The director of Boyer, James Cogan, has penned an open letter to Sadiq Khan, calling for action on low rates of housing being delivered
The letter comes as London housing delivery hits a low, especially in new affordable homes has dropped by 66%.
Housing delivery in London represents 5.68% of the Government’s target 88,000 per year.
The open letter is in full below:
Dear Mayor,
As you know, housing delivery across the capital has collapsed in 2025, with just 5,000 new homes due to be constructed this year (Molior London), representing just 5.68% of the Government’s target of 88,000 per annum. The collapse in housing delivery has resulted in a dramatic fall in the homes that London desperately needs, with the G15 reporting a 66% fall in new affordable homes being built over the last two years as a result of fewer developments being completed.
The time has clearly come for emergency measures aimed at kick-starting housing delivery across London.
We understand that the measures being considered will aim to tackle the significant viability challenges facing housing delivery in London through temporary or targeted reductions in affordable housing requirements. Such measures would represent a drastic shift in the approach at a time of continued significant affordable housing need across London. However, it is imperative that such measures are implemented quickly, as continued inaction increases uncertainty for developers and local planning authorities and risks prolonging the collapse in housing delivery across London. The fact is that no development means no new affordable housing units; but if a reduction in the affordable housing requirement allowed at least some development to progress, the net result would be more affordable homes being provided as well as boosting the proportion of open market homes.
So agree the adoption of either a temporary or targeted relaxation of affordable housing obligations, backed up by use of your call-in powers as an effective means of reversing the collapse in housing delivery. It would be a bold and pragmatic response to the reality of stalled housing delivery, and an encouraging sign that under your leadership, the Greater London Authority is prepared to take difficult but necessary decisions to address the housing crisis.
While a reduction in affordable housing requirements will only tackle one component of the wider viability equation — and cannot alone resolve the impacts of rising build costs, macroeconomic uncertainty, and softening demand — it sends a clear message that you are willing to use those levers available to you to unlock development. In doing so, you would be recognising that economic conditions have shifted dramatically, and that a more flexible planning framework is needed to adapt to this new landscape.
Of course, the effectiveness of any such measures will depend on the detail. Questions remain over whether the reduced affordable housing requirements will apply to existing consents, and how long the relaxation will last. If the relaxation is too short-lived or too limited in scope, it will fail to instil the confidence needed for developers to progress new applications or rework stalled schemes. A balance must be struck between protecting long-term affordability goals and addressing the urgent need to stimulate housing starts in the short term.
Despite the inevitable challenges of implementation, it is encouraging to see that you are exploring innovative planning tools to reignite momentum in the sector. To have meaningful impact, however, such measures must be accompanied by a more robust and proactive use of your call-in powers, particularly where local planning authorities are either unable or unwilling to implement the new measures.
We believe the development community would heartily support any initiative that aims to bring forward new homes — including affordable homes — in a viable and sustainable way. We hope to see swift clarification on the proposed changes and a commitment to ongoing dialogue with the sector to ensure that London’s planning system remains both ambitious and responsive in the face of mounting delivery challenges.
Yours sincerely,
James Cogan, director, Boyer
London housing delivery is on the verge of collapse, says the HBF
The Home Builders Federation released a report last month finding that housing delivery in the capital is at a crisis point due to failing buyer support, excessive red tape, unrealistic affordable housing demands, and large application delays.
This is especially concerning as to reach the 1.5m new homes target set by the current government, nearly a third of the (440,000) will need to be built in London. But in the year to June 2025, just 30,000 homes were completed, falling short by 58,000.
Neil Jefferson, chief executive of the Home Builders Federation, said: “The findings of Mind the Gap should be a major wake-up call for Government and the Mayor of London.
“The capital needs an urgent overhaul of housing policy if it is to support the housing needs of Londoners. London Plan policies combined with additional government taxes on new homes, onerous processes to get higher-rise schemes approved and challenging market conditions have effectively made London a no-go zone for housing investment.
“Intervention is desperately needed to support first-time buyers, with Londoners facing the biggest barriers to home ownership in the country.
“If Government is to stand a chance at making its aspirational 1.5 million homes target a reality, ministers must prioritise action to reverse the alarming decline in housing delivery across the capital.”
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