While young people and key workers struggle to find secure homes, the built environment sector faces a stretching housing target. Find out how our keynote speakers address the challenge and find opportunities for positive change.
Have London rents become so unaffordable that public services cannot be delivered properly?
That question will be posed by a keynote speaker at our forthcoming conference, Homes for the Future. Manny Hothi is Chief Executive of Trust for London, which funds organisations working on social and economic justice in the capital.
“I’ll be asking if we have reached a tipping point,” said Manny ahead of the conference.
“People with higher incomes enjoy city life, but that’s threatened if no one can pick up your bins or your teaching assistant can’t afford to work locally. Public services can’t run if people commute two hours each way.”
Responding to gentrification across London
Trust of London has published research showing a gap between rich and poor in London, widening fastest in areas previously regarded as areas of deprivation. Their analysis of demographic data shows the negative impact of gentrification on low-income families in neighbourhoods across the city, most notably in Tower Hamlets.
“There aren’t any affordable places to live anymore,” he argues. “We’re slowly seeing all the areas of London become gentrified.”
His solution? “The only answer I have is build more social housing!”
Homes for the Future examines the kinds of homes and neighbourhoods we will need for London to thrive. The equity issue raised by Manny is a conference theme, and we will consider the demographic as well as economic changes that will shape demand.
Putting people first in new neighbourhood design
Our other keynote speaker is Sharon Goodard, Managing Director – North West London at Peabody, one of London’s largest housing associations.
Sharon wants to highlight the opportunities presented by the growing recognition of a genuine crisis, which is enshrined in the government’s 1.5 million new homes target.
“We’re all aware of the challenges that we’re facing,” she said ahead of the conference. “I want to put those challenges to one side for a moment and talk about the opportunity to shape the way London looks in the future.
“That includes connecting services so we build communities for people living in the capital that can really thrive in an urban environment we’ve built for generations to come.”
The theme for Sharon’s will argue that operations and management considerations are the foundations for successful neighbourhoods. So, in improving London’s places for the future, the built environment professions should be talking to housing, neighbourhood management and community safety professionals.
Her take is based on 25 years working with West London communities and Peabody’s local place-based focus.
Aspiration and the right to better homes
Sharon points to some changes to how Londoners live, such as smaller households or much larger multi-generational families.
“I see more children staying at home longer, turning into young adults. We’re asking ourselves whether we are building the best homes for the practicalities of modern living in London for these families.”
So demographic changes and a shortage of affordable housing are driving demand for different types of housing. But she is also hearing from residents a change in expectations that are more aspirational, such as better play space and design that encourages social connection.
“London is changing, and our homes need to reflect those changes because our residents have a right to that. They have a right to expect us as providers of social housing to design homes with people in mind, and really think about how they want to live.”
Sharon’s people-first approach to design perfectly captures the themes of the conference. In a session called Access to quality housing for all, speakers will explore how we can ensure access to quality housing across all income levels, ethnicities and backgrounds.
Creating homes for psychological safety
A session on resident protection and well-being starts by acknowledging past mistakes in housing to development to focus on the changes flowing from the post-Grenfell Building Safety Act. In particular, the panel will address the psychological as well as physical safety of residents.
Psychological safety is also central to a session led by Richard James, the chief executive of YMCA St Paul’s Group. Richard discusses this important aspect of wellbeing with two YMCA residents.
“We know London faces an acute housing shortage,” says Hannah Gibbs, Deputy Chief Executive at Future of London, who developed the conference programme.
Our conference directly confronts how London’s acute housing crisis fuels social and economic inequality. We highlight the sector’s efforts and ingenuity in creating communities that enable people to thrive, not just survive.
“So we also want to understand what can learned from the success stories. By focusing on equity and wellbeing, we can develop homes that are properly fit for the future.”
Registration for Homes for the Future is now closed. We will be publishing write-ups of all the sessions with slides and other background information. You can also register for three Homes for the Future field trips in the autumn.
The conference is free to attend, which is made possible by the support of our valued sponsors:
Countryside Partnerships | Montagu Evans | Pollard Thomas Edwards | Trowers & Hamlins | Common Projects | Greengage Environmental | Ridge and Partners | Sheppard Robson
