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Mayor of London Discussion Thread | Sadiq Khan

1M views 12K replies 361 participants last post by  Modernlife 
#1 · (Edited)
I thought it makes sense to discuss the implications of having Boris Johnson as new mayor (with his vastly different views on skyscrapers compared to Kens) on current and future skyscraper development in London. I think that more can be said about it than the predictions of doom voiced in the election thread up to now.

To start off with a more positive view here comes my attempt (I try to be optimistic and the following logic is a bit different to what I read up to now on the topic): I think the implications might be that it might actually help the current projects (ok, with the exception of the shard which is threatened by Boris taking away the TFL prelet but that prelet wasn't that big anyways and I think even for that one this would be overcompensated by the effect described in the following) in the city and that it will also help future projects in CW.

Here's why: Obviously the consensus is that we will not see new skyscraper projects in the city approved anytime soon (more or less as long as he's mayor). But if you look at current skyscraper projects in the center (LBT, Pinnacle, Leadenhall, Heron & 20 Fenchurch) they face the credit crunch and fear of a real crash in the office market. For those projects it is actually quite a boost to know that they will not face further nearby competition by new skyscrapers any time soon. Especially not for those years after 2012 when they will all be finished if things are going according to plan and when the current downturn in the markets should long be over. The earliest for new competition to even get planning permission (and we know how long it takes from then to have a finished building entering the market) is 2012 (if Boris is not reelected) so they will have quite some time where they can divide the office market between them without a threat of new competition. That is worth a lot for investors and should put the projects on safer ground which was definitely shaken because of the credit crunch.

On the other hand even the now mayor-backed EH is not against skyscraper development in CW - so new projects simply gonna be forced to move there instead of the city (which will have plenty new skyscrapers to marvel on already from the current projects at the verge of starting construction now). This might help to move on a mega project (for european standards) like wood wharf which will bring CW to a whole new level..
 
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#11,184 ·
So the back pedaling begins!!
Just set a sensible 35% for private developments and more than use public land.


Sadiq Khan's 50% affordable housing pledge just a 'strategic long-term target'
23 May 2016 | By Samuel Horti

New London mayor Sadiq Khan appears to be back-pedalling on his commitment to deliver 50% affordable housing in London.

In the run up the mayoral election, Khan set a target for half of new homes to be “genuinely affordable” for Londoners.

But the policy is now just considered a “strategic long-term target”, and his City Hall team recognise the figure will take “a number of years” to achieve.

“We have to be realistic about how long it’s going to take to turn around the tanker in terms of building more affordable housing,” a senior City Hall source told Property Week.

“I think it’s become clear in the first couple of weeks quite how far behind we are, and quite what a difficult legacy we’ve inherited from the previous mayor.”
50% target will not apply to every site

Khan’s 50% target will not apply to “every single site”, and the new mayor will take a “pragmatic case-by-case” approach to affordable housing, the source said today.

“We’ll be practical about how much affordable housing [individual schemes] can deliver, particularly those that are already in the system now.”

Asked whether Khan could meet his 50% target within his term as mayor, the source told Property Week that delivering more affordable homes would be a “marathon, not a sprint”.

“It is going to be a long process. We want to [ensure] it’s done in partnership with the property industry.”
Minimum percentage of affordable homes on developments

To boost affordable housing, Khan’s team is discussing imposing a minimum percentage of affordable homes on housing schemes, and has spoken about the possibility with developers.

It is “too early” to say what that this minimum proportion might be, the source said.

Khan is also keen to revamp the way in which viability on housing schemes is assessed, according to the source.

“We need a way of making that more consistent and more clear so everyone can get on with making planning decisions.

“If we were going to move forward with any particular mechanism for improving the planning system, we would do that in consultation and in partnership with the development industry.”
 
#11,186 ·
how can he deliver the homes needed when the tories have destroyed the pipeline? if it takes three or four years to propose, approve, build, and fit out, he will only hit his stride in years to come. are people really so naive they think that a huge amount of homes can just be built at once? how sad. he never said "oh will build this many homes at once".

no back pedalling though, he's always said this. he's also said that the 50% target won't apply to every site, it'll be the average. some projects are to have 100% affordable housing. i don't think people are aware yet but the mayor actually plans on building entire new developments of council homes.

another planned change will be to the way that the viability of homes is worked out, this means right now that developers have benefited from overages. they have ended up making more than expected, more than their feasibility claims which saw the s106 agreements and affordable housing calculated to start with. this will be changed so that the planning gain will increase if the profits increase.

let's see what he manages by the next election. remember too he's going to change the definition of affordable that will make it even harder.
 
