Policy Exchange: The mayor of London should be able to convert unused car parks and warehouses into 21,000 new homes each year
London's mayor should be given fresh powers to redevelop rarely-used commercial properties in order to build tens of thousands of new homes, a leading think tank has argued in a new paper out today.
Policy Exchange, which has close ties to the Conservative party, says current planning rules should be re-written to allow the mayor to take over under used and unused car parks, warehouses and other business spaces for new homes for rent or part-buy. According to the think tank, the move would pave the way for an additional 21,000 new homes each year for the next two decades in the capital.
“The government urgently needs to make bold reforms to the laws surrounding compulsory purchase of empty or under-utilised commercial properties to create a significant supply of land for new housing,” said Policy Exchange housing head Chris Walker.