The new mayor’s statement about the scale of the housing crisis in London is no surprise to businesses that have been enduring the impacts of undersupply, including challenges around employee productivity and staff retention (13.05.16).
If Sadiq Khan wants to distinguish himself as the mayor that fixed the London housing crisis, he must move to free up more land to build on and empower more builders to construct those homes.
To get the most out of London’s finite land, our new mayor should seek an honest review of the status of poor-quality land within the green belt to determine whether it can be better used to house London’s workers.
Khan is right that the London Land Commission must be more than simply a register. Collating what land is where is only one step. Examining how to get those parcels of land developed with pace is the challenge.
The London Chamber of Commerce and Industry has long called for smaller builders to be given the opportunity to make a contribution to the capital’s housing market. However, they face many barriers. Khan could establish a Small Developers’ Panel to explore how to enable smaller players to get building on the numerous small plots of land across our capital.
Sean McKee, director of policy and public affairs, LCCI
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