London could be as dense as Bangkok, Osaka or Rio de Janeiro by 2041 and the next mayor needs to start planning.
That is the message from the London Assembly planning committee, which today published a menu of growth options for the future mayor.
“Now is the time to start planning for London in the 2020s and 2030s,” said Nicky Gavron, Assembly member and chair of the committee.
“The big question is: how should London grow – and in which direction?” she asked.
A “skyline commission” could be created to advise on the impact of tall buildings, the committee said, adding that tall buildings “should not be encouraged” outside a few designated and carefully managed areas of London.
Increased density through methods such as estate regeneration and building on brownfield land were crucial for solving the housing crisis, the report found.
However, it said development should be in line with the capital’s existing “compact city” guidelines, which discourage building on London’s green and open spaces.
The committee urged the mayor to speed up funding for infrastructure in designated opportunity areas with the capacity for higher-density housing.
Town centres could see increased housing capacity and smaller retail centres to reflect changes in shopping houses.
The report also suggested directing growth away from London’s current boundaries, with a joint strategic plan on a regional level covering the Home Counties as well as the capital.
Suburban intensification and a review of the green belt’s function to justify its retention in the face of housing demands were also suggested.
London’s population is projected to grow by 1m over the next 10 years and a further 500,000 in the decade after that.
The next mayor of London, who will be elected in May, is likely to review the London Plan, which sets out an integrated framework for the development of London over the next 20 to 25 years.
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