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Has the Autumn Budget given London what it needs to get building again, or is there still a huge gap between government ambition and the money available to deliver it? In this special episode of Propviews, Nick Cuff and Oliver Lowrie are joined in person by Peter George, Strategic Director of Economy & Sustainability at the London Borough of Ealing, to unpack what the UK Government’s Autumn Budget really means for London’s housing market, regeneration and economic growth. While much of the reaction to the Budget has been underwhelming, Peter sees reasons for optimism, particularly around devolution, infrastructure investment and the West London Orbital railway. But when it comes to housing delivery, the numbers tell a more difficult story. With £1.5 billion in additional affordable housing funding announced nationally, against an estimated £16 billion gap in London’s housing ambitions, is the government doing enough to get development moving? The conversation explores whether the return of Help to Buy under the Your First Home programme will make any real difference in London, how new fiscal powers could reshape the relationship between the Mayor and local authorities, and whether the planning system is becoming more permissive while development itself becomes less viable. Nick, Oli and Peter also tackle the growing difficulties of delivering homes on brownfield sites, the challenges facing new-build flats, and whether build-to-rent, stamp duty reform and a simpler system of developer contributions could help unlock investment. And with Ealing reporting some of the highest affordable housing starts in the capital, Peter shares what the borough is doing differently and why getting money into deliverable schemes matters. More powers, more infrastructure and more housing targets. But will any of it translate into more homes being built? Key highlights · The Budget could be more positive for London than the headlines suggest. Peter argues that the announcements around devolution, infrastructure and housing support show the government recognising the importance of London’s economy and the pressures facing development. · The West London Orbital could unlock significant growth. Drawing on Ealing’s experience with the Elizabeth line, Peter explains how better transport connections can stimulate housing delivery, regeneration, employment and wider economic activity. · The return of Help to Buy may have limited impact in London. Nick questions whether the proposed price caps will exclude too much of the capital, particularly when demand for new-build flats is already being affected by leasehold concerns and rising service charges. · Devolution raises questions about who controls London’s money. New revenue-raising powers could strengthen the Mayor’s position, but Peter argues that boroughs also need greater influence over investment decisions that affect their communities and local economies. Best moments Peter George | 10:55 “There’s clearly no credible economic growth strategy that avoids investing in London.” Nick Cuff | 21:40 “In a tough market, you need to pump prime and you need to put the money out there and get things going, get cranes going.” VALUABLE RESOURCES https://uk.linkedin.com/in/peter-george-83b1b710 https://www.ealing.gov.uk EPISODES TO CHECK OUT NEXT Lewisham, Canada Water and the Crisis Facing London’s Developers https://propviews.co.uk/the-pod/lewisham-canada-water-and-the-crisis-facing-londons-developers Nick Dolezal: From the Shard to Stalemate: What Went Wrong in Southwark https://propviews.co.uk/the-pod/nick-dolezal-from-the-shard-to-stalemate-what-went-wrong-in-southwark ABOUT THE HOSTS Nick Cuff and Oliver Lowrie, the hosts of PropViews, bring their experience in property development, architecture and planning to the table, tackling the big issues facing the UK property industry. From planning reform and housing policy to market trends, investment and the realities of getting developments off the ground, Nick and Oli aren't afraid to challenge the status quo, question government policy or say what others in the industry are thinking. Through PropViews, they are joined by leading voices from across the property sector for lively, straight-talking conversations, cutting through the headlines to explore what's really happening in the industry, what needs to change and where things could be heading next. CONNECT & CONTACT www.propviews.co.uk https://www.linkedin.com/company/prop-views

