London is facing a severe housing crisis, with more than 336,000
people on social housing waiting lists, rising rents and house
prices, boroughs spending £60 million per month on temporary
accommodation, and the highest number of rough sleepers in
England recorded in 2024, according to a previous Planning and Regeneration
Committee report.
The Government has now committed to establishing up to 12 new
towns across England as part of its plans to accelerate housing
delivery and drive economic growth. For the first time, two
potential new towns have been proposed within London's
administrative boundary.
The London Assembly Planning &
Regeneration Committee is conducting an investigation
exploring the potential of new town designation in London,
including how new towns would work in practice, what planning and
governance arrangements would be required, and what they could
unlock beyond existing planning tools.
As part of this investigation, Members of the
Committee will visit Thamesmead Waterfront, one
of the London sites shortlisted by the Government's New Towns
Taskforce. Members will hear directly from property developers,
delivery companies and Transport for London about housing
capacity, infrastructureplans, and the proposed DLR extension to
Thamesmead.
This visit will give Members the opportunity to assess how new
town designation could operate in a dense urban environment, and
what lessons can be learned from Thamesmead's past and ongoing
regeneration.
The site visit will take place on Thursday
22 January 2026 from 12pm at
the Peabody Marketing Suite (1 Overton Road,
Thamesmead, SE2 9SH), followed by a Tour of Thamesmead
Waterfront (via minibus) including a walk up Gallions
Hill.
INTERVIEWEES INCLUDE:
-
James Small-Edwards AM, Chair of the Planning
& Regeneration Committee
-
John Lewis, Executive Director of
Sustainable Places, Peabody
Notes to editors:
-
James Small
Edwards AM, Chair of the Planning &
Regeneration Committee, is available for interview.
- Find out more about the work of the Planning &
Regeneration Committee.
-
Read about the
investigation in full.
