The Brick Development Association (BDA) is pleased to hear the public has appointed a new Mayor of London with strong views on the housing crisis. Sadiq Khan, the MP for Tooting, included a 50 per cent increase in genuinely affordable homes in his election manifesto.
The new Mayor has also promised to set up a Homes for Londoners team at City Hall, to bring together all of Khan’s housing, planning, funding and land powers alongside new experts. He aims to raise investment, assemble land and, most importantly, to make sure Londoners get a fair deal from developers. Khan has put a particular focus on supporting housing associations, which currently builds 40 per cent of new housing.
Michael Ankers, Chairman of the BDA, says:
“The BDA is very glad to hear that the public has selected a Mayor with ambitious targets and a plan to tackle the housing crisis, arguably one of the most important issues debated in this election. These commitments are great news for the brick industry as stock levels are stable and comparable with increasing production, suggesting that manufacturing is now keeping pace with demand, making perfect sense to specify brick in new housing for the capital.”
“The focal point should now be on how we deliver the housing promises outlined by Mr Khan. It is great to see brick manufacturers responding so positively to the challenge and we look forward making our contribution to addressing the chronic housing shortage.”