The HBF recommended the new London Plan, set to be published in 2027, should reduce the burden on developers by streamlining any additional policies that apply to residential schemes.
John Myers, director at the YIMBY (Yes in my Back Yard) Alliance, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “With just 731 market homes started in London in Q2 2025, it’s clear we need to find ways to get homebuilding going again.”
Mr Myers said options included revisiting the London Plan rules.
“The expensive dual-aspect requirement and the arbitrary cap of eight homes per staircase or lift core substantially reduce the number of homes a brownfield site can deliver, and make some sites unviable.”
The HBF report also found the capital’s current requirement for new developments – to have 35% of units qualify as affordable housing – was too high.
It recommended the new requirement should only be 25%.
The report also called on ministers to cancel the introduction of the Building Safety Levy, scheduled to come into force in 2026, which requires developers to pay for the remediation of any defects, and to implement a new targeted home ownership scheme to help first time buyers.