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We will get London building again once this crisis has passed
The economic impacts of coronavirus will have a serious impact on housebuilding in London, but my team will develop a recovery plan, writes Tom Copley
No one could have predicted three months ago that my first piece in Inside Housing as deputy mayor of London for housing and residential development would be under these circumstances.
These are unprecedented times. Across the sector, companies, boroughs and individuals are having to make difficult decisions in response to the new challenges we face.
In the immediate short term, of course, the Homes for Londoners team and the Greater London Authority more widely, along with many of our housing association and borough partners, are focused on supporting vulnerable Londoners through the pandemic to the best of our abilities.
This includes procuring hotel rooms and other self-contained accommodation to enable rough sleepers to self-isolate, lobbying government for ‘triple-lock’ protection from eviction for private renters, and working with the sector to support our NHS and key workers by exploring bringing unsold units into use as a safe place for them to stay.
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In the medium and longer term, I do not think that the impacts on housing, development and construction can be understated. We know from the 2008 economic crisis that an economic shock can cause profound and sustained damage to the housing market and the delivery of new homes.
It is clear that we will need to act to ensure that housing delivery in London can continue at pace and scale once it is safe for that to happen, and I am ready to work with government to ensure that partners are not penalised for having to compromise on delivery during this crisis.
“We know from the 2008 economic crisis that an economic shock can cause profound and sustained damage to the housing market and the delivery of new homes”
As part of this work, I have set up a small taskforce of leading housing delivery professionals to provide insight into the impacts the pandemic will have on housing supply.
My team and I will listen and develop a recovery plan for the sector which we will work with government to deliver. This plan will seek not only to ensure that the sector is well placed to bounce back, but also that the long-term resilience of the sector is improved and that we are able to deliver the social rented homes that London so desperately needs.
“Our recovery will require bold public sector intervention”
This crisis has served to bring that need into sharper relief – highlighting once more the risks that homelessness, insecure or poor-quality housing and overcrowding pose to our communities and our city.
When we come out of the crisis, I am clear that we cannot just return to business as usual. Our recovery will require bold public sector intervention, including new powers for councils and much greater funding from government for social and council housing.
The response so far is testament to the flexibility, diligence and commitment of housing associations, boroughs and businesses across the sector. I very much look forward to continuing to work with you to get London building again soon.
Tom Copley, deputy mayor for housing, Greater London Authority
