Bruceshaw is the headline sponsor for the Opening Night Live Debate at this year’s Surface Design Show, which begins on the 6th February at 18:30 at Business Design Centre, Islington, London.

Hosted by New London Architecture (NLA) and RIBA, the debate is looking at one of the most important topics facing young Londoners today: “A crisis for the next generation – is London just for the wealthy?” The debate will be asking how we address the fundamental housing problem affecting young people in the city.

There are many problems young people (those between 18-25) face that if not addressed, they will have no choice but to leave London for more affordable cities. These challenges include a lack of social housing, low cost housing and key worker housing, poor quality in the private rented sector, sky-high pricing in the purpose built private rented sector and little to no chance of getting onto the property ladder. Young professionals need housing options that are affordable, accessible and sustainable.

Over recent decades the availability of housing has diminished for many including the average paid worker, key workers and the young. Inroads have started to be made into more sophisticated and professional rental models where purchase has become untenable, but these BTR (Build To Rent) models remain in their infancy and not readily available. Social housing provision has not been replaced and funding has been reduced with Local Authorities, constrained in their ability to take direct development intervention.

Chris Patrick, Partner of Bruceshaw, comments:

” The accessibility of housing in London should be at the forefront of our minds. Housing is a common need and good quality accommodation that should be available for London’s population and workers.

For London to continue to be a World city and an economic powerhouse it needs to be able to support the housing needs of all that support it. We must strive to deliver the most that can be generated from development opportunities; by squeezing wasted functional cost, mitigating risk and generating time saving alternatives, to deliver more for less. Any debate on the challenges facing housing needs in London and the South East must be welcomed.”

 

Chaired by Peter Murray, Chairman & Co-founder of New London Architecture, the panel of experts will be attempting to view London through the lens of young people in an effort to give them a voice:

Ben Derbyshire, RIBA President, Chair of HTA Design

Louise Wyman, Head of Strategic Land, Homes & Communities Agency

David Lunts, Executive Director at Housing and Land, Greater London Authority

Zohra Chiheb, Project Architect at Levitt Bernstein

 

Date: Tuesday 6 February 2018 from 6.30pm until 8.00pm

Location: Business Design Centre, Islington, London, N1 0QH

Attendance is free of charge by registering at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-crisis-for-the-next-generation-is-london-just-for-the-wealthy-tickets-41074263227?aff=affiliate1