London Councils' response to the Mayor's Draft Housing Strategy

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In our response to the consultation on the draft "Homes for London: London Housing Strategy" report, London Councils particularly wished to emphasise that:

  • London Councils’ concern that the Mayor’s overall new housing supply aspiration will not fully address housing need in London
  • in principle support for the inclusion of a ‘capped’ rent element within the 2015/18 affordable rent programme, however raising boroughs’ concern over the potential for a diminution in the number of new ‘truly’ affordable homes boroughs will be able to access from registered providers
  • London Councils’ concern, that elements of the housing (affordable) programme are overly prescriptive, potentially inhibiting the scope for local decision making and that a flexible approach is required for boroughs and registered providers to conclude local affordable housing framework discussions in a way which reflect local circumstances with the scope to have follow through discussions after May. 
  • boroughs are closely involved in the development of housing zones in London with the objective of ensuring that any housing zones that might be established, address both regional and local housing delivery and affordability priorities. This should also reflect locally accountable governance arrangements and housing zones should work in a way that complements the housing aspirations contained within London’s Growth Deal bid
  • qualified support for the Mayor’s aspiration to increase housing densification in inner London suburbs, town centre and transport hub, however this must be in a way that both reflects wider housing need in London and local housing and planning priorities
  • a continued emphasis that boroughs’ solely make decisions concerning the use and level (if the borrowing cap was removed)  of their HRA borrowing capacity, and that the extent of any future removal of individual borough borrowing caps should not be conditional on a decision made by the Mayor. We will continue to argue the case for the financial and wider devolution for London within our Growth Deal proposals
  • London Councils' concern that the Mayor’s draft Housing Strategy does not adequately reflect the importance of creating space for local action by boroughs reflecting their particular circumstances or the importance of wider infrastructure in supporting new housing in London.

The full response is available in related documents (right).