Housing policy set to dominate London Mayoral elections

The chronic shortage of residential properties in London is one of this country’s “biggest public policy failures of the last 50 years”, according Lord Bob Kerslake (right), who has been appointed Chairman of a new commission set up to help boost the supply of affordable homes in the capital. Lord Bob Kerslake, the former head of the civil service and existing Chairman of Peabody, will, along with Terrie Alafat, Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) head up the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) commission, which will also be joined by Mark Clare (left), the outgoing Chief Executive of Barratt Homes, Nick Walkley, Chief Executive of Haringey Council and Professor Rebecca Tunstall of the University of York. Lord Kerslake said the lack of housing in London, particularly affordable properties, may deter many firms from relocating to the capital, while many couples are being forced to delay having children. “This is one of the defining challenges for London,” he said. “It puts at risk London’s global status because if it becomes increasingly too expensive to live in London, why would businesses come here?” The new Commission on Affordable Housing in London, set up by the IPPR think tank,…