Report calls for a new town to be built in London
At least one of the government’s proposed new towns should be built within London, according to a report led by pro-business advocacy group BusinessLDN.
The report, The case for a new town In London, was published today ahead of the government’s consultation on new towns closing tomorrow.
It argues London has strong transport connectivity and a pro-development political framework which will enable the capital to deliver much-needed new homes at pace and should act as a test bed for the government’s new towns policy.
At least one of the government’s proposed new towns should be built within London, according to a report led by pro-business advocacy group BusinessLDN.
The report, The case for a new town In London, was published today ahead of the government’s consultation on new towns closing tomorrow.
It argues London has strong transport connectivity and a pro-development political framework which will enable the capital to deliver much-needed new homes at pace and should act as a test bed for the government’s new towns policy.
However, the report stops short of proposing locations for any such new towns but notes that 60% of London’s green belt is within 2km of an existing rail or tube station. Much of this land, it said, has already been earmarked in the London Plan as suitable for new homes and infrastructure.
The report was developed in partnership with numerous consultants, architects and planners, including Arup, DP9, Kanda Consulting and Volterra.
BusinessLDN policy delivery director Jonathan Seager said: “Londoners are at the sharp end of the UK’s housing crisis. A quarter of people living in the city are in poverty after housing costs are taken into account, with challenges around availability and affordability also making it more difficult for businesses to recruit and retain staff. Building one or more new towns in the capital should be a no-brainer for both economic and social reasons.”
Deputy mayor of London for housing Tom Copley said: “The scale of London’s housing need and the challenges facing delivery mean we need to think radically about where the homes of the future will come from, including where we can create additional new towns in and around the capital.
“We will continue to work hand in hand with housebuilders and the new government to turn the tide on the legacy of recent years, helping to create a better, fairer London for everyone.”