London needs more homes. So why are some of its biggest regeneration schemes being abandoned? Planning permission used to be a major milestone. Now, even consented developments are struggling to get off the ground. In this episode of Prop Views, Nick Cuff and Oliver Lowrie turn the tables, with Oli putting the questions to Nick as they discuss the growing pressures facing London's development industry and why they started the podcast in the first place. The conversation begins in Lewisham, where Landsec has announced its withdrawal from the shopping centre regeneration project following a change in political leadership and growing viability challenges. And it's not an isolated case. With British Land's Canada Water development also facing delays, Nick and Oli question whether London's major regeneration schemes can still be delivered under current market conditions. From the risks of relying on political agreements and compulsory purchase orders to the growing burden of building safety regulations, they explore why securing planning permission is no longer enough. But it's not all bad news. There are opportunities emerging for developers willing to rethink their approach, work more closely with contractors and take on projects that might previously have been overlooked. The discussion also looks at London's struggling smaller developers, the future of the Green Belt and whether the government needs to go much further than its current emergency planning measures. Is London's development industry facing a temporary downturn, or does the whole system need to change? Key takeaways Landsec's withdrawal from Lewisham raises serious questions about regeneration risk. A major consented development has been abandoned following deteriorating economics and a change in the council's political position, demonstrating how vulnerable long-term projects can be. Political cycles and development timelines don't work well together. Nick and Oli discuss how changes in local authority leadership can undermine years of negotiation, particularly where projects depend on council-owned land, compulsory purchase orders or political support. Communities need to see the benefits of development. Better infrastructure, schools, healthcare and public spaces can be funded through regeneration, but those benefits aren't always clearly communicated or delivered quickly enough to win public support. Canada Water could be a warning for London's other major schemes. With British Land facing difficult market conditions, the discussion questions whether large, privately funded regeneration projects can remain viable when capital costs, construction costs and political risks are all increasing. The development market is finding a new middle ground. Very large regeneration projects are struggling, while smaller residential schemes are also difficult to finance and sell. Nick and Oli explore opportunities for medium-sized developments and closer relationships between developers and contractors. The Building Safety Act is changing what developers choose to build. The additional costs, approval processes and uncertainty surrounding higher-risk buildings are influencing decisions on building heights and densities, with some developers choosing to stay below regulatory thresholds. London needs to think seriously about outward expansion. Nick argues that unlocking suitable Grey Belt and Green Belt land could provide opportunities for more affordable housing, alongside higher-density development in central locations. The government may need a more fundamental response. Rather than introducing individual policy changes every few months, Nick and Oli discuss the potential for a more joined-up approach involving development levies, stamp duty, first-time buyer support and building costs. Best moments Nick Cuff "The gap between what's possible and what's asked for has grown." Nick Cuff "I think we're in a situation now where all large development proposals in London are on hold, the ones that haven't started." Oliver Lowrie "The very large are not working, and the quite small are not working." Nick Cuff "This is not just macro. This is a human-made policy problem, but because it's human-made, it can be unmade." Episodes To Check Out Next London Needs to Build! But Will the New Plan Deliver? https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Bei84W7RR1b7TEkS6yjP8 Gray Belt, Green Light: Philip Barnes on the NPPF Rewrite https://open.spotify.com/episode/3IcgHDNB02PQ81WKjD2HoT About The Hosts Nick Cuff and Oliver Lowrie, the hosts of PropViews, bring their experience in property development, architecture and planning to the table, tackling the big issues facing the UK property industry. From planning reform and housing policy to market trends, investment and the realities of getting developments off the ground, Nick and Oli aren't afraid to challenge the status quo, question government policy or say what others in the industry are thinking. Through PropViews, they are joined by leading voices from across the property sector for lively, straight-talking conversations, cutting through the headlines to explore what's really happening in the industry, what needs to change and where things could be heading next. Connect & Contact www.propviews.co.uk  https://www.linkedin.com/company/prop-views

