Leading figures in the property industry have attacked mayor Ken Livingstones draft London Plan for tying future development in London to “unachievable targets”.
Members of a round table group specifically brought together by business lobby group London First to debate the plan said they did not believe the visions of the plan would be achieved by 2016.
With under a fortnight until the end of consultation, the group slated the plans dependency on infrastructure projects such as Crossrail and the East London Line.
Andy Leahy of Ballymore said: “The delivery of the plan revolves around improving infrastructure and unless those projects come about nothing else will happen.”
The draft London Plan, which sets out the strategy for the capitals future development, requires 90m sq ft of offices and half a million more homes by 2016, but states that no development will happen until the infrastructure to support it is in place.
Jon Ross, the mayors economic adviser, has admitted that the policy would cause “a bit of a scratchy period”.
But Roger Lewis, chairman of Berkeley Group, said: “There are so many hurdles in the way, and they are going to make the plan undeliverable.”
Trying to push Crossrail through on time was described by Nick Shattock, development director of Quintain Estates, as “one of the most depressing issues for London”.
Robert Evans, project director for Argents Kings Cross development, said: “Even if it does go ahead, Crossrail will be completed between 2011 and 2016, which is after most of the development required by the plan should have happened.”
EGi News 23/09/02
