London Housing Design Guide (interim)

The London Development Agency has published the new London Housing Design Guide, which sets a new benchmark for housing design in London. All housing built on London Development Agency land is expected to meet these standards. The standards will also start to be applied to housing schemes applying for funding from the London Homes and Communities Agency from April 2011.

The new 'interim edition' of the London Housing Design Guide sets out the Mayor of London's aspirations for the design of new housing in the capital. The Guide has been compiled after extensive consultation on a draft guide launched by the Mayor in July 2009.

The Guide clarifies, consolidates and sets new minimum space standards in a number of key policy areas. It promotes better neighbourhoods, high environmental standards, better accessibility and better design and includes new minimum standards for the amount of floor space and private outdoor space, as well as guidance on natural light and ceiling heights. The London Housing Strategy requires all homes developed with public funding to deliver high quality in line with the Guide from 2011.