Three London councils have launched a legal challenge against the Greater London Authority (GLA) over plans to reduce affordable housing quotas in new developments. Hackney, Tower Hamlets, and Lewisham councils filed the case at the High Court, arguing that the process to amend the London Plan was improper and lacked adequate consultation.
Proposed reduction from 35% to 20%
Currently, developers must allocate 35% of a project to affordable housing to qualify for a fast-tracked planning process. However, under changes announced in October 2025, this threshold would be lowered to 20%. The councils claim that Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan and City Hall failed to follow proper procedures and did not consult sufficiently before making the decision.
The challenge is supported by Lambeth, Southwark, Waltham Forest, and Haringey councils, as well as Green Party leader Zack Polanski. Hackney, Tower Hamlets, and Lewisham are each led by a directly elected mayor.
Mayors speak out against changes
Zoe Garbett, the Green Party executive mayor of Hackney, elected in May 2026, said housing is the mayors' "number one issue." She told the Press Association: "These measures that are being brought in are a developer's solution and they will stifle what we are able to do as London directly elected mayors and leaders in our boroughs. It's about saying no, we should be expecting more from our developments."
Lewisham mayor Liam Shrivastava, also from the Green Party, said communities "are crying out for genuinely affordable housing." He noted that there are more than 10,000 people on the housing waiting list in Lewisham. "We have to have genuinely affordable council led housing solutions for our residents. That's what they deserve and that is what we are fighting for," he said, adding that he does not believe the proposals will stimulate housebuilding, calling them "tinkering around the edges" and "window dressing."
Tower Hamlets mayor Lutfur Rahman, from the Aspire party, said: "There should be more homes to help the ordinary folks in London, not for the super-rich, not for assets just sitting there, unoccupied that can't be sold or rented out." He also questioned whether proper consultation had occurred between City Hall and the boroughs.
Political support and next steps
Zack Polanski described London's housing issues as a "scandal" that will be a key issue in the next mayoral election. He stated: "With thousands of families languishing on waiting lists and one in 21 children homeless and growing up in overcrowded temporary accommodation, we cannot afford for thousands more to be priced out of their communities and plunged into poverty and homelessness."
A Mayor of London spokesperson confirmed the judicial review claim but declined further comment due to ongoing proceedings. The High Court will now decide whether the case is arguable and can proceed to a full hearing.
