New statistics show that construction started on 4,946 council homes in Greater London in the 2021/22 financial year.

The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, wants it to be know that this is more than under any of his predecessors – and more than the 3,520 council homes started in London in the entire decade before he became mayor.

Not since the 1970s – 9,128 starts in 1979 – have there been so many council houses under construction in the capital.

Sadiq Khan puts it down to initiatives such as the Building Council Homes for Londoners grant funding programme, and the Homebuilding Capacity Fund.

Last year, all but two councils started work on new council homes. Southwark led the way with 878 starts, followed by Havering (593), Barking and Dagenham (424) and Newham (410). Bromley, Hammersmith and Fulham, Kingston upon Thames and Sutton all started building council homes for the first time last year.

These statistics come from City Hall statistics only include council homes backed by the Greater London Authority (GLA). Central government statistics, to be released later this year, could be higher as they will including any council homes built without GLA support.

Sadiq Khan said: “There’s no quick fix to London’s housing crisis, but we’re taking some big steps in the right direction – breathing new life into council homebuilding in London. Every new home we build is another London family given the secure, long term home they deserve.

“I grew up on a council estate in south London so I know the vital role council homes play in providing security for families. I’m proud that we’re reversing the years of declining council homebuilding and are once again seeing these vital homes return to every corner of our city.

“But I’m determined that we continue to do all we can to build on the success of recent years, empower councils and work with all those involved in building new council homes, so we build a safer, fairer, greener and more prosperous city for all Londoners.”

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