Chasing numbers alone will not meet London’s housing demand unless we focus on the types of homes and neighbourhoods needed to match changing lifestyles. Our research finds five priorities for long-term solutions.
The housing sector should focus on the types of homes and neighbourhoods needed in the future, not only the schemes that are viable now – and residents should be fully involved in the design process.
This is the conclusion of a new report from Future of London, following a year-long programme of housing field trips and stakeholder discussions.
While the government has committed to delivering 350,000 homes in London by the end of this parliament, Homes for the future highlights widespread concerns within the sector that striving to meet the government’s housebuilding target must not compromise the suitability and sustainability of developments.
Download Homes for the Future - full report
Download Homes for the Future - executive summary
Recognising that viability challenges make housing delivery increasingly difficult, particularly in London (£), we look beyond immediate pressures to the next 5–10 years, highlighting opportunities to consider quality as well as quantity as key priorities.
Connecting older people to the community
For instance, our research identifies the mismatch between an ageing population and the creation of homes that encourage older people to downsize, releasing much-needed family homes for social rent.
However, financial disincentives and a lack of mandatory targets for age-appropriate housing reduce the diversity of housing types that are built.
The report highlights the award-winning Appleby Blue almshouse development in Southwark as a great example of housing that focuses on older people’s aspirations to connect with the community. There is strong evidence that wellbeing is improving as a result.
“London’s housing challenge is often framed in terms of the number of homes that can be delivered, and how quickly,” says Nicola Mathers, Chief Executive of Future of London.
“Targets alone will not shape the kind of housing London needs and we cannot allow the viability challenges to decide what gets built. We also need to think about the changing population and how people want to live now and in the future.”
Five priorities for the housing sector
Homes for the Future identifies five priorities for the housing sector to focus on, along with some recommendations for policymakers. The five priorities for successful housing delivery are:
- Relevant – Matching new housing to an ageing population and the growing number of “concealed households” (young adults living at home).
- Sociable – Develop housing models that foster social connections through participatory design
- Equitable – ensure access to quality housing across all income levels, ethnicities, and backgrounds
- Sustainable – design housing that combats climate change to create resilient homes and neighbourhoods
- Safe – integrate lessons from past housing failures to prioritise protection and wellbeing
Speaking at the report launch, Jon Neale, Head of Research & Insight at Montagu Evans, said:
“Perhaps London’s biggest challenge over the next decade is providing for older people and their specific needs. After all, older population cohorts will grow the fastest and London will be a much ‘older’ city by 2040.
“At the same time, family housing is in desperately short supply, which may explain both collapsing birth rates and the continued out-migration trends in some age groups.”
Also speaking at the launch, Jessica Arczynski, partner Trowers & Hamlins, highlighted the importance of focusing on safety:
“When planning for the safety of London’s future homes, we must prioritise social connections and inclusion. It helps us understand what safety truly means for those most at risk and deliver on the conditions that keeps residents safe.
“Community is also essential safety infrastructure with significant data on its impact on health and safety outcomes.”
The importance of creating social infrastructure
The report consistently emphasises the importance of resident involvement, including examples of co-design and community land trusts driving development forward.
Homes for the Future also emphasises the importance of neighbourhoods, focusing particularly on the development of “social infrastructure” to create community connections.
Citizens House in Lewisham is highlighted as a project that demonstrates how embedding residents in the design and management of homes can create spaces that support social connection. The development includes a safe pedestrian route through the site and generous staggered balconies to encourage neighbourly interaction.
“We hope the five themes of the report will encourage the housing sector to think broadly about the long-term impact of development on people’s lives,” says Nicola Mathers.
“But we also recognise that there is an important role for policymakers in willing the resources and requiring strong placemaking to create homes and neighbourhoods fit for the future.”
Recommendations for developing the right kind of homes
The report makes several practical recommendations, including:
- Focus on accessibility – Accessible housing should be integral if we are to build homes that truly meet people’s needs. The Affordable Homes Programme should include targets for accessible homes.
- Diversify housing tenure models – Use existing government funding streams to accelerate delivery, while housing providers should prioritise tenure-blind design to create integrated neighbourhoods.
- Put residents at the heart of retrofit – Investing in resident engagement builds trust, supports long-term performance, and maximises the benefits of retrofit.
- Listen to residents – Embed the voices of people from diverse backgrounds at every stage of development, from planning through to delivery.
- Accelerate remediation – Remediation has not started on over half of the buildings identified in England, so we need sustained investment alongside regulation to ensure this happens.
- Harness the power of Passivhaus – Reframe the value proposition of Passivhaus, considering community benefits and whole-life investment rather than just upfront costs.
“Councils can lead the shift to truly sustainable homes by setting higher fabric-first standards, embedding Passivhaus principles, and procuring for whole‑life value rather than lowest cost,” said Mariola Viegas, Design and Technical Lead at Southwark Construction, at the report launch.
“By investing in skills, stabilising design governance, and engaging residents throughout retrofit and delivery, councils can directly accelerate better performance, cut fuel poverty, and future‑proof neighbourhoods for net‑zero living.”
Other case studies featured in the report include:
- Regeneration of the Clapham Park estate by Countryside Partnerships in a joint venture with MTVH
- YMCA’s Y: Cube modular housing as steeping stone from temporary accommodation
- Common Project’s adaptive reuse of Zodiac House to create temporary accommodation in Croydon.
Download Homes for the Future - full report
Download Homes for the Future - executive summary
Thanks to our programme sponsors and supporters
Common Projects | Countryside Partnerships | Montagu Evans | Pollard Thomas Edwards | Trowers & Hamlins
