21 September 2007
More than 50,000 extra affordable homes should be built in London over the next three years, Mayor Ken Livingstone pledged this week.
Announcing his draft housing strategy for 2008/11, Livingstone said the new target represented a 50% increase in the provision of new affordable homes and a doubling in the growth of new social rented housing compared with 2005/06.
About two-thirds of the 90,000 families in England classed as homeless live in temporary accommodation in London. From next year, the mayor is due to take over responsibility for affordable housing in the capital, with an annual budget of more than £1bn.
The draft housing strategy, published on September 18, aims to provide more family-sized homes by ensuring that 42% of new social rented housing has at least three bedrooms, up from 35%.
Under existing planning powers, half of new homes built in London have to be affordable, and Livingstone stressed this target will not be relaxed. 'Any attempt to water down the 50% affordable housing target would make it harder to get the new homes we need,' he said.
Olivia Powis, regional manager at the London Housing Federation, welcomed the strategy as a 'step in the right direction' but said the mayor's plans must receive adequate funding.
Adam Sampson, director of the housing charity Shelter, urged councils to set aside their political differences and work with the mayor to provide more homes.
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