The Housing Committee of the Greater London Authority Council met on Wednesday 2 September 2026 to discuss the Draft London Plan 2026. Key discussions focused on the realism of housing targets, the challenges of meeting them, and the role of infrastructure investment. The committee also debated the proposed mix of housing sizes, the effectiveness of affordable housing thresholds, and the potential impact of development on Green Belt land.

The committee heard from local government leaders, including Councillor Steve Cowan (Leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council and Chair of London Councils), Jason Perry (Mayor of Croydon), and Liam Shrivastava (Mayor of Lewisham), who shared their perspectives on the draft plan's targets and the obstacles to house building. They highlighted issues such as affordability, viability, skills shortages, material costs, and the impact of global events.

A significant portion of the discussion revolved around the proposed housing targets and the potential for building on Green Belt land. Mayor Perry of Croydon expressed strong objections to the inclusion of Green Belt development in his borough's targets, arguing that brownfield sites should be prioritised and that the necessary infrastructure for Green Belt development is lacking.

The committee also delved into the complexities of affordable housing, including the breakdown of tenures (social rent, intermediate, London Living Rent) and the proposed location banding system. Concerns were raised about the potential for a race to the bottom with lower affordable housing targets in certain areas and the need for greater flexibility for boroughs to determine their own needs.

Infrastructure was another key theme, with a call for an infrastructure-first approach rather than development following infrastructure. The importance of both large-scale projects like the Bakerloo line extension and smaller-scale improvements, such as bus routes and walking/cycling networks, was emphasised.

Finally, the committee discussed the proposed mix of housing sizes, with a particular focus on the need for family-sized homes versus the SHMA's emphasis on one and two-bedroom units. The challenges of ensuring developers build the types of homes Londoners need, rather than those attractive to investors, were also debated. The effectiveness of the council tax premium on empty homes and the limitations of current data collection were also highlighted.