Estate regeneration

From 18 July 2018, the Mayor requires any landlord seeking GLA funding for estate regeneration projects which involve the demolition of social homes to show that residents have supported their proposals through a ballot.

This is to make sure that GLA funding only supports estate regeneration projects if residents have had a clear say in plans and support them going ahead.

When the requirement applies

The requirement applies to projects that involve the demolition of any social homes and the construction of 150 or more homes (of any tenure).

There are some exemptions to the requirement, including transitional arrangements for certain projects that were already under way when the resident ballot requirement was introduced.

Full details are outlined in the Resident Ballot Requirement funding condition, which is part of the Mayor’s Affordable Housing Capital Funding Guide (the rules and procedures that apply to GLA funding for affordable housing). You can read a summary version of the funding condition too.

In June 2021, the Mayor published two notes to assist his housing team with implementing his Resident Ballot Requirement.

One covers advising landlords on determining estate boundaries for the purpose of a ballot.

The other covers the transitional exemption that landlords may seek for an estate regeneration project for which they secured outline or full planning permission prior to 18 July 2018.

Consulting Londoners

We consulted on proposals for the funding condition between 2 February and 10 April 2018.

The views people and organisations expressed shaped the details of the ballot requirement.

You can read the consultation summary report to see the comments people made in response to the consultation and see how we responded.

Further information

The GLA is committed to publishing information about estate regeneration projects that it is funding in London. Find details on estate regeneration data.

Better Homes for Local People: the Mayor’s Good Practice Guide to Estate Regeneration sets out the Mayor’s expectations for how local authorities and housing associations should engage with residents as part of all estate regeneration schemes, whether or not they include the demolition of homes.

The guide outlines The Mayor's three Better Homes for Local People principles:

• an increase in affordable housing
• full rights to return or remain for social tenants
• a fair deal for leaseholders and freeholders.

The guide also sets out how the Mayor intends to ensure these principles are implemented using his planning and funding powers. This includes his Resident Ballot Requirement for regeneration schemes.

Consulting Londoners

Better Homes for Local People was published following consultation on a draft guide between 13 December 2016 and 14 March 2017. The consultation received more than 2,000 responses. You can read a report that summarises the consultation, the comments made by those who took part, and how the GLA responded.

The Mayor was keen to hear from as wide a range of respondents as possible and so he asked an independent organisation, The Campaign Company, to help with the consultation process.

They developed a ‘Group Feedback Toolkit’ for small groups of people to use to discuss the draft Good Practice Guide among themselves and respond to the consultation. Read the report from The Campaign Company on their findings from the consultation.