REAL WORLD Talking heads


We asked LSBU alumni and staff who all have a connection with housing and regeneration to share their perspectives on the crisis, both personal and professional


THE CAMPAIGNER


affordable homes (something of a misnomer, given that “affordable” is now set at up to 80% of market rent) will be 740 units: just 11% of the 6740 new homes being built, of which 6000 will be “luxury” apartments with prices starting from £595,000.


‘Our goal is to achieve community ownership for the existing homes on the West Kensington and Gibbs Green Estates. We know from experience that what works best is for social housing to be managed at a local level. To me, regeneration has to start with meeting the needs of local people. It can’t be top down.


“ People talk about social cleansing in London – and it’s not hard to see why”


Robin Hawkes (BA Town Planning, 1978) is an independent housing consultant and campaigner. He sits on the board of West Kensington and Gibbs Green Community Homes


‘London has a rising population coupled with a massive shortfall in new homes – and much of what is being built is not only out of reach for those in housing need, it’s beyond the means of most ordinary people too.


‘The overall “masterplan” for Earl’s Court includes demolishing the famous exhibition centres along with 760 mixed tenure homes. The developers are obliged to replace those homes; but residents are overwhelmingly opposed to demolition. The only additional


THE TOWN PLANNER


“ Outside London, there’s a real need for greater speed and flexibility in the planning process”


David Barker (BA Town and Country Planning, 2004) is a partner at Evolution Town Planning, which provides planning advice for a wide range of commercial and residential projects


‘Builders and developers often cite planning as one of the main barriers preventing them being able to satisfy the demand for new homes. I’d say that’s certainly more of an issue outside London. The planning system can be slow to respond to changing circumstances. Local plans are often out of sync with what’s happening on the ground, and the process of changing them can be lengthy.


14 | SOUTH BANK | Autumn 2015


‘We’re currently looking at a vacant waterfront site in a market town in Yorkshire. There’s demand for housing and a drive to see the area redeveloped. But the local plan doesn’t currently allow for it, so we are either faced with a long wait for the local plan review, or we have to prepare a speculative planning application to argue the principle. This is expensive and risky, and so not attractive to the landowner. What is needed is a system that can move quickly, and take advantage of these kinds of opportunities.


‘The government is talking about introducing “in principle” planning consent for brownfield sites. That would definitely help. Changes to planning policy have already made greenfield development easier, giving a lot more flexibility to deliver the homes that we need. However, we need to continue to look for ways to unlock and make best use of the resources we have.’


‘In Earl’s Court we’re already seeing the impact of the redevelopment project, before the main building work has even begun. This was a vibrant neighbourhood, with a distinctive character. But with the demolition of the exhibition centres, shops and cafes are empty, and people are going out of business.


‘My concern is that a project like this does very little to meet local needs or to address the housing crisis. I’m not naïve – I know that developers need to make a profit. But there must be a balance. I believe a healthy community is a mixed community, not one largely composed of luxury homes owned by domestic or overseas investors who may never even set foot there. Many talk of the “social cleansing” of large areas of London – and it’s not hard to see why.


‘The general picture in London is also dire for those on low to middle incomes who are dependent on the private rented sector, with no security and rising rents. The benefit cap will increasingly hit both public and private sector tenants and we are going to see lots more people losing their tenancies or being forced out of London. We need longer-term tenancies, and an end to untrammelled rent increases.’


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