Leading academics have called for 150,000 homes to be built in the London section of the Thames Gateway growth area – 60,000 more than the government has planned.
An unpublished report by professors Anne Power and Christine Whitehead of the London School of Economics for the 10 London boroughs covered by the Gateway said a total of 150,000 homes should be built in the area over the next 20 years. The government originally planned for 59,000 homes in the London part of the Gateway by 2016 – this figure was raised to 90,000 in December.

A Framework for Housing in the Thames Gateway considered three alternative development scenarios: one for 59,000 homes by 2016 over 1685 ha; one for 100,000 homes by around 2020 covering 1335 ha and a third for 150,000 homes by 2025 on 1500 ha. It concluded that the third option was the best.

Power said: "Only the more ambitious targets, built at higher density under scenario three, will ensure high enough quality … environmental protection … [and] generate investment in communities and infrastructure."

The report also recommended that:

  • development should not rely on large brownfield sites, but build out towards them from existing town centres and make maximum use of infill sites
  • there should be upfront investment in physical and social infrastructure
  • developers should plan for higher density communities with 50-150 homes per hectare n homes should be built and renovated to the highest possible eco-standards.

David Woods, director of housing and health at Barking & Dagenham council, said: "The message for government is that if it wants housing more quickly it should look to areas such as Ilford rather than concentrate on the large brownfield sites such as Barking Reach."

Source

Housing Today