London Mayoral candidates discuss housing
Wednesday, 19 March 2008 3:06 PM
The competing candidates to become the Mayor of London have launched their manifestos at the start of a six-week election campaign - but who has the best plans for the capital?
Unsurprisingly all three leading nominees - Labour incumbent Ken Livingstone, Tory Boris Johnson and Brian Paddick of the Liberal Democrats - have made affordable housing a central tenet of their proposals.
There are also similar threads running through all three documents promising to alleviate overcrowding in the city as well as proposals to return redundant land to use and improve the aesthetic quality of available property.
Highlights of the declarations made by the candidates so far include:
Ken Livingstone, Labour
Mr Livingstone, who has served in the post of Mayor since 2000, acknowledges 150,000 families in London live in over-crowded conditions, with a further 60,000 in temporary accommodation.
In addition many more first-time buyers are unable to take their first step on the housing ladder due to problems with affordability.
In response the Labour candidate has made housing a "top priority" - pledging to increase the number of 'affordable' new homes in the city - including those built for rent and for shared ownership.
It is hoped the proposals will allow Londoners on low incomes to achieve a good standard of housing and, where possible, get on the first rung of the property ownership ladder.
Specifically Mr Livingstone promises: "To safeguard the policy that 50 per cent of new homes should be cheaper homes to buy and homes at affordable rents; and build a minimum fifty thousand new affordable homes in the next three years."
More details of the mayor's housing policies are set to be unveiled in the coming weeks.
Boris Johnson, Conservative
Mr Johnson's campaign takes a parallel view of the housing situation in London, acknowledging first-time buyers are forced to pay some 60 per cent more for their property in the capital than in other areas of the country.
Viewing the situation as a "crisis", the Tory candidate pledges to increase the number of affordable homes on the market, but believes "quotas are not the answer" and presents no definite figures.
He does, however, offer his vision of what form affordable housing should take, saying: "It must not mean second best. It must not mean high rise council flats. It must not mean cramped and overcrowded.
"We must build houses that will still be loved and respected in 100 years, dwellings of distinction and grace that satisfy the instinct for differentiation that is deep in the human soul."
Specifically Mr Johnson seeks to work in partnership with local councils to increase the number of properties, develop more family-sized homes with gardens (at the expense of high rise developments) and ensure new homes are "beautiful" and not just functional.
More details are expected on the campaign trail.
Brian Paddick, Liberal Democrat
Liberal Democrat Brian Paddick also acknowledges: "The lack of affordable housing near where Londoners work keeps people off the housing ladder and contributes to congestion on the roads and overcrowding on public transport."
In answer to these concerns Mr Paddick would use money currently spent on temporary accommodation to build new permanent social housing.
Furthermore, if elected the Lib Dems would bring unoccupied properties back into use and take over redundant land to create more housing without the need to build on London's precious green spaces.
Siân Berry, Green Party
The Green Party have struck a deal with Mayor Ken Livingstone, recommending the party's voters place him as second choice, while his supporters will do the same.
Yet, outside of this alliance, the party have some distinctive policies of their own.
Uniquely the party is offering free insulation for the capital's homes. According to the party domestic property accounts for nearly half of London's emissions, and the policy is an attempt to tackle this.
Ms Berry also has plans for affordable housing, calling for a change in direction from developers, away from luxury flats toward accommodation for ordinary people.
"I'll use tough planning rules to make sure developers include real affordable housing - for rent not just one-off sales - in all new developments. I will increase the target for these homes in the London Plan to 60 per cent," said Ms Berry.
The Greens will also tighten the definition of the word 'affordable' to ensure the perceived vested interests of the housing industry no longer trample of the needs of the city.
The vote for Mayor of London takes place on May 1st.
