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| London's housing crisis: Five controversial solutions | London's housing crisis: Five controversial solutions |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| As pressure to tackle London's housing crisis grows, a number of controversial views are being offered on how the problem should be addressed. | As pressure to tackle London's housing crisis grows, a number of controversial views are being offered on how the problem should be addressed. |
| 'House prices soar'. 'Fears of a housing bubble'. 'First-time buyers priced-out'. These are familiar headlines to Londoners. Each has appeared in the press in the past month, but similar headlines have become all-too recognisable over the past couple of years. | 'House prices soar'. 'Fears of a housing bubble'. 'First-time buyers priced-out'. These are familiar headlines to Londoners. Each has appeared in the press in the past month, but similar headlines have become all-too recognisable over the past couple of years. |
| London's house prices are rising by more than 20% annually, according to latest Office for National Statistics figures. | London's house prices are rising by more than 20% annually, according to latest Office for National Statistics figures. |
| The city needs 63,000 new homes each year, but only a third of these are being built while a "lost generation is being ruled out of ownership" due to "soaring rents, poor conditions and rising homelessness", it has been claimed. | |
| But what alternative solutions are being put forward to tackle the issue? | But what alternative solutions are being put forward to tackle the issue? |
| Move old people to smaller flats | Move old people to smaller flats |
| One in four children in London live in overcrowded homes, according to English Housing Survey figures. At the same time, thousands of single elderly people live alone in multi-bedroomed suburban properties. | One in four children in London live in overcrowded homes, according to English Housing Survey figures. At the same time, thousands of single elderly people live alone in multi-bedroomed suburban properties. |
| In 2012, Local Government Association president Lord Richard Best proposed a radical solution: Building 100,000 homes designed especially for the needs of an ageing population. | In 2012, Local Government Association president Lord Richard Best proposed a radical solution: Building 100,000 homes designed especially for the needs of an ageing population. |
| By downsizing, older people could free up accommodation for families, helping a whole generation of first-time buyers who are priced out of the market. | By downsizing, older people could free up accommodation for families, helping a whole generation of first-time buyers who are priced out of the market. |
| "We free up lots of family housing, and we look after ourselves when we're older because, sooner or later, those three-bedroom, four-bedroom family houses are going to be too much for us," Lord Best said. | "We free up lots of family housing, and we look after ourselves when we're older because, sooner or later, those three-bedroom, four-bedroom family houses are going to be too much for us," Lord Best said. |
| But how easy would it be to convince elderly people to move out of the home they may have lived in for most of their lives? | But how easy would it be to convince elderly people to move out of the home they may have lived in for most of their lives? |
| Peter Girling, chairman of Girlings Retirement Rentals, suggested the government should offer tax breaks to elderly people who give up their property. | Peter Girling, chairman of Girlings Retirement Rentals, suggested the government should offer tax breaks to elderly people who give up their property. |
| "You can't force people to move but you could help them along the way," he said. | |
| Adopt a European attitude | Adopt a European attitude |
| Perhaps we should just face the fact the golden age of home ownership might be over, and learn to rent like the Germans? | Perhaps we should just face the fact the golden age of home ownership might be over, and learn to rent like the Germans? |
| According to the 2011 German census, only 16% of Berliners owned their own place, compared with 50% in London. | According to the 2011 German census, only 16% of Berliners owned their own place, compared with 50% in London. |
| "People in Germany or Paris live in rented accommodation for their entire lives and there's no stigma attached," said Patricia Brown, who chairs the London Festival of Architecture. | "People in Germany or Paris live in rented accommodation for their entire lives and there's no stigma attached," said Patricia Brown, who chairs the London Festival of Architecture. |
| She said following the example of Germany and enabling people to rent better properties for longer could be a solution. For instance, in Germany tenants can only be evicted with a minimum of three months' notice. | She said following the example of Germany and enabling people to rent better properties for longer could be a solution. For instance, in Germany tenants can only be evicted with a minimum of three months' notice. |
| London's mayor Boris Johnson launched a voluntary accreditation scheme aimed at improving rental standards in May. | London's mayor Boris Johnson launched a voluntary accreditation scheme aimed at improving rental standards in May. |
| In order to be approved for the London Rental Standard, landlords are required to meet a set of commitments including "transparent fees" and "improved response times for repairs". | In order to be approved for the London Rental Standard, landlords are required to meet a set of commitments including "transparent fees" and "improved response times for repairs". |
| But Labour's London Assembly housing spokesman Tom Copley thinks the scheme does not go far enough. | But Labour's London Assembly housing spokesman Tom Copley thinks the scheme does not go far enough. |
