Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is to scrap the density matrix in the London Plan in order to crackdown on nimby boroughs objecting to major residential schemes in town centres.
Introduced in 2004, the matrix is a formula that uses the distance of a residential development from public transport hubs to dictate its density.
The policy was designed to ensure “appropriate development”, but critics claim it has become a tool for objectors to prevent much-needed housing from being delivered in London.
The matrix is a guide rather than a statutory policy, but it is commonly used to pressure councillors into refusing housing schemes.
Proposals to remove the matrix will be put forward in the mayor’s draft London Plan, which is due to be published on 29 November.
It will be the first substantial revision of the spatial development strategy since 2011.
It comes as Khan becomes increasingly interventionist with boroughs over housing delivery in urban areas.
This week, he approved National Grid UK Pension Scheme and DTZ Investors’ 17-storey housing development close to Wandsworth Town railway station. The original 15-storey scheme had previously been rejected by Wandsworth council.
Also this week, a report for the Housing & Finance Institute, authored by former City of London Corporation policy chairman Sir Mark Boleat, called for public sector bodies to be penalised for failing to release surplus land and building at higher densities proposed.
“The mayor has been clear that transport hubs and town centres hold the key to delivering the tens of thousands of new, genuinely affordable homes that Londoners need – and that he is prioritising protecting the green belt by supporting high-quality, high-density developments on brownfield land,” said a mayor of London spokesman.
Helen Gordon, chief executive of residential landlord Grainger, said: “We hope this is an indication that the London Plan will provide clarity and encourage local authorities to support density across a greater number of appropriate locations.
“While this decision alone is not the silver bullet, it seems to be a step in the right direction.”
The plans are part of the mayor’s hardline approach to ensuring every borough contributes to reaching London’s housing target.
Through his good growth by design programme and 50 design advocates appointed this summer, Khan wants to ensure site capacity is maximised.
Will Lingard, senior director in the CBRE London planning team, said: “Scrapping [the density matrix] is one part of encouraging densification and the great benefits of that include optimising the best use of land when there is a great deal of pressure to use the green belt”.
New advice is expected to be included in the London Plan about the application of density and the relationship to transport nodes.
Mark Kent, managing director of Dolphin Living, said: “If you use the freedom responsibly, you end up with great-quality homes, more of them, and that can only be a good thing for the housing crisis.”
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