City Hall responds re 25% cap

Last friday Property Week Magazine claimed that the London Mayor, Boris Johnson is planning to set a new cap of 25% for affordable homes in key housing zones and opportunity areas, this if introduced would effectively block local authorities from negotiating up from that threshold.

A response from City Hall has played down such reports that a 25% cap was to be put on affordable homes being built in the capital by the Mayor, according to Property Week the Mayor’s office “declined to comment” when contacted by them.

City Hall however responded on friday afternoon telling MayorWatch that Mr Johnson was not seeking to impose a central cap and that the new draft Supplementary Planning Guidance  suggests “boroughs could explore introducing area-based targets in Housing Zones and Opportunity Areas where this would provide additional certainty and incentivise developers to increase affordable housing offers.”

A spokesperson for the Mayor reportedly commented: “History shows that setting unrealistic targets at City Hall would be unaffordable for developers and burdensome for boroughs, leading to fewer homes being built.

“Instead of arbitrary thresholds, the Mayor is determined to make sure that schemes include as much affordable housing as viable to ensure that new homes get built as quickly as possible, and help more Londoners get onto the property ladder.”

 

 

Allen Walkey

Highly experienced businessman with a successful career in property sales and investment both in the UK and abroad. Now a freelance writer and blogger for the property and Investment Industry, keeping readers up-to-date with changes and events in a rapidly changing world.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Breaking Property News 21/11/25

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   VE+ the new procurement engine cutting developers costs without compromise Finishes packages are specification sensitive and expensive components of any build – VE+ fixes this  As construction costs continue to climb and procurement timelines tighten, developers and contractors are being pushed harder than ever…
Read More
Breaking News

Inheritance Tax Receipts raise £5.2 billion in seven months

Inheritance tax (IHT) receipts hit £5.2 billion in the first seven months of the 2025/26 tax year, according to data released by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) this morning. This is £0.2 billion higher than same period of the previous tax year and continues an upward trend over the last two decades. Nicholas Hyett, Investment…
Read More
Breaking News

FMB calls on Reeves to scrap housing tax threat

The Chancellor needs to scrap the Government’s proposed landfill tax quarry exemption which will add up to £28,000 to the cost of homes on small sites in next week’s Autumn Budget, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “At a time when the Government is failing to…
Read More
Breaking News

Full Steam Ahead! UK Construction to return to growth in 2026

Construction intelligence specialists predict renewed activity following false-start over the summer. Revised figures will see UK construction sector grow 21% over the next two years Private housebuilding remains on course to grow significantly, with activity still predicted to rise by almost a fifth in 2027 Commercial office starts set to continue their ascent, and increasing…
Read More
Breaking News

Winter is Coming: Douglas & Gordon Warns Landlords and Tenants to Take Action Before Disputes Occur

Mould, damp, burst pipes and boilers on the blink? With temperatures set to plummet in London this week, real-estate agent Douglas & Gordon is advising landlords and tenants to take action before issues occur. With 45% of landlords experiencing arrears or disputes, often linked to property condition or delayed maintenance* the agent’s expert lettings team…
Read More
Breaking News

Home sellers slashing asking prices amid Budget speculation

The latest research from Property DriveBuy reveals that homesellers are slashing asking prices across the country in an attempt to attract buyers in a stagnant pre-Budget housing market. The latest asking price data* shows that the average asking price in Britain (£364,833) fell by -1.8% between October and November 2025, contributing to an overall annual…
Read More