#11,188 ·
How is that not back-pedalling? 50% affordable housing was one of the key pledging throughout his campaign. It was almost the backbone of it — along with rent control.

He's completely reneged on both of those. And it's only been 3 weeks!
He knew that it was never deliverable during his campaign or he has had a dose of reality since entering office.
 
#11,193 ·
As per usual a mayoral candidate promises one thing but soon realises its not quite as easy once in office..


Sadiq Khan 50% affordable housing pledge quickly 'evaporating'
8 June 2016 | By Samuel Horti


The Conservative party has accused London mayor Sadiq Khan of taking too long to respond to London’s housing crisis, and said his 50% affordable housing commitment was quickly “evaporating”.

Khan’s pre-election target for half of new homes to be “genuinely affordable” was now nothing more than a “dream”, it claimed.

In an interview with Property Week last month, deputy mayor for housing James Murray said that Khan’s aim was just a “long-term strategic target”.

Hitting back, GLA Conservatives’ housing spokesperson Andrew Boff (pictured) said: “How is a long-term strategic aim any different to a dream? My long-term strategic aim is to win X-Factor – and I haven’t even entered yet.”

Murray, facing questions from the Housing Committee yesterday, said a target for affordable housing would be included in the updated London Plan.
Khan “too laid back” about housing crisis

But it is widely acknowledged that the Plan will take years to complete – and Boff (pictured) told Property Week yesterday that Khan’s administration was being “too laid
“They should at least tell Londoners when they’re going to get somewhere and exactly what they’re going to provide,” he said.

“They’ve got the worst of two worlds. They’re saying that there may or may not be a 50% affordable housing target on development, which is going to be a disincentive to develop.

“But they’re actually saying we’re not entirely certain we’re going to put that into place.”
 
#11,194 ·
Sadiq Khan accused of breaking flagship election promise to freeze Londoners transport fares
Ashley Cowburn


Sadiq Khan has been accused of reneging on his flagship election promise that London commuters would not “pay a penny more” in transport fares if he became mayor.

It comes after Mr Khan, who was elected as mayor in May, revealed on Wednesday that his pledge to deliver a freeze for all fares would only cover single and Pay As You Go fares.

Mr Kahn's election manifesto vowed: "Londoners won't pay a penny more for their travel in 2020 than they do today." But travelcards, daily “caps” on Oysters and contactless card fares will not be covered, meaning hundreds of thousands of passengers are likely to see their fares increase with inflation.

Speaking at a weekly meeting of the London Assembly, Mr Khan said: “My promise to freeze Transport for London fares is there but obviously I can't make the government do what I am doing,"

“If all fares were frozen including those set by the DfT [Department for Transport] TfL would have to compensate the DfT for lost revenue.”
Read more
Sadiq Khan on London's housing crisis: "I can't solve it overnight"

He added that it was “for the DfT to make sure they fulfil a promise that I made to Londoners”.

Caroline Pidgeon, a Liberal Democrat London Assembly member, said: “Mayor’s freeze promise broken today. Will not apply to travelcards. Not what he said in campaign."

She added: "Sadiq Khan's manifesto specifically said that Londoners won't pay a penny more for their travel in 2020 than they do today.There were no ifs, or buts, in that statement.

“The reality is that many Londoners will see their travelcards rise over the next few years. What we have found out today feels like a very early broken promise from London’s new Mayor.”

The Labour mayor's fares freeze pledge became a key battleground in the election contest and Mr Khan’s team sent out press releases attacking Zac Goldsmith, his Conservative rival in the race, over his “secret plan to hike fares for all Londoners”.
Sadiq Khan's 5 most significant policies

Tory group leader Gareth Bacon added: “Just four weeks after the election the Mayor’s flagship policy has been thrown out of the window.

"By raising Travelcard prices by inflation and breaking his biggest promise he is turning his back on those who showed faith in him.

"Hundreds of thousands of commuting Londoners use Travelcards, and thus will never see this freeze."

London government professor expert Tony Travers said: “Londoners will without doubt have formed the impression that the fares commitment meant a freeze for all fares for four years. A freeze only affecting pay as you go fares is a very different thing.”

