London mayoral candidates' housing policies at-a-glance
Richmond MP Zac Goldsmith was named the Conservative candidate for London mayor today. Heather Spurr compares his policies to those of Labour candidate Sadiq Khan
Mr Goldsmith today won 70% of the 9,227 votes cast to beat his challengers Andrew Boff, a London Assembly member, Syed Kamall, an MEP and Stephen Greenhalgh, London’s deputy mayor for policing.
The Conservative MP for Richmond Park and North Kingston will now face Labour’s candidate Sadiq Khan in the London mayoral election, which is set for May 2016.
Mr Goldsmith has called for a pan-London investment fund for domestic and overseas investors to finance new homes.
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, he said London should be building 50,000 homes a year, but did not specify what percentage would be affordable.
He has said he would “like to see” more certainty over rent increases for private renters, as well as longer-term tenancies. Sadiq Khan has stated he will campaign for the power to limit rent rises.
Mr Goldsmith has also said he would campaign for a ring-fence around London Right to Buy receipts. Mr Khan has spoken out against the extended Right to Buy.
Source: Rex Features
Zac Goldsmith, Conservative candidate for mayor, housing policies
- A target of 50,000 homes a year for London
- A pan-London investment fund for overseas investors to finance new homes
- Focus on releasing publicly-owned brownfield land
- Putting empty homes back on the market
- A London-first bias for new developments
- Getting the consent of communities to build the right homes for the areas they are built in
- Longer-term tenancies and more certainty over rent increases
- Ensure rogue landlords are brought to justice
Source: Rex Features
Sadiq Khan, Labour candidate for mayor, housing policies
- Switch conversions of affordable rent homes back to social rent
- Prevent developments with ‘poor doors’ from getting planning permission
- Set up a New Homes Team in City Hall that would act as a developer of new homes for social rent, London Living Rent and first-time buyers
- Introduce a 50% affordable housing target for any new development
- Use mayoral planning powers to prevent ‘buy-to-leave’ housing and put first-time buyers and local tenants first
- Invest unspent cash in the London Affordable Homes Programme and develop ‘London Home Bonds’ and pension fund investments
- Bring forward more land owned by public bodies like Transport for London for development, and work with boroughs to identify all available brownfield land in public and private ownership that is suitable for development
- Introduce London Living Rent, with rent linked to a third of average incomes
- Set up a London-wide not-for-profit letting agency
- Campaign for the power to limit rent rises
