I had great pleasure in chairing the first gathering of the NLA’s new Housing Expert Panel this month and welcoming such an informed collective to this vital group, whose contribution to the New London Agenda will be presented to the new Mayor in 2024. 

 

We launched this introductory session with a discussion of the themes of ‘people, place and planet’ within housing. Each panel member was asked to reflect on who had been the most inspiring figure in their career and why. The response led to a rich discussion – with suggestions as varied as Roger Madelin, for his foresight in the benefits of placemaking and arts-led regeneration, the young people involved in the legacy youth programme for the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the Great North Wood Collective enacting change in Crystal Palace. Also mentioned was Create London’s pioneering provision of affordable workspace for artists in Barking & Dagenham, Baroness Margaret Ford for demystifying the process of co-design and championing the importance of neighbourhood stewardship, Eric Lyons and George Huff for their respective innovation in prefabrication through to a multitude of resident groups dedicating their time to steer regeneration in their own communities. 

 

From our initial discussion, the themes of empowerment, choice and stewardship emerged as key to successful regeneration. Our next session will focus on the essential processes and detail required for an exemplary and robust ballot – something which is lacking from current GLA policy and guidance. We plan to scrutinise this crucial process, and gather best practice from our collective experience, to encourage equality across boroughs and give clarity to a policy which was intended to deeply empower communities in our unique and diverse city and give a voice to all those at the threshold of change on their doorstep.