A spokesman for Mr Khan told The Independent: "Sadiq is delivering on his promise to freeze fares for Londoners and today he confirmed that millions of passengers using TfL bus, Tube, Overground, DLR and tram services will see no increase in their fares while he is Mayor. The fares freeze will benefit 96 per cent of commuting Londoners.

"Sadiq only has the power to set the fares on TfL services, which is why he will continue to push the Government to follow his example by freezing their own fares ‎ and transferring suburban rail services to TfL as quickly as possible so that even more passengers benefit from his fares policy."
 
#11,195 · (Edited)
Predictable really, anyone who knows that TfL fares are set in conjunction with DfT for franchise-run services - so there is a single price structure for all London rail services -would realise how difficult it would be to offer a blanket fare freeze. The SoS is under no obligation to match the Mayor's pledge for services operated by franchises. This means either a political unacceptable situation of fare disparity between the bulk of National Rail and TfL services - basically higher fares in South London - or the financially unfeasible TfL compensating private operators and DfT for loss of revenue.
 
#11,196 ·
It may have been inevitable, but it is extremely underhand. Almost everyone uses some kind of travel card, so anyone who voted for him on the grounds of reduced fares has now been screwed over. I know many of my personal friends who voted for him mainly for that reason.

Many others voted for him on the promise of more affordable housing. He has reneged on that promise too.

As a consequence, does he actually even have a legitimate, democratic mandate anymore? It depends on how many people voted for him based on policy, and how many voted based on personality and party loyalties. But it's not good, either way.
 
#11,197 · (Edited)
It may have been inevitable, but it is extremely underhand. Almost everyone uses some kind of travel card, so anyone who voted for him on the grounds of reduced fares has now been screwed over. I know many of my personal friends who voted for him mainly for that reason.

Many others voted for him on the promise of more affordable housing. He has reneged on that promise too.

As a consequence, does he actually even have a legitimate, democratic mandate anymore? It depends on how many people voted for him based on policy, and how many voted based on personality and party loyalties. But it's not good, either way.
Looks like those Londoners who voted for experience and costed manifestos have finally been vindicated. But I didn't think it would take less a month to do so.
 
#11,199 ·
I wasn't suggesting Khan should be forgiven. He was foolish for making that pledge and deserves the flak that now comes his way.

Personally I am always skeptical of politicians making election promises on the campaign trail. Khan's proposed fare freeze never looked achievable to me in the way most people expected (no increases on any fares for all rail transport modes). His honeymoon will be over and there'll need to be some serious achievements in 4 years if he isn't to disappoint.
 
#11,200 ·
Johnson ‘ignored TfL advice to reduce traffic alongside cycle superhighways’

LONDON'S FORMER mayor Boris Johnson went against the advice of Transport for London by implementing cycle superhighways without reducing road vehicle demand in central London, according to the new report by bus industry lobby group Greener Journeys.

“There is often a conflict between catering for cyclists and bus passengers, and the London cycle superhighways are a topical case in point,” says report author David Begg.

“He [Johnson] went against the advice of TfL by implementing cycling superhighways without reducing traffic volumes in central London. You can’t take 25% of road space out on key routes in central London without doing anything to compensate by reducing traffic. The result has been worsening congestion and slower traffic speeds. Bus passengers have been the main losers.”

Begg acknowledges contributions to the report from senior TfL officials: Leon Daniels, managing director for surface transport; Garrett Emmerson, chief executive of surface transport; and Ben Plowden, strategy and planning director for surface transport. “[They] have ensured that the major challenge the capital is facing, with rising congestion and sharp reductions in bus speed over the last few years, is accurately covered in this report,” says Begg. “The new mayor would be well advised to listen to their concerns.”

...

“What is interesting about the recent sharp rise in congestion in central London – increasing by 12% per annum since 2012 (INRIX London congestion trends May 2016), is that it is mainly a supply side problem,” he says.

“Demand for road space has remained relatively flat, with the growth in light goods vehicles and private hire being largely offset by a decline in car traffic. It is the substantial reduction in road space, with planned roadworks increasing by 362% over the last three years, which has led to significant increases in congestion. It is to be hoped that many of the road closures are temporary with major capital works such as Crossrail and cycle superhighways reducing available road space.”
https://www.transportxtra.com/publi...evive-demand-management-agenda-says-bus-lobby
 
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