Better use of land needed, says London mayor's design advisory group

The population of London is continuing to grow and the housing demand is increasing. The report states that "we have to make better use of the land we have available… [and] develop more densely."

The document says that "planning is clearly not the main barrier to delivering the homes London needs, although… good planning is certainly part of the solution."

The report considers what London needs and it examines where the growth could be accommodated. The report also makes various recommendations as to how London can meet both the housing and working needs of the capital.

The DAG said that "supporting smaller developers into the market could be one way to increase housing input". The local land commission should split large plots of land so smaller housebuilders can build new homes without compromising density or design and access to small infill sites should be improved.

The public sector owns approximately 40% of the developable land in the capital. Greater support should be offered to local councils so they can develop large scale housing projects. Additionally, developments on large sites should deliver a greater range of housing tenures and types "to promote mixed and balanced communities". The DAG offered recommendations in relation to the location of tall buildings.  

The DAG said that public opposition can often cause significant delays and uncertainty which in turn increases costs. To reduce public opposition, developers must engage better with the local community. The report recommends that the London mayor should work with London boroughs to "pilot a new London standard for planning notices, which are more publicly accessible" and make London's planning framework more engaging and available.

The document analysed possible locations to accommodate London's growth. According to the report, the London plan identifies town centres as an ideal location for growth, with capacity for at least 154,000 new homes. There is potential for growth in lower density areas in outer London, "a new generation of metro-lands" and areas outside the boundaries of the capital. Infrastructure is also important to housing developments. The DAG recommended longer-term investment into public infrastructure and requests for guidance on planning obligations and viability appraisals.

One of the solutions to increasing housing in the city is to increase the density and the London mayor should consider redesigning the density matrix, it said. The conversion of houses to flats should be encouraged to reduce the number of empty bedrooms. The report recommended introducing "a tiered level of planning requirements that increases in stringency for developments that go beyond established density ranges."

"This could include requiring applicants for such schemes to demonstrate that they have investigated alternative massing options, have been reviewed by an approved Design Review panel, comply with new Mayoral guidance on designing for high density, and have submitted detailed information on materials, detailing, management and maintenance."

Planning expert Victoria Lindsay of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law.com said: "this report is the first of four to be published by the mayor's Design Advisory Group over the coming weeks. This is part of its 'Good Growth Agenda' which aims to set out far-reaching recommendations and guidance for City Hall, industry professionals and the next London mayor on how London can deliver a high-quality and socially inclusive environment through 'good growth'."

The first strategic paper was called 'Growing London' and the remaining three strategic papers will focus on 'Public London', 'Ageing London' and 'Shaping London'.