London Assembly Member Murad Qureshi today called for new London-wide restrictions on basement developments. The call came as a west London council got to go-ahead for a policy that limits subterranean development to a proportion of the garden size and to one storey, and prohibits all such development under listing buildings.

Subterranean development is a growing issue in some parts of London, notably Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster, Camden, Hammersmith & Fulham, and Wandsworth. The super-rich are digging deeper and wider in an effort to cram swimming pools, cinemas, and gyms into often historic buildings, creating so called ‘iceberg’ homes. These developments can cause flooding, sink holes and structural damage to neighbouring buildings, and construction is often severely disruptive to the neighbourhood.

A number of London boroughs are bringing forward policies to limit inappropriate basement development, but without the backing of a strong policy in the London Plan they will find it difficult to enforce and can see their decisions overturned by inspectors.

In March, Mr Qureshi introduced a motion to the London Assembly calling on the Mayor to establish planning policies to prevent inappropriate basement development. Despite receiving unanimous cross-party support, the Mayor informed the Assembly that he did not consider it necessary to introduce new rules in the London Plan.

Londonwide Assembly Member, Murad Qureshi AM, said:

“London urgently needs a city-wide policy to stop neighbours being disrupted by massive building works to create iceburg homes.

“It is right for councils to take steps to limit this inappropriate development, but without backing from the Mayor of London they may find it difficult to enforce and can see their decisions overturned by inspectors. It is astonishing that the Mayor has flatly refused to tackle the growing problem of subterranean development in the capital, we really need to see action before the problem gets out of hand.” 

ENDS 

Notes 

1. Murad Qureshi AM is a London-wide Labour member of the London Assembly.
2. The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has for the past two years been developing a policy to place restrictions on subterranean development. A planning inspector earlier this week gave final approval to the policy. The draft policy is available here: http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/pdf/Basements%20Publication%20Second%20v5.pdf.
3. The full text of March’s amended motion is available here: http://www.london.gov.uk/media/assembly-press-releases/2014/03/assembly-calls-on-mayor-to-limit-excessive-basement-developments.