Two former planning chairs sit down to take apart what has gone wrong with London's planning system and why Southwark's recent decisions on the Aylesham Centre and Borough Triangle sit at the heart of it. Nick Dolezal brings a rare perspective. He was there when Southwark was pro-development, market-led and building things. He was there when the Shard was initiated, when Tate Modern opened on Bankside, and when Elephant and Castle, Bermondsey Spa and Canada Water were set in motion. He watched the political culture shift from drawing down benefits from the market to using housing policy as ideology, and watched that shift eventually consume two major Berkeley schemes that the planning system spent a decade chewing over before spitting out. The conversation moves from the Parkhurst Road judgment and what the GLA made of it, through the community pressure and political escalation that shaped the Aylesham Centre process, to the planning committee culture that Nick Cuff argues has turned a permissive regime into a social housing checkpoint. And it ends with a question nobody in planning wants to answer: if you won't grant at 12% and the viability evidence says the maximum achievable is zero, what exactly are you waiting for? Key Takeaways - Southwark under Jeremy Fraser from 1994 was deliberately market-led and pro-development, a political break from what Nick describes as the 'oppressive old Labour, anti-development' culture that preceded it. - The Parkhurst judgment and the GLA's interpretation of it transformed planning from a negotiated process into what Nick Dolezal calls a tariff, with planning obligations on a £550,000 property running to around £120,000. - The Aylesham Centre and Borough Triangle refusals are the culmination of a decade of deliberation, escalating community demands and narrowing room for negotiation. Nick believes a deal at 35% affordable housing was achievable earlier in the process. - Nick argues that heritage objections at Aylesham were refined by an organised network of local campaigners and that similar arguments were then used in the Borough Triangle debate. - Planning committees have increasingly become social housing champions, with developers and committees both constrained by policies set above them. - The systemic options discussed are to reject schemes below policy thresholds, provide more government grant for subsidised housing, or separate social housing delivery from private development obligations. - The viability crunch is not confined to London. Berlin, Melbourne and Sydney face similar challenges. Best Moments “Planning became a tariff rather than negotiation, and it became a tax on people taking out mortgages on new build properties.”  NICK DOLEZAL “I think there was a sweet spot when the council could have negotiated, taken it to plan and got 35%.”  NICK DOLEZAL “The planning committee has kind of morphed into this all-singing, all-dancing social housing champion.”  NICK CUFF “It's not a civic problem. It's not a committee problem. It's a national policy problem.” OLIVER LOWRIE Valuable Resources - Aylesham Centre refusal, Prop Views: https://propviews.co.uk/blog/a-great-day-for-peckham/ - Parkhurst Road series: https://propviews.co.uk - GLA London Plan Viability Study, July 2026: https://propviews.co.uk Episodes To Check Out Next - London Needs to Build! But Will the New Plan Deliver?  https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Bei84W7RR1b7TEkS6yjP8 - Gray Belt, Green Light: Philip Barnes on the NPPF Rewrite  https://open.spotify.com/episode/3IcgHDNB02PQ81WKjD2HoT About The Hosts Nick Cuff and Oliver Lowrie, the hosts of Prop Views, bring their experience in property development, architecture and planning to the table, tackling the big issues facing the UK property industry. From planning reform and housing policy to market trends, investment and the realities of getting developments off the ground, Nick and Oli aren't afraid to challenge the status quo, question government policy or say what others in the industry are thinking. Through Prop Views, they are joined by leading voices from across the property sector for lively, straight-talking conversations, cutting through the headlines to explore what's really happening in the industry, what needs to change and where things could be heading next. Connect & Contact www.propviews.co.uk https://www.linkedin.com/company/prop-views

The NPPF has just had its biggest rewrite in over a decade, gray belt is formalised, and housebuilder shares are swinging wildly from Crest Nicholson's third profit warning to Persimmon defying the slowdown. Nick Cuff and Oli Lowrie are joined by Phil Barnes, former National Land Director at Barratt and now strategic adviser at Savills, to unpack what the new planning framework really means for housebuilders, why gray belt could unlock the biggest change to land supply in fifty years, and whether the sector's beaten up share prices are actually a buying opportunity. They also dig into the SME cascade mechanism U-turn, the case for Help to Buy's return, and Reform UK's provocative new planning white paper that could scrap the London Plan altogether. KEY TAKEAWAYS The revised NPPF, published on 17 August, is the first comprehensive rewrite since 2012 and reinstates a strong presumption in favour of sustainable development. Gray belt formally opens up unallocated greenfield and greenbelt land on the edge of cities for housing where a five year land supply cannot be demonstrated, provided it does not cause urban sprawl, merge settlements or harm historic towns. Three new viability exemptions have been added to the 15% above policy affordable housing threshold, covering brownfield sites, schemes of over 1,500 homes, and development that differs