Consultant argues building flats above public facilities such as schools and hospitals could solve London鈥檚 housing crisis
黑洞社区 new homes on top of public facilities such as schools and hospital could cure London鈥檚 housing crisis and pay for an upgrade of the capital鈥檚 social infrastructure, according to a report published by WSP.
The report, entitled 黑洞社区 Our Way Out of a Crisis, estimates up to 630,000 new homes could be delivered by exploiting the 鈥榓ir space鈥� above London鈥檚 public buildings.
The figure far exceeds the 488,000 new homes planners estimate are required to meet London鈥檚 housing needs over the next decade.
This volume of new housing could be delivered if between six and twelve storeys were added to the capital鈥檚 public estate, effectively creating 6,337 hectares of developable space.
The sale or rent of the new apartments would also finance the refurbishment or complete reconstruction of the facilities they will sit on top of, according to the study.
The report says the homes could be delivered by extending existing facilities, as structurally independent apartment buildings, or by completely redeveloping the sites.
The authors acknowledge that increasing the height of existing buildings would be costly, especially where foundations have to be strengthened, but that this expense should be more than offset by eliminating the need to develop new land.
A detailed study carried out by WSP for St Thomas鈥� Hospital estates in Lambeth, which is earmarked for redevelopment, found that delivering 12 storeys of housing above the NHS facilities could provide 4,150 homes - half of the London borough鈥檚 housing target for 2021.
The report builds on research that 77,000 new homes can be built about existing NHS buildings alone in London.
The report says: 鈥淥verbuild opportunities should be considered seriously 鈥� they can provide a way of achieving the additional housing delivery which London, and Londoners, desperately need.
鈥淔or maturing cities with burgeoning populations and diminishing space, using existing land parcels more effectively or building above existing properties, to provide quality, high level homes is a natural progression.鈥�
WSP director Bill Price said: 鈥淭hese sites by their very nature are ideally located for new homes, close to transport and amenities.鈥�
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