of and seen reports of feature individual spacious living quarters in a high rise with, on each floor, a well equipped large kitchen, a common room, showers, bathrooms and utility rooms that are shared. The building also offers a communal gym, swimming pool and games room. They are highly desirable for the right kind of people and, due to the high degree of sociability among residents are very secure and energy efficient. Thatcher's sale of council housing exacerbated the problem severely & was an unmitigated disaster, so this week not be solved easily or quickly.
Show less of commentNickPretzel
Community Member 1 year agoSorry, that should read ‘...so this will not be...’ rather than ‘week not be’.
Couldn't you offer an ‘edit’ option along with ‘reply’ & ‘delete’?
I thought I'd explain why the ‘right to buy’ policy was such a failure: it sold council...
Show full commentSorry, that should read ‘...so this will not be...’ rather than ‘week not be’.
Couldn't you offer an ‘edit’ option along with ‘reply’ & ‘delete’?
I thought I'd explain why the ‘right to buy’ policy was such a failure: it sold council housing stock at a considerable discount, thus costing local councils. The large majority of properties sold under the scheme were resold within a year for a quick profit, so the scheme failed in its stated intention of increasing house ownership. It depleted councils' housing stock and as it was sold at a discount, did not provide councils with sufficient funds to replace those homes. I personally believe that there was another motive behind the scheme: to penalize Labour councils. Most of the council housing eligible was situated in Labour run councils and, as I've stated, because they were sold at a discount those councils effectively made a loss on those sales. That is not to say that the stated intention of increasing house ownership wasn't genuine too. Itinerant populations aren't popular with governments, particularly with the Conservatives, as they are more difficult to keep tabs on. Furthermore, house ownership makes populations more compliant and less likely to rebel or revolt. People can't afford to lose such a large investment so they are less likely to risk losing their jobs by complaining about poor working conditions &c.
Show less of commentbuildmorehouses
Community Member 1 year agoNeed to build more houses to sustain London - I like the idea to have street level votes on rebuilding with high quality dense (4-7 floor) housing. Dense housing with supporting infrastructure is the only way this gets better. The more you...
Show full commentNeed to build more houses to sustain London - I like the idea to have street level votes on rebuilding with high quality dense (4-7 floor) housing. Dense housing with supporting infrastructure is the only way this gets better. The more you put in, the more disposable income Londoners will have and the easier it will be to attract talent to the area without fear that they are priced out, so businesses can thrive.
Show less of commentMadeleine Higgins
Community Member 1 year agoIn my area, scores of expensive high rise flats are being built (over ten on one road) while no public transport is provided. There is one train station (not tube or overground) with 4 trains an hour, and street parking will be all but gone...
Show full commentIn my area, scores of expensive high rise flats are being built (over ten on one road) while no public transport is provided. There is one train station (not tube or overground) with 4 trains an hour, and street parking will be all but gone from the area soon. Those who have purchased the newer flats or rent there won’t be allowed to even apply for car permits, while older high rises with parking, can.
Show less of commentAffordable housing is a desperate need in our city and it also needs to come with appropriate local infrastructure changes. No one can hurl up thousands of flats in areas with barely any transport and expect it to go well. South London and especially south east London needs better tube connections.
Lily Savy
Community Member 1 year agoHousing is a right for all, we need more groups like the Community Land Trust to truly move into a city where people can live affordably.
CMSLondon
Community Member 1 year agoHousing is a need, not an optional desire and our current form of capitalism lazily exploits this with complicity with government and local government regulatory frameworks. Housing is also the number 1 contributor to quality of life...
Show full commentHousing is a need, not an optional desire and our current form of capitalism lazily exploits this with complicity with government and local government regulatory frameworks. Housing is also the number 1 contributor to quality of life. Solving this crisis needs a mix of approaches. Fundamentally, it needs a government focussed on overturning the housing market’s addiction to stealthily increased housing prices. The nation needs to give up this ‘assetisation’ - but can it or will it without determined, long term leadership? It needs tenures which give more security to tenants. It needs rent controls. Affordable need to actually mean affordable which is no more that 20% of mean wages. It needs loan systems which activate the individual citizen’s capacity for buying or renovating or self-building. It needs housing projects where groups of citizens can come together to solve their own housing needs and requirements, Emphasis needs to shift from big developers and housing associations to activating and enabling the hundreds of thousands of people who solve their own housing problems once they can select from as wide a range of options as is possible. They need to hold the money. If this shift can take place, the existing infrastructure will also shift and simply chase the money. Our current housing infrastructure supports the big developers and creates home which have no aesthetics and do not form the basis of lasting communities. “New homes” is now synonymous with acres and acres of rabbit-like, brick hutches which are depressing to the eye and dispiriting to the soul. Cheap housing, which is universally disliked - we hear about the people who don’t want them in their area because they depress house prices, but what about the (poor) people who have to live in them? Find bottom up solutions which release the creativity and dynamism of all in the population. And do not fixate on one approach or one idea.
Show less of commentNickPretzel
Community Member 1 year agoWell said, I entirely agree and you've put it much more succinctly than I did. I was born in Berlin where were only knew one family who had bought a house, renting was the norm and was cheap (so obviously affordable). That's the only thing...
Show full commentWell said, I entirely agree and you've put it much more succinctly than I did. I was born in Berlin where were only knew one family who had bought a house, renting was the norm and was cheap (so obviously affordable). That's the only thing I would add to your comment.
As fewer and fewer people can afford to buy a home, renting is going to become increasingly common and we need a system of fair rents and better protection for tenants, eg abolish no-fault evictions.
Show less of commentJanKmo
Community Member 1 year agoI live round Hounslow and Isleworth area. We had lots of new developments in last few years and that's great. More is still needed BUT what I find is not getting addressed when those plannings are getting ahead is the necessary services...
Show full commentI live round Hounslow and Isleworth area. We had lots of new developments in last few years and that's great. More is still needed BUT what I find is not getting addressed when those plannings are getting ahead is the necessary services coming with it: nurseries, schools, DOCTORS, transport (public as well as road congestion). London needs so much more housing (high rise is fine although would be good to put in place some precautions so older people can get lower floors)but I find the other services are left behind as if it was a separate issue but it is interconnected.
Show less of commentcd689908
Community Member 1 year agoI believe that the outskirts of London are the most suitable places for building new homes. At the present time, the building of new homes is concentrated in areas that are already very built up and new structures are rarely in keeping with...
Show full commentI believe that the outskirts of London are the most suitable places for building new homes. At the present time, the building of new homes is concentrated in areas that are already very built up and new structures are rarely in keeping with existing infrastructure.
I think a combination of space, lower prices and location are equally-important nowadays. Additionally, I think consideration to service provision must be incorporated into the planning process when buiding new homes as well as the impact of services on existing residents -eg. school and healthcare provisions.
I would rather have a combination of new flats and family homes with limits set on heights without drastically standing out from existing homes. I would make a 50% affordable (30% social) provision mandatory in London so existing communities are preserved rather than decimated. I would also like to see outdoor space included in all new builds -even if it is just a balcony as a lack of this can have significant health impacts.
Show less of commentSS
Community Member 1 year agoTest Test
Rainesixteen
Community Member 1 year agoIt is unacceptable that people are being priced out of their homes due to the high cost of rent. There should be an immediate price freeze and price cap on rents, no matter what