Affordable housing in London must go the extra mile

Targets are necessary as London’s housebuilding sector grapples with undersupply, and driving output is one priority. However, creating belonging through people-oriented approaches should take equal precedence if we want sustainable places to create proper neighbourhoods.

Standardised approaches and short-term pressures can make it harder to prioritise local needs. While targets are important, we’re building homes that form community. Emphasis on high-quality design, shared and green spaces are essential to creating affordable housing where people can put down roots and thrive. 

Affordable housing is all about providing the right spaces for the right people. In a London context, it’s about providing homes for people that make the city tick. London needs a blend of people to drive its economy and add to its cultural resilience. Resident-first thinking that gives weight to inclusive housing ensures placemakers continue building the homes that keep London’s communities balanced, open and alive.  

Undoubtedly, measures from the government and GLA are required to navigate challenges that are currently preventing developers from making this possible at scale. In the current economic climate, planning certainty and increased flexibility are required to kick-start affordable housebuilding. Trusted partners lie in waiting and are willing to take risks, but they cannot bridge the viability gap alone as it stands.   

Despite the headwinds, opportunities and new sources of capital still have the potential to unlock opportunities for development that treat affordable homes as places, not products. Public-private partnerships and joint ventures are offering chances to rethink how affordable housing is delivered in vibrant ways that engage communities.

As the government sets its sights on lofty targets and ambitious plans, homes that people can afford should be central to long-term plans for housing. The recently announced new town locations are set to offer a minimum of 40% affordable homes and offer an opportunity to create homes and communities that put people first.

But how do we go about doing this?  

Human-led design is key. By speaking to communities early, planning can introduce accessibility features, reflect local identity and create adaptable homes that evolve with residents’ changing needs. Development should foster neighbourly connection and build with longevity in mind by layering sustainability into homes.  

Regeneration should be rooted in creating spaces that open up opportunities for connection and support rounded lifestyles for the whole community. Schools, healthcare facilities and shops are vital to creating neighbourhoods people want to live in. Parks and community spaces are also essential to the fabric of social life, by providing spaces that shape everyday interaction. High-quality affordable homes are part of a wider blend of uses that create diverse communities and bring people together.  

“Opportunities and new sources of capital still have the potential to unlock opportunities for development that treat affordable homes as places, not products”

Putting a sense of place and people first, Manor Road Quarter in Canning Town, east London, exemplifies how when the conditions are right, people-centred design can be implemented highly effectively in public-private partnerships. Delivering 804 sustainable homes in Canning Town, of which 50% will be affordable, Manor Road Quarter is an English Cities Fund project from Muse, Homes England and Legal & General in partnership with the London Borough of Newham, GLA and Metropolitan Thames Valley.  

At the heart of this bustling new neighbourhood is green space. Co-designed by local students, Green Haven Park is a new 2.9-acre space with a running track, skate bowl and outdoor gym that nurtures well-being – putting people at the forefront of design. Manor Road Quarter proves that where focus on people is prioritised, placemakers can create neighbourhoods with enduring communities that uplift areas.   

Capable partners are on standby to deliver the affordable housing output that London needs. With some support from government and the GLA, public-private partners with a proven track record are ready to unlock affordable housing in the capital.

As scale continues to shape the debate around housing, now is the moment to take people-led approaches and ensure that London’s next wave of affordable homes stands the test of time for communities.  

Duncan Cumberland, director of development management – South, Muse