Housing minister Yvette Cooper has announced steps to make developers provide more family housing in London.

In a speech at last week's Association of London Government housing conference she said the government would work with councils and mayor Ken Livingstone's Greater London Authority on the plans, which are designed to combat overcrowding.

She said the planning system would be used to require house builders to provide more larger private units though other levers would probably be employed, including social housing.

She announced that homes with three bedroom or more will make up 34% of the Housing Corporation's development programme, due to be launched in the next fortnight. This contrasts with the present figure of 27%.

Cooper added that the government intended to consult this year over revisions to the statutory overcrowding standards, which were set in 1935.

Campaigners say they need amendment because they fail to count children under 10 and allow living rooms and kitchens to be counted as sleeping quarters.

Cooper said that the government's main housing challenges in London were tackling overcrowding and getting families out of temporary accommodation.