More Londoners want building projects in their backyards

More Londoners are becoming likely to agree to building projects in their backyards, a YouGov poll found.

More Londoners want building projects in their backyards

More Londoners are becoming likely to agree to building projects in their backyards, a YouGov poll found.

Some 57% wanted more housing in their local area with only 26% objecting to it and 63% in Iner London supported more local housing while only 54% did so in outer London.

Just a fifth of people in the inner city-area took objected to housing in their backyards, compared to three in 10 in the suburbs. Around 60% of men were in favour of more new homes in their area, compared with 53% of women.

Andy Scott, the chairman and founder of RelCap, a London based property development company, said: “The rise of ‘Yes in my backyards’ is the shift we needed in the property industry.

“The latest YouGov survey has shown that people are becoming more adjust to the idea of new properties in built up areas, with 57% of adults in London now saying ‘Yes’ to more housing in their local area and it is refreshing to see the sentiment swing in favour of millennials and those struggling to get onto the property ladder.

“We need to start thinking about future generations, and if that means sacrificing some allotment space then so be it. With the number of homeowners in the25-29 age bracket dropping by up to 50% since 1990, we need to re-evaluate our stance on property in this country by removing the correlation between affluent areas and difficulties in getting planning permission.

“We need to be encouraging a sense of community rather than isolating those who need help and didn’t have the advantage of capitalising on an affordable property market 20 years ago or Bank of Mum and Dad.”

Some 68% of renters wanted more homes in their neighbourhoods compared with 45% of homeowners.

Jasmine Whitbread, chief executive of London First, who commissioned the poll, said: “It’s clear there are votes to be won in unblocking London’s housebuilding hold-ups. Londoners are struggling to find a place to live and business can’t afford the continued drain of people away from our capital.

“Now is the time for our politicians to finally get to grips with the housing crisis. We need more money, more land to develop and better ways to build.”