| He suggested three-year tenancies "as standard with caps on annual rent increases" would make "renting in London more stable". | He suggested three-year tenancies "as standard with caps on annual rent increases" would make "renting in London more stable". |
| Build all over the green belt | Build all over the green belt |
| There is still plenty of green belt land within the M25 and Sam Bowman, a research director at pro free-market think-tank The Adam Smith Institute, thinks maybe the time has come to build on it. | There is still plenty of green belt land within the M25 and Sam Bowman, a research director at pro free-market think-tank The Adam Smith Institute, thinks maybe the time has come to build on it. |
| As of 2010, London had 484,173 hectares of green belt - 3.7% of England's total land area, according to the Campaign to Protect Rural England. | As of 2010, London had 484,173 hectares of green belt - 3.7% of England's total land area, according to the Campaign to Protect Rural England. |
| Mr Bowman said this would mean "bigger homes and cheaper homes for everybody in order to give people that space to live". | Mr Bowman said this would mean "bigger homes and cheaper homes for everybody in order to give people that space to live". |
| But Ann Goddard, of Elstree & Borehamwood Greenbelt Society, said: "Green belt is very important. You only have to look at the English countryside. It's so pretty." | But Ann Goddard, of Elstree & Borehamwood Greenbelt Society, said: "Green belt is very important. You only have to look at the English countryside. It's so pretty." |
| Ms Goddard, who lives in the green belt in Hertsmere, Hertfordshire - 12 miles (19km) north-west of central London and within the M25 - added: "We need green spaces for recreation purposes and to make a demarcation between the settlements." | Ms Goddard, who lives in the green belt in Hertsmere, Hertfordshire - 12 miles (19km) north-west of central London and within the M25 - added: "We need green spaces for recreation purposes and to make a demarcation between the settlements." |
| Mr Bowman suggested a compromise could be reached "if we stopped thinking of the greenbelt as one single unit and differentiate between the areas of beauty and the intensive farmland". | Mr Bowman suggested a compromise could be reached "if we stopped thinking of the greenbelt as one single unit and differentiate between the areas of beauty and the intensive farmland". |
| Penalise owners of empty properties | Penalise owners of empty properties |
| Perhaps there is not a shortage of homes for Londoners after all. More than 80,000 homes in the capital currently stand empty. | Perhaps there is not a shortage of homes for Londoners after all. More than 80,000 homes in the capital currently stand empty. |
| Last year, councils were empowered to use the Empty Homes Premium to charge home owners 50% more council tax if they left properties empty for two or more years. | Last year, councils were empowered to use the Empty Homes Premium to charge home owners 50% more council tax if they left properties empty for two or more years. |
| But the results of a Freedom of Information request published by BBC London last week showed that just 4,399 of the 80,489 empty properties in the capital had been subjected to the Empty Homes Premium. | But the results of a Freedom of Information request published by BBC London last week showed that just 4,399 of the 80,489 empty properties in the capital had been subjected to the Empty Homes Premium. |
| Responding to the revelations, Labour leader Ed Miliband said he was "deeply concerned". | Responding to the revelations, Labour leader Ed Miliband said he was "deeply concerned". |
| But Daniel Astaire, Westminster Council's Conservative cabinet member for housing, said: "The way to build homes is not to tax existing homes and stop people investing and buying in our city." | But Daniel Astaire, Westminster Council's Conservative cabinet member for housing, said: "The way to build homes is not to tax existing homes and stop people investing and buying in our city." |
| Build on brownfield sites | Build on brownfield sites |
| Building on brownfield sites - land previously used for industrial or commercial purposes - is possibly the least controversial solution on this list. | Building on brownfield sites - land previously used for industrial or commercial purposes - is possibly the least controversial solution on this list. |
| In June, the Treasury announced 50,000 new London homes would be built on 20 such sites. | In June, the Treasury announced 50,000 new London homes would be built on 20 such sites. |
| But Mr Johnson has said the scheme is a "just a fraction of what needs to be done". | But Mr Johnson has said the scheme is a "just a fraction of what needs to be done". |
| The mayor has said 49,000 homes need to be built in the capital each year, while Labour puts this figure at 63,000. | The mayor has said 49,000 homes need to be built in the capital each year, while Labour puts this figure at 63,000. |
| But developers face problems. Brownfield land is often contaminated and expensive to clean, getting planning permission to build can be a lengthy and costly process and putting in new roads and train links can prove tricky. | But developers face problems. Brownfield land is often contaminated and expensive to clean, getting planning permission to build can be a lengthy and costly process and putting in new roads and train links can prove tricky. |
| But Lib Dem London Assembly member Stephen Knight said what was important was the type of homes that were built. | But Lib Dem London Assembly member Stephen Knight said what was important was the type of homes that were built. |
| "We need changes to planning laws, so the government can determine certain plots of land should be used for affordable housing," he suggested. | "We need changes to planning laws, so the government can determine certain plots of land should be used for affordable housing," he suggested. |