Council releases plan of action to “free up more land for public good”
Southwark council has announced a plan of action to explore how land across the borough can be used for the benefit of its communities.
The Land for Good report tackles topics including affordable housing and environmental sustainability, as well as cross-cutting issues relating to ownership and partnership.
Chaired by Dr Miatta Fahnbulleh, chief executive of the New Economics Foundation and newly appointed MP for Peckham, the report responds to the findings of the Southwark Land Commission.
The commission’s independent members – convened by the council – include experts, community representatives and major landowners.
Their aim was to find ways to “free up more land for public good”. Over the course of six months, the commission held workshops with more than 2,000 residents from community organisations to debate how best to achieve this aim.
The Land for Good report works through the Commission’s seven headline recommendations and 25 proposals.
As part of the report, the council has committed to creating the Southwark Land Partnership, which will bring together the borough’s biggest property stakeholders to work through issues like decarbonisation of existing property.
Proposals also include the development of a Social Purpose of Land Framework to ensure public landowners consider community benefits – as well as financial ones – when selling or purchasing property.
Community is at the core of the Land for Good report, which promises to pilot a Community Land Trust run by people from the area who build affordable homes, as well as a Community Empowerment Fund which will support Southark communities to take on and manage land and property.
The report also includes two new pilot schemes aimed at engaging under-represented groups at sites in Queen’s Road and Sandgate Street, as well as additional community review panels.
A lack of affordable workspaces was a prominent issue tackled in the report. As a result, the council said it will create subsidised workspaces that smaller businesses can afford across Southwark.
Cllr Helen Dennis, cabinet member for new homes and sustainable development, said: “Now, for land and property-owners like us, it’s time for action.
“We each have a responsibility to turn these recommendations into reality as part of collective efforts to deliver social and environmental outcomes for residents using land and property in Southwark.
“We knew we needed a step-change, drawing on expertise from across our community, to maximise the tangible benefits for our residents from land and property in Southwark.
“We are very grateful to the Commission for all their work to look at how more land can be freed up for the public good.”
Read the council’s full response to the Southwark Land Commission report on the council’s website.
Pictured top: Dr Miatta Fahnbulleh, chief executive of the New Economics Foundation, and newly-appointed MP for Peckham featured in Southwark council’s Land for Good video (Picture: Southwark council)