Sadiq Khan criticises government over housing shortage

Sadiq Khan has slammed the government for its “poor housing delivery” as new figures reveal the capital is outbuilding the rest of the country.

According to new data released by the Department of Levelling Up, up to March 2022, London has increased its housing stock by eight per cent during the years in which Sadiq has been Mayor, compared to just 6% for the rest of England.

Housing completions in London in recent years have been at the highest level since the 1930s, with the highest council homebuilding since the 1970s.

Tackling London’s housing crisis a priority

Analysis reveals that if the rest of England had been building new homes at the same rate as London since 2016, there would be 300,000 more homes across the country today.

However, the London Mayor does acknowledge London faces a significant shortage of housing.

Mr Khan said: “I’ve made tackling London’s housing crisis a priority since the day I took office. We have got London building again, with this analysis showing that our hard work has sent home building in the capital charging ahead of the rest of the country – and were it not for the inaction of Ministers, there would be an extra 300,000 much-needed homes across the rest of England today.

He added: “There is still a long way to go to fix the housing crisis in London and the government is putting our progress at risk by rowing back on targets. Experts are warning that country-wide housebuilding has fallen to the lowest level since World War II.

“I’m using every power at my disposal to build a better, fairer and more prosperous city for all Londoners, but if Ministers don’t invest the funding required into London and beyond, progress across the whole country could grind to a halt.”

Unprecedented housing crisis

Housing experts have warned that high-interest rates and supply issues will make London’s housing crisis worse.

Fiona Fletcher-Smith, chair of G15, a group of affordable housing providers said: “Housing associations are facing very tough decisions in the face of high interest rates, cost inflation, supply chain issues and labour shortages.

“London and the rest of the country is facing an unprecedented housing crisis, and we will only solve it by getting the sector building again.

We need long-term thinking, certainty and political commitment, and strongly urge government to consider and implement the recommendations set out by the London Housing Delivery Taskforce.”

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