Housing evidence
When producing City Plan 2019-2040, the council published a wide range of evidence and background papers that supported its housing policies – see our most recent and relevant housing supporting documents.
General Housing
The council holds a Custom and Self Build Register in accordance with the Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 – see our Custom and Self Build Register page.
Affordable Housing
The council produces an Annual Affordable Housing Statement setting out the preferred affordable housing tenure split – see our latest statement:
A review of local evidence (Winter 2023/24) indicates that the statement remains relevant and should continue to be used.
Housing Land Supply
The council has confirmed through the Examination in Public of City Plan 2019-2040 its 5 Year Housing Land Supply position for 2020-2025 – see our position statement:
Housing Delivery Test
The government introduced the Housing Delivery Test (HDT) in November 2018 via the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) as a mechanism to monitor local housing delivery. The HDT is a percentage measurement that compares the number of net new homes delivered over the previous three years against the local planning authority’s net housing requirement.
The Housing Delivery Test for 2022 was published in December 2023. Between 2019/20 and 2021/22, the housing requirement was for 2,542 new homes to be built in Westminster and 2,508 were delivered (99%). Given that Westminster scored above 95%, the council does not need to publish any further information on housing supply.
The Housing Delivery Test for 2021 were published in January 2022. Between 2018/19 and 2020/21, the housing requirement was for 2,625 new homes to be built in Westminster and 2,524 were delivered (96%). Given that Westminster scored above 95%, the council did not need to publish any further information on housing supply.
The Housing Delivery Tests for 2020 were published in January 2021. Between 2017/18 and 2019/20, the housing requirement was for 3,114 new homes to be built in Westminster but only 2,859 were delivered (92%). By publishing the Housing Delivery Test 2020 Action Plan, the council met the NPPF requirements - see our Housing Delivery Test 2020 Action Plan:
Brownfield Register
The government requires the council to prepare and maintain a register of brownfield land suitable for residential development, under the Town and Country Planning (Brownfield Land Register) Regulations 2017. This provides potential developers with information about sites that may be available for development.
In Westminster, most of these sites will already have proposals or planning permissions for development.
The brownfield register is subject to annual review - see our Brownfield Register 2023:
The register has been informed by the council’s housing land supply data, planning applications database, and housing renewal sites.
We prepare the register in accordance with the regulations and the planning practice guidance.
The register is organised in 2 parts.
Part 1
Comprising all brownfield sites of over 0.25 hectares or that can support at least 5 dwellings. The sites are considered suitable, available and achievable for residential development, irrespective of their planning status.
Part 2
Sites which are granted planning permission in principle. There is no requirement to place any sites on Part 2 of the register and we do not intend to do so at this time.
The figures for potential housing delivery of each site are either the numbers of units for which planning permission has been granted or a notional figure based on London-wide assumptions about development capacity.
These will not be binding on us, should planning applications come forward, which will be decided on the basis of all relevant considerations in the usual way.
