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The UK Housing Market: A Place of Your Own?
So what is the new Thames Gateway scheme?
Under the Government plan, the Thames Gateway will see 120,000 new homes. An extra 60,000 new homes will be built by 2016.
Map of the Thames Gateway zones of change
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Source: GLA London Thames Gateway, Development and Investment Framework report. (Crown copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen's Printer for Scotland.)
The project would make the area the largest brownfield site in Europe. The Greater London Authority (GLA), though, believes that there is the potential for 50% more houses in this area. They say that by careful planning, the project could increase both the quantity and quality of housing in these zones. Over half of the total extra homes should be classified as 'affordable' and with public services in the area already stretched, significant new infrastructure will be needed to cope with the anticipated population increase of 72%. Among the required facilities will be:
- 55 new primary schools
- 63 new nurseries
- 6 new playing fields
- 10 new libraries
- 1000 new hospital beds
- 19 new primary care centres
The GLA estimates that the new projects will cost £16 billion, half of which would have to come from the public purse.