Affordable housing and viability SPG
On 17 August 2017, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan published new Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) aimed at raising the bar for affordable housing provision in London.
‘Affordable Housing and Viability’ illustrates the long-term aim of the Mayor to ensure that half of all new homes are affordable, raising the level from 13% at the point when he took office in 2016.
The SPG provides a practical first step at raising the amount of affordable housing coming through the planning system in advance of the new London Plan in 2019. The Mayor aims to embed the requirement for affordable housing into land values, in addition to making the viability process more consistent and transparent, with robust and well-scrutinised development appraisals.
The SPG requires that at least half of the new homes built on public land in the capital will need to be affordable to be eligible for a new fast-track route through the planning process. Developers of private land will be eligible for the fast-track route if a minimum of 35% affordable housing provision is provided (without public funding).
The SPG goes on to stipulate that developments should get underway within two years of planning permission being granted. There will be greater scrutiny of the plans and the financial modelling behind them if this is not achieved, or if the minimum affordable thresholds are not met.
Greater transparency is to be achieved by publishing the financial details in the application, with the reinvestment of a share in any unexpected profits in more affordable housing.
Sadiq Khan said:
“I’m determined to ensure we don’t have a repeat of what happened at Battersea Power Station … with developers unacceptably reducing the number of affordable homes on site after planning permission was granted. That’s why I’ve written to all councils offering City Hall’s expertise in robustly scrutinising applications to ensure we see the new and genuinely affordable homes built that Londoners desperately need.”
For more information, and to download the SPG, see here.
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Combating burnout.
The 5 elements of seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu and shitsuke.
Shading for housing, a design guide
A look back at embedding a new culture of shading.
The Architectural Technology Awards
The AT Awards 2025 are open for entries!
ECA Blueprint for Electrification
The 'mosaic of interconnected challenges' and how to deliver the UK’s Transition to Clean Power.
Grenfell Tower Principal Contractor Award notice
Tower repair and maintenance contractor announced as demolition contractor.
Passivhaus social homes benefit from heat pump service
Sixteen new homes designed and built to achieve Passivhaus constructed in Dumfries & Galloway.
CABE Publishes Results of 2025 Building Control Survey
Concern over lack of understanding of how roles have changed since the introduction of the BSA 2022.
British Architectural Sculpture 1851-1951
A rich heritage of decorative and figurative sculpture. Book review.
A programme to tackle the lack of diversity.
Independent Building Control review panel
Five members of the newly established, Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommended, panel appointed.
Welsh Recharging Electrical Skills Charter progresses
ECA progressing on the ‘asks’ of the Recharging Electrical Skills Charter at the Senedd in Wales.
A brief history from 1890s to 2020s.
CIOB and CORBON combine forces
To elevate professional standards in Nigeria’s construction industry.
Amendment to the GB Energy Bill welcomed by ECA
Move prevents nationally-owned energy company from investing in solar panels produced by modern slavery.
Gregor Harvie argues that AI is state-sanctioned theft of IP.
Experimental AI housing target help for councils
Experimental AI could help councils meet housing targets by digitising records.