Housing Londoners: Up or Out?

Debate

Tuesday 10 September 2024
18:15 - 20:15

Join this NLA Debate to discuss the key question – To accommodate London’s growing population, should we prioritise building up or expanding out?

According to a recent report by the Centre for London, the number of homes built annually needs to double from 37,000 to 74,000 a year for 15 years to solve London’s challenges including affordability and homelessness. Among their recommendations is building on strategically defined areas of the Green Belt, with estimates suggesting that using less than 2 per cent of England’s Green Belt land could deliver between 1.7 and 2.1 million new homes.

The newly elected Labour Government has proposed to build on brownfield sites and poor-quality parts of the green belt, dubbed the ‘grey belt’. At the same time, a scarcity of available land in London has resulted in a view that our industry should strive for higher densities by building upwards. This begs the question, does London need high-rise buildings in a ‘compact city’, or gentle densification through new towns and development on land outside of its current boundaries.

Where in London should we be building up as we expand out? What typology of building should we expect on the ‘grey’ belt? Does building tall create greater density, or is a gentler approach to development equally effective?

This NLA debate asks should we build up or out? Speakers will present a case for either, with the audience ultimately voting for one side of this crucial question.

Programme

18:15
Arrivals

18:45
Welcome from Chair

Jay Morton, Director, Bell Phillips Architects

18:50
Up

William Poole, Partner, Howells

18:55
Out

Ian Mulcahey, Principal, Global Director of Cities, Gensler

19:00
Panel Discussion

Speakers above, plus:

Katy Warrick, Head of London Residential Development Research - Director, Residential Research Head Office London, Savills

Simon Pask, Residential Lead: London & South East, Drees and Sommer

19:25
Panel Discussion/Q&A

19:45
Networking

20:15
Close

Speaker biographies

Jay Morton

Director, Bell Phillips Architects

William Poole

Partner, Howells

Ian Mulcahey

Principal, Global Director of Cities, Gensler

Katy Warrick

Head of London Residential Development Research, Savills

Venue

The London Centre
3 Aldermanbury
London
EC2V 7HH

Accessibility

There are 4 steps to the main entrance, with a level access entrance via the Guildhall West Wing approximately 200 feet away. There are toilets and accessible toilets via stairs or a lift to the lower ground floor. If you would like more information, or have any access requirements, please let us know what these are and how we can best accommodate these by emailing events@nla.london.