THE NEED FOR LONDON HOUSING
Over the last five years, London has built an average of over 37,000 homes. Nearly 70% of this housing was built for the private sector. In a recent article, the NLA highlighted a need for 74,000 houses annually. This is a massive 200% increase on its current rate.
Government schemes, such as the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund (WH:SHF), are examples of funding that feed directly into regenerating housing stock through retrofitting. Other government and Great London Authority (GLA) initiatives include prioritising social housing buildings and making public sites available to developers and associations.
It’s important to note regeneration and retrofitting current housing stock will play an important role. However, the need for new, and particularly more affordable housing in London, isn’t in doubt. According to Statista, there are 3.8 million dwellings in the capital with an expected population of over 11 million people by 2050 (london.gov.uk). This has led to increased infrastructure such as rail, water main and sewers in anticipation.
The Mayor of London’s report ‘London 2050 – Bigger and Better’ look at four main challenges:
- What infrastructure will we need?
- Where will it go?
- How will we deliver it?
- How will we pay for it?
Through this article, we will specifically look at ‘Where will it go?’ and focus on London housing.
THE OVERVIEW OF LONDON HOUSING
If we use the NLA stat of requiring 74,000 houses built per year, the overall number up to 2050 is 1.85 million required. This doesn’t include retrofitting of existing buildings. It’s clear housing must go somewhere, but where?
The Mayor of London report suggests four paths:
- Assume current policies continue
- Increase densities in location with good public transport access
- Increase densities in town centres
- Export London’s growth to other parts of the South East.
Assuming current policies continue will not be enough unless budgeting for the current policies is greatly increased. This point also doesn’t highlight the main issue of where housing will go.
BUILDING UPWARDS
The idea of building up directly ties into point 2 of the Mayor of London’s report. As shown on the image, those areas with good transport links tend to be more central.
POSITIVES
- Efficient Use Of Space – reducing the need for expansion and preserving green belt areas.
- Economic Benefits – developing upwards can lead to new communities requiring new amenities which will be accessible in the immediate area.
- Environmental Impact – high-density areas reduce the need for cars and increase public transport. This is boosted by London’s existing good transport links.
NEGATIVES
- Community Impact – Tall buildings can lead to a lack of interaction between residents. New builds may also cause resentment from the area’s existing residents.
- Quality of Life – Access to outdoor space is limited. Noise and sound pollution are also prevalent. Rights of light may be affected as we densify and block light.
- Infrastructure Strain – London generally has good infrastructure and planned infrastructure. However, as the population increases this will be tested.
Building upwards and creating high-rise residential spaces presents an opportunity to densify without extending the city’s footprint. This approach can preserve the green belt, an essential asset for London’s biodiversity. By preventing urban sprawl, the well-being of outer London residents is protected and conflict over such issues is prevented.
Building upwards may be through new builds or air space development. Air space development is the practice of adding levels to any existing buildings for new housing. Measured surveys, carried out by companies such as Spatial Dimensions, are integral in compiling accurate data for developments such as these. Contact us for more information.
The prominent high-rise social housing blocks of the 1960s have both safety and social concerns. London’s new high-rise buildings, if designed thoughtfully, will contribute to the architectural and sustainable legacy of the city, whilst changing perceptions.
BUILDING OUTWARDS
Building out has directly relates to path 4, of the ‘London 2050’ report; ‘Export London’s growth to other parts of the South East.’
POSITIVES
- Alleviating Housing Pressure – building outwards can help alleviate the housing crisis in London, creating more affordable housing.
- Opportunity for Greenfield Development – sites can be designed from inception to incorporate sustainable planning
NEGATIVES
- Risk of Urban Sprawl – leading to increased commuting times, reliance on cars, and contribute to environmental degradation.
- Infrastructure Challenges – the development of new infrastructure can be costly and time-consuming.
Exporting some of London’s growth across the South East could regenerate some areas. In others, it could mean expanding into green belt areas and essentially swallowing up cities, towns and villages. The image shows mass expansion north of London in areas like Luton, and then across the whole South East.
Some see London’s expansion as inevitable. However, at the current rate of building and retrofitting, the population will heavily outweigh the housing market. Immediate areas like the commuter town of Sevenoaks pose moral questions. For example, 93% of Sevenoaks District is designated Green Belt land. Building outwards here may have negative effects on these areas. Therefore, there’s an argument to develop beyond these areas. This would mean creating more modern urban areas across the South-East and away from London.
CONCLUSION
We can see that building upwards in London, or outwards of London, will have its benefits and issues. It’s clear there’s a mass need for housing in London. How we get there will almost certainly be a mixed approach.
Building upwards will play an integral part in increasing the housing stock of London. Changing current perceptions of high-rise buildings will also be imperative. London, for the most part, is an urban area so an increasing number of buildings may not have huge resistance. This is obvious when walking around London, with seemingly endless construction works!
The same cannot be said about areas that sit outside of London, or in the suburban areas of the city. London is becoming increasingly short on space and mass residential buildings in the home counties, and beyond, may become a key resolution.
Notable infrastructure upgrades including HS1/HS2 and train line lengthening outside of London show this is already underway. The mass building of residential properties has and will continue to come under huge scrutiny from people living outside of London, however. This was shown in the Pedham Place development opportunity that saw 92% of residents in Eynsford, Sevenoaks, oppose the plans. Many cited increased congestion as a main area of concern.
In conclusion, the rate of residential development must increase to accommodate an increasing population. London where space is at a premium, will continue to build high-rise residential buildings and communities, whilst looking out to the South-East for space. If outer London areas are viable, infrastructure and travel must be improved and existing residents considered to avoid future conflict.