Mayor of London launches search for 'vital' housing development sites » Housing » 24dash.com

Mayor of London Boris Johnson is calling on developers and landowners to help identify suitable sites for the vital new homes needed to meet London’s housing crisis and boost the construction sector during the economic recovery.

Last month the Mayor launched his housing strategy, which will involve close working with the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) to invest nearly £2 billion every year from the London housing budget to deliver 50,000 new affordable homes by 2011.

However, more than 300,000 new homes are needed in the capital by 2017 to accommodate London’s growing population.
 
Information on development sites submitted to the Greater London Authority will be used to develop a housing capacity study for publication in 2009, which will assess London’s potential for all future housing growth.

This is the third study of its kind since 2000 and will be used as the basis for setting London Plan housing targets and to help London boroughs identify land to meet their own individual targets.

The Mayor said: “Our ambitious plans for house building are dependent on bringing forward suitable sites for development and this new housing capacity study will be completed at a crucial time in the capital’s long history.

"Not only is London’s population expanding at an unprecedented rate but we are facing a major housing crisis and heading towards a serious economic downturn.

"It is vital now that we identify the land to help provide the desperately needed new homes for Londoners as well as supporting our construction sector through the difficult times ahead.”

The Mayor's call for is for key information on sites which could be considered the 2009 Housing Capacity and Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment.

The London Plan includes a commitment to review current housing targets by 2011. Government now also requires all regions to review housing targets by this date.

In London these targets have historically been set through joint work with boroughs and other stakeholders, including the private and voluntary sectors.

The new study, being undertaken in partnership with the London boroughs and other stakeholders, will inform new targets for overall planning delivery in the London Plan.

The current target in the Plan is 305,000 new homes between 2007/8-2016/17.