Housing shortages and high rents.

house building essex colchester

Zac Goldsmith the Conservative London mayoral candidate has reportedly said London needs to see housebuilding at a level  last seen in the 1930s,  he claims that the current housing shortage is a “social crisis.” He has vowed to double house-building in the capital, pledging to ensure homes are built at a rate of 50,000 a year by 2020.

He reportedly said: “We know this is the number one concern for Londoners and we know it is the number one concern for businesses.

“We know the only solution is to massively ramp up the number of homes we are building to help close the gap between what we need and what we are currently building and that means around 50,000 homes a year, it means going back to the 1930s levels of housebuilding which will require monumental effort but we also know that is possible.

“We have vast amounts of publically owned land brownfield land which is not being used which could be used and we need to unlock that land,  both through transport extensions but also by prizing it away from public bodies that has to be the absolute emphasis.

The Labour candidate Sadiq Khan has reportedly pledged to build  a minimum of 80,000 new homes a year.

At the same time as London experiences a shortage of housing the Green Party leader, Natalie Bennett is demanding greater protection for people living in private rented accommodation,  that would include the creation of a Living Rent Commission by the government. Housing shortages and high rents go hand in hand, both these issues need to be addressed simaltaneously by the Government and the London Mayor.

 

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

small house bird box
Estate Agent Talk

Families can move up the property ladder by paying 1% more in this city

Families in Suffolk can take a significant step up the property ladder with minimal financial stretch, as the team at Suffolk Pocket Door Company reveal that upgrading from a terraced house to a semi-detached home in West Suffolk costs just 1% more on average. Here Carl Benson, owner of Suffolk Pocket Door Company comments. Why…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 20/02/25

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X. Roome celebrates four years of helping students and growing universities’ revenue James Buck, co-founder of Roome sums up the 48-month journey so far, ‘Four years ago, we launched an app Owen Redman and I wished we had at university – a tool to make shared living not…
Read More
Overseas Property

How to Find an Experienced Wedding Photographer in Greece

Choosing the Right Photographer Your wedding day is one of the most important moments of your life, and capturing it perfectly requires an experienced photographer. Greece offers stunning locations, from whitewashed villages to breathtaking sunsets. But how do you find the right professional to document your big day? Research and Recommendations Start by researching online.…
Read More
Breaking News

Tenants Struggle as Shortage of Rental Housing Continues

Private sector tenants are continuing to struggle as new data highlights an ongoing shortage of homes to rent. Almost eight in ten landlords (77 per cent) across England and Wales reported strong demand from prospective tenants in the final quarter of 2024 according to research from Pegasus Insights. The data, compiled for the National Residential…
Read More
Breaking News

New Platform Will Make Tackling Criminal Landlords Easier

Private sector tenants will find it easier to hold criminal landlords to account thanks to a new online platform being launched in Parliament today. The ‘My Housing Issue’ Gateway, designed by the TDS Charitable Foundation, will ensure tenants know where to take complaints related to rented housing. Research by the Foundation has found that 50…
Read More
Breaking News

Continued growth recorded in auctioneering sector – Propertymark Auction Barometer

53% of members said that the number of lots exceeding their reserve price increased in Q4 2024 compared to the previous quarter. Only 12% reported a decrease. The highest percentage of those surveyed (41%) said that the number of lots available (for all auction types) increased in Q4 2024 in comparison to Q3. Members reported…
Read More