London has four times the national average of high-rise homes, analysis shows

A new paper by the London Assembly Research Unit shows London has more than four times as many homes in high-rise buildings compared to the English average.

Research Unit analysis of government data found that one in nine homes in London were flats in buildings with six or more storeys.

Additional new analysis of English Housing Survey data also indicates that more than half (50.6%) of homes built in London since 2002 are flats in high-rise buildings.

The report also collates data showing:

• More London households rent than own
• The average sale price of a London home in 2023 was £590,000
• Households in London tend to have fewer bedrooms than the rest of England
• In 2023, the capital had almost 90,000 vacant dwellings
• London homes are more likely to be in the highest Council Tax bands

The findings are part of a paper commissioned by the Planning and Regeneration Committee, pulling together available figures on the number, size, condition, cost, age and ownership from a range of sources.

Chair of the London Assembly Planning and Regeneration Committee, Andrew Boff AM, said: “London’s ongoing housing crisis is well-known, yet far less is said about the types of housing Londoners are living in and the nature of the new homes being built in the capital.

“The data and analysis in this paper will help the Committee understand what Londoners’ needs are, and whether they are being met by the Mayor’s home-building programmes.”

Further findings collated in the Research Unit paper include figures on the energy efficiency of London’s homes, remediation work to remove unsafe cladding from buildings, and statistics on home ownership and rentals in the capital.