The new Westminster city plan will prioritise onsite affordable housing, according to Richard Beddoe, cabinet member for place shaping and planning.
With the draft city plan expected in the autumn, Beddoe told last night’s London Real Estate Forum opening reception that the council would put in place “firmer policies” to deliver more affordable housing within the borough, to tackle a perception that planning policies have worked better for “the property industry than the people who live here”.
“If you build in Westminster, you have to build for Westminster,” he said. “A key consideration for planning applications is going to be what would this development do for Westminster, if passed. We need our residents to want to remain living here throughout their lives.”
He said the city plan, currently under consultation, would determine future planning applications in the borough.
“Running as a constant throughout the new city plan will be a need to make the most efficient use of our very, very limited space,” he said. “The policies on mixed use, on design, on density will reflect this. If an application is, for example, to build mega homes most likely occupied by absent oligarchs, these will do nothing for our city and the application will be refused.
“Previously we have accepted improvements to the public realm, onsite parking, cash to build affordable homes in other boroughs instead of onsite affordable housing and this just can’t happen any more. The new plan will make that clear.”
Beddoe said the plan would also address retail, air quality and other issues.
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