Thamesmead new town 'no brainer', says politician

Plans for a vast new housing development in south-east London must be approved to help solve the capital's housing crisis, a committee of politicians has said.

A proposal to build 15,000 new homes on a brownfield site at Thamesmead has been shortlisted as one of 12 "new towns" across the country to help meet house-building targets.

The plan was given a boost last year with the Chancellor backing a Docklands Light Railway (DLR) extension to the area, but the scheme is still waiting formal government approval.

On a recent visit to the site, chair of the London Assembly Planning and Regeneration Committee said the scheme was a "complete no-brainer" that would reduce council housing lists.

Housing association Peabody has drawn up plans for the development - called Thamesmead Waterfront - which would be built on a 100 hectare (1km2) site.

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government has been contacted for comment.

James Small-Edwards, the Labour Assembly Member told the Local Democracy Reporter Service:

"You've got Peabody ready to go, you've go the DLR extension now approved by the Government – it's a really exciting site, I think it'd be great for London," he told the LDRS.

"It's really important to bring down the number of people on housing waiting lists as well – I hope that we'll get a stamp of approval in the spring."

The number of private homes being started by developers has fallen in the last decade, which the mayor of London has blamed on a "perfect storm" of factors.

However, Peabody says it is ready to start work at the site as soon as it gets approval.

Along with Thamesmead, a development at Chase Park and Crews Hill in Enfield,

Small-Edwards said the idea of "new towns" was a "great way to meet the really ambitious housing targets" set by ministers and City Hall.

London is currently required to deliver 88,000 homes a year for the next decade to meet the capital's needs.

He said the DLR extension announcement "shows how important transport infrastructure is" when it comes to delivering new homes in London, and suggested a similar proposal to extend the Bakerloo Line will have the same effect.

"That extension has been transformative and allowed them to bring forward a lot of homes, which are going to be really beneficial for Londoners," he said.

John Lewis, executive director at Peabody, said the lack of transport links had previously been a challenge for developing the area.

"You have to have infrastructure before you start development, and of course that's what that site needs.

It hasn't had the commitment before, so that's the big difference this time. With the certainty of transport, it means we can start to be very confident in the delivery of the new town itself.

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