Due to lack of affordable housing, London Mayor throws out plans for New Scotland Yard scheme

2017-09-12T14:21:00-04:00

The Abu Dhabi-owned developer won planning approval for the 268-home mixed-use redevelopment of the Metropolitan Police’s HQ site in April 2016....Since then developer BL Developments has sought to increase the total number of homes by 27, from 268 to 295, with no increase in the number of affordable units or payment in lieu, meaning the level of affordable housing fell further still to only 3%.

BL Developments, who bought the site back in 2014 for £370m, had submitted an initial proposal to transform the former Metropolitan Police headquarters into a mixed-use scheme. The plans, which involved tearing down three existing buildings to clear the way for six residential-led buildings ranging from 14 to 20 stories, were approved with full planning permission by the then London Mayor Boris Johnson in 2016. The plans included only 10 affordable homes out of 268.

In 2017, the developer lodged a 'section 73 application' to increase the total number of homes to 295 without adding to the number of affordable units or payment in lieu. This increase put the level of affordable housing on site at 3%. Due to the lack of sufficient affordable housing on site, London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, has rejected the new proposal. The initial planning permission for the Broadway property will not be affected by this decision and development will go on as planned.

Sadiq Khan, who has made tackling the ...

Architects advice to London's new mayor Sadiq Khan

2016-05-09T11:13:00-04:00

As Sadiq Khan arrived for his first day at work as London’s new mayor, architects urged him to be bold in tackling the city’s housing crisis. They warned that his policies alone won’t be enough to solve the problems and advised him to widen his approach. “Bold strategic moves are what’s required, and I therefore hope the new mayor has the stomach for a fight,” said Russell Curtis of RCKa.

There are high hopes for Khan, find out more about some of the issues he will have to tackle in his new position:

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Due to lack of affordable housing, London Mayor throws out plans for New Scotland Yard scheme

Architects advice to London's new mayor Sadiq Khan