Mayor of London Labour candidate prioritises housing in London

She has promised that if elected she will establish a new housing body, Homes for Londoners which will be a housing equivalent to Transport for London. Homes for Londoners will act as a developer and will be led by a Homes Commissioner.

Jowell announced last month that she would be standing as Labour's candidate for the London mayoral election next year. When launching her campaign in Brixton she set out her vision "to build One London" and "to tackle London's housing crisis", focusing her priorities on homes, transport and opportunity.

Homes for Londoners will develop and build homes on public sector land or with subsidy; starting with land owned by Transport for London. Transport for London currently has 5,700 acres of surplus land. This could provide over 40,000 new homes over the next 20 years.

Following the model used to build the Olympic Park, "Homes for Londoners will provide real competition to existing developers and ensure that a greater number of affordable homes are built."

Jowell has made further proposals in relation to increasing the number of homeowners in the city. This includes the provision to build more homes to replace the properties bought under the Right to Buy scheme. Additionally, Jowell has pledged to "introduce a major new programme to significantly expand rent to buy – creating a new option for young Londoners, who can afford to pay for a home but [cannot] afford to pay for a deposit." Building rent to buy properties will be a key priority for the proposed new body Homes for Londoners.

The candidate has also advised of other areas she would like to make changes to. These include increase borrowing powers for local councils and more mayoral call-in powers.

Planning expert Victoria Lindsay of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law.com, said "It comes as no surprise that Jowell is focusing on London's housing crisis in her London mayoral election campaign. Housing was a big issue during the recent general election and a key issue for Boris Johnson as the existing mayor of London."

"This is further evidenced in the last week alone through the introduction of the Housing Bill in last week's Queen's speech and the publication of the mayor of London's Draft Interim Housing Supplementary Planning Guidance for public consultation," said Lindsay.

"Almost all the mayoral candidates to replace Johnson have said that they will tackle London's housing shortage, but none of the others has said they will create a new body such as Homes for Londoners," said Lindsay. "Jowell's new agency concept has yet to be developed though and until it is fleshed out further its impact on delivery of housing is not known".