Tower Hamlets Council is proposing to increase the requirement for affordable housing in new developments from 35% to 40% as part of its emerging local plan. The plan is expected to be presented at the full council for adoption and, if approved, submitted to the Secretary of State in December 2025/January 2026, with adoption typically taking around 12 months from submission.
The Housing & Regeneration Scrutiny Sub Committee met on Monday, 3 November 2025, to discuss the updated local plan, which aims to guide development and land use in the borough. The plan, which must be updated every five years, responds to factors such as the housing crisis, climate crisis, and the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
Councillor Kabir Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Inclusive Development and Housebuilding, told the committee that the plan will help address and prioritise the mayor's strategic plan, such as challenging overcrowding and related inequalities. He added that the plan has undergone extensive consultation since 2022 and has been strongly shaped by the community. For example, concerns raised by residents regarding the nighttime economy in the Red Church Street area have been addressed in the new local plan.
The emerging local plan proposes several new policy requirements, including:
- Increasing the requirement for affordable housing from 35% to 40%, with a tenure split of 85% social rent and 15% intermediate homes.
- Taking a more permissive approach to tall buildings by introducing Zone F and removing specified appropriate heights from some Tall Building Zones. Zone F covers large areas of the borough.
- Additional site allocations with specific requirements and aspirations.
- A more progressive 'Energy Usage Intensity' (EUI) approach to energy efficiency.
- Seeking to exceed the national 10% biodiversity net gain requirement.
- Increased water efficiency requirements.
- A policy to manage waste and meet the London Plan waste apportionment at a local level.
- Policies to address new emerging uses such as co-living, data centres and life sciences.
David Joyce, Corporate Director of Housing and Regeneration, noted that the Greater London Authority (GLA) had objected to the 40% affordable housing threshold, but not the tenure split, while developers raised concerns about the impact of additional policy requirements on viability. Historic England suggested that Zone F for tall buildings was too expansive and the assessment of impacts was inadequate.
Sripriya Sudhakar added that the plan is supported by an Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) to support the level of planned growth.
If adopted, the local plan is expected to support the delivery of 52,000 homes up to 2038. The plan will now be presented at the full council for adoption and then go to the planning inspector.