from the local plan allocation. London has grown its urban footprint by only 5% since 2000 versus Paris's 55%, despite similar population growth, a gap Phil argues shows UK cities have been artificially constrained for decades. The promised cascade mechanism flexibility for medium sized SME sites of 10 to 49 homes did not make it into the final document, which Phil calls a genuine U-turn that will keep hurting smaller developers who cannot find a delivery partner. Housebuilder shares told three different stories in the same week: Crest Nicholson issued its third profit warning since April, Vistry bounced on a £350 million government grant tied to its strategic partner status, and Persimmon kept defying the slowdown with completions up 13%. Phil makes the case for the sector being undervalued, pointing to a roughly 30% gap between net asset value and share price, land moving from a depreciating to a potentially appreciating asset, and the possibility of a Help to Buy style scheme returning around the October budget. Reform UK's new planning white paper proposes scrapping the London Plan, cutting affordable housing to 5% in the five biggest cities, and a decade long stamp duty exemption on new build homes, though Phil questions whether a genuinely permissive system can work without housing targets to force reluctant councils to grant consent.  BEST MOMENTS "UK cities have been frozen in aspic for fifty years." "Why are we artificially constraining the growth of our cities and not allowing people to live where they want to live in the face of huge population growth?" "It was in the draft and we expected it to be in the finalised version. It is a U-turn, and not a helpful one in my view." "What you bought for a pound five years ago is probably only worth eighty pence now because of all the regulatory changes. I think we could be moving out of that era." EPISODES TO CHECK OUT NEXT Inside the Draft London Plan with Dominic Grace

In this episode of Prop Views, Nick Cuff and Oli Lowrie are joined by Dominic Grace to unpack three of the summer's biggest property stories. They start with Sadiq Khan's draft London Plan, debating whether its shorter length makes it bolder or simply more prescriptive, and dig into the housing targets, density matrix and affordable housing thresholds that will shape the capital for the next twenty years. From there, they turn to Prologis's recommended £14 billion takeover of Segro, the UK's largest REIT, and what it says about the shrinking pool of listed real estate businesses. Finally, they assess Angela Rayner's return to the housing brief, her early decisions on major schemes, and whether she has the appetite for the radical intervention the sector says it needs. A candid, occasionally blunt conversation about what it actually takes to get Britain building. KEY TAKEAWAYS Sadiq Khan's draft London Plan, published 16 July, is nearly half the length of the 2021 version but Oli Lowrie argues it is more prescriptive, not less, particularly on building heights and densityThe plan targets 558,000 new homes and reintroduces density matrices tied to height, with a baseline of four to nine storeys across most of the city and 100 metre towers permitted in only 17 locationsDominic Grace calls the plan a "pathetic effort" for a market in crisis, arguing it needs radical intervention rather than incremental tweaksModelling referenced in the episode suggests only around 23 per cent of scenarios stack up financially once affordable housing requirements are applied, with a potential £28.3 billion funding gap for affordable housing deliveryPrologis has agreed a recommended £14 billion takeover of Segro, creating a combined business with roughly £269 billion of assets under management and expanding Prologis's European footprint by 47 per centThe deal highlights how few listed UK real estate businesses remain, with private equity increasingly stepping in to fill the gapAngela Rayner's return as housing secretary gets a mixed scorecard from the hosts, who cover her early decisions including consent for the Truman Brewery redevelopment and rejection of 3,500 homes and a stadium at Ebbsfleet over safety concernsThe episode ends on a rare positive note, with Building Safety Act gateway approval rates now at 91 per cent, up from around 25 to 30 per cent in the early years  BEST MOMENTS "I'd liken it to a lady who, in polite society, just fainted in an Edwardian parlour, and someone gets out the smelling salts. What we actually need is a defibrillator, wired up to the mains, to shock the system back into delivering housing." — Dominic Grace on the draft London Plan"I don't think it is bold. I think it's kind of more prescriptive. This version of government finds writing a plan that's pro development quite hard to be pro developer." — Oli Lowrie"It's extraordinary how little we really understand about that world. When something like this happens, it's a bit of a jolt." — Dominic Grace on the Prologis and Segro deal"The Building Safety Act approval rate is at 91 per cent. It was 25 or 30 per cent for the first couple of years. That's basically a coin toss. Now it's up at 91 per cent and it's happening faster." — Oli Lowrie