The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone appears ready to abandon the first planning objective for London [1] by asking London’s neighbouring counties to build more housing to accommodate London’s burgeoning housing needs. [2]  This substantial U-turn comes less than four months after the Mayor formally re-affirmed his intention to “accommodate London’s growth within its boundaries”. [3]

The apparent reversal of policy is contained in the Draft Mayor’s Housing Strategy, published on Tuesday. [4] In this, the Mayor calls on London’s neighbouring regions to “maximise housing development”. [5]  It is not clear whether neighbouring local authorities were consulted on this proposal.

CPRE [6] has responded to the Mayor’s proposal, pointing out that it conflicts with statutory commitments in the Mayor’s own planning policy document, the London Plan, and represents a failure in his statutory duty towards the sustainable development of London and neighbouring regions. [7]

Nigel Kersey, Director of CPRE London said:

‘This would seem to be an extraordinary volte-face by Ken Livingstone.  London already suffers a net loss of some 100,000 people each year to neighbouring areas – these are mostly working people with young families who leave for “housing-related” reasons. Many will continue to work in London putting strain on commuter routes. A substantial number will not return, taking their skills with them and leaving employers unable to recruit the staff they need. This could jeopardise London’s economy in the longer term.

Rather than trying to encourage urban sprawl in the Green Belt and beyond, the Mayor should recognise this as his own problem and look for ways to meet London’s housing needs in London.’

CPRE’s proposal for addressing the problem of out-migration from London is that substantially more ‘shared ownership’ housing should be made available for families with children [8] and that the London Plan commitment to providing social rented housing is honoured by all boroughs.

– END –

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. The London Plan: Spatial Development Strategy for Greater London.
Greater London Authority, February 2004. Objective 1 (page 6): ‘To accommodate London’s growth within its boundaries without encroaching on open spaces.’

2. The Draft Mayor’s Housing Strategy. Mayor of London, September 2007. Policy 1.1f:

‘The Mayor will, and the boroughs and members of the Housing Investment Panel should, work with the regions adjacent to London to maximise housing development and to create more affordable housing opportunities for Londoners, and also seek to expand the Seaside and Country homes scheme.’

3. Draft Further Alterations to the London Plan.  Mayor of London. May 2006.

4. See note [2].

5. See note [2].

6. CPRE, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, is a charity which promotes the beauty, tranquillity and diversity of rural England. We advocate positive solutions for the long-term future of the countryside. Founded in 1926, we have 60,000 supporters and a branch in every county. President: Bill Bryson. Patron: Her Majesty The Queen.

7. Greater London Authority Act 1999.  Part II General Functions and Procedure. The general and subsidiary powers of the Authority. Section 30: The general power of the Authority. Subsection (4):

‘In determining whether or how to exercise the power conferred by subsection (1) above, the Authority shall have regard to the effect which the proposed exercise of the power would have on...the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom.’

Also, Government Office for London Circular 1/2000 (June 2000): Para. 2.25:

‘Matters to which the Mayor must have regard in preparing the [London Plan], alterations to the [London Plan] or its replacement include...the national context; and the regional context.’

8. Currently, only about 0.6% of housing built in London (less than 200 houses a year or 1.2% of all ‘affordable’ housing) might meet that requirement.