Developers to get “serious look” at housing plan
Peter Bill
Developers in London are to be offered “a serious joint look” at controversial plans by Mayor Ken Livingstone to introduce quotas for social housing in commercial developments.
Neil Coleman, the Mayor’s special adviser on housing, told EG at MIPIM this week that “we have to take seriously the points they make and test out the objections they have”.
Coleman indicated that round table discussions will be set up soon and will include landowners, developers and mortgage finance houses to hammer out plans for agreed research into the impact of social housing quotas on all types of scheme. “We do not want to put into place a simplistic policy that won’t work,” said Coleman.
Deputy mayor Nicky Gavron also told EG at MIPIM this week that the Greater London Authority is planning to introduce aesthetic guidance into its strategic plan for the capital: “We have every intention of pushing for much better design standards.” She will be publishing the draft plan towards the end of the year.
Gavron, who has special responsibility for the spatial development strategy, added: “We want to publish best practice design guidance as part of the draft SDS.” She said a slim proposals document, designed to invite debate, will be published in late April.
The news comes in the wake of Livingstone’s rejection, largely on aesthetic grounds, of the Frogmore scheme to redevelop the roundabout site at the southern end of Westminster Bridge. “We are only doing what John Prescott could, and should, be doing,” said Coleman.
Gavron said: “We are very keen to implement the urban design policies put forward by Lord Rogers in his report.”Focus, p112
