Over the past twelve months, chairing the NLA’s Housing Expert Panel has once again illustrated the power of informed, cross-sector collaboration at a time when London’s housing challenges feel as acute as ever. With three formal meetings in 2025 and a great deal of work carried out between them, the panel has played a meaningful role in shaping the NLA’s housing programme, informing national and London-wide policy, and contributing constructively to some of the most important debates facing our city.

Our discussions this year were grounded firmly in real delivery experience and evidence. From the outset, the panel helped shape the direction of the NLA Housing Programme and the Homes for Londoners publication, identifying clear lines of enquiry around density, typologies, affordability, existing stock and the lived experience of residents. The quality of the case studies and thought pieces that emerged reflects both the depth of expertise around the table and a shared commitment to practical solutions rather than abstract theory.

A particularly valuable moment in the year came at our second meeting in May, when we heard in detail from the London Legacy Development Corporation on their large-scale programme of postoccupancy evaluation across nearly a thousand homes. The depth and rigour of the LLDC’s work has combined resident feedback, technical analysis and long-term learning in a way that genuinely can inform future design, delivery and management. The panel’s discussion highlighted how rare – and how vital – this level of evaluation is, and how it should be embedded as an essential part of housing delivery rather than treated as an optional extra. 

A significant strand of the panel’s work this year has been policy-facing. We provided collective input into responses to the GLA’s London Plan initial consultation, ensuring that issues of deliverability, viability and long-term stewardship were considered alongside ambition. Panel members also contributed directly to suggested amendments to the Housing and Infrastructure Bill in the House of Lords, bringing a grounded London perspective to national debate at a critical moment for planning reform and housing delivery. This ability to act as a trusted, cross-disciplinary voice remains one of the panel’s greatest strengths.

The panel has also been proud to support the Architects’ Action for Affordable Housing campaign and its Good Homes for All agenda. Through discussion, evidence sharing and advocacy, we have helped reinforce the case for sustained public investment in genuinely affordable, well-designed homes, and for policies that unlock stalled regeneration and new delivery rather than inadvertently suppressing it. The alignment between AA4AH and the NLA’s broader mission has felt particularly strong this year.

What has struck me most consistently is the calibre and generosity of the panel members. Across local authorities, housing associations, development, planning, design, engineering and the GLA, colleagues have shared insight openly, challenged assumptions robustly and remained focused on outcomes. The agendas and discussions this year clearly demonstrate the breadth of expertise brought to bear and the seriousness with which members approach this role.

On a personal note, it has been a privilege to chair the Housing Expert Panel for the past five years. 

Over that time, the panel’s work has been crucial in helping the NLA navigate changing policy, market shocks and increasing regulatory complexity, while keeping housing quality and social purpose firmly in view. I would like to sincerely thank all panel members, past and present, for their commitment and wisdom, and the NLA team for their unwavering support and deep understanding of housing’s central importance to London’s future.

Looking ahead, the year to come is a pivotal one, with the revised NPPF consultation, the NLA Housing Summit, and the draft revised London Plan issued for consultation in March. The Expert Panel’s work will be more vital than ever in responding to these processes and shaping policy that truly unlocks the delivery of the highest quality homes for all, across our beloved capital city.