Experts warn that Sadiq Khan’s pledge to boost levels could stall development entirely

MP Sadiq Khan at Labour's annual party conference in Brighton in 2013
MP Sadiq Khan at Labour's annual party conference in Brighton in 2013 © Chris Ison / PA Archive/Press Association Images

If Khan moves too fast to reintroduce that 50% target,1 he risks stalling housing development completely, experts have warned. Move too slowly and he will face anger from his electorate, who voted him in with a mandate to tackle the housing crisis.

  • 1. The difficulty that councils have faced in persuading developers to meet their needs illustrates the scale of the challenge facing the new London mayor, Sadiq Khan, who has pledged to dramatically boost affordable housing. Khan revealed on Wednesday that only 13% of the homes given planning consent in London last year were affordable. He has said his “long-term strategic target” is half.