London mayor asks for faster access to cash to support capital’s housing sector

Sadiq Khan has called for the government to introduce temporary measures to help shore up housebuilding in the capital in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

London’s mayor (pictured) has written to housing secretary Robert Jenrick demanding he introduce further measures to support housing delivery.

Sadiw Khan - -

Khan said: “At this stage, I would request that you consider introducing temporary measures to grant maximum flexibility to the Greater London Authority to utilise funding provided by [the ministry of housing] via the affordable homes programme and land assembly, small sites and accelerated construction funds.”

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The call for new measures to support housing delivery comes as four of the country’s five biggest volume housebuilders confirmed they would be closing their sites.

Barratt, Taylor Wimpey, Persimmon and Bellway have all said they are mothballing sites. Berkeley has said it plans to continue to operate.

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