Southwark Land Commission
The Southwark Land Commission was established to explore how more land in the borough can be used for the benefit of all.
The first of its kind in London, the Commission was established in September 2022 as a commitment in the Council Delivery Plan, the organisation’s business plan from 2022 to 2026.
Convened by the council but independent of it, its members include experts, community representatives and major landowners, and it was chaired by Dr Miatta Fahnbulleh, Chief Executive of the New Economics Foundation. Its mission was to find ways to “free up more land for public good”, and over the course of six months, the Commission held workshops with community organisations, drew on good practice and debated how best to achieve this aim.
The Commission’s final report considers current land use across Southwark and looks for more potential opportunities. The report is made up of 25 priority actions falling under seven key recommendations, with an action plan included at the end of the report which sets out high-level timeframes and responsibilities. The seven recommendations are:
- Put social purpose at the heart of land use
- Map what’s there and what isn’t
- Take control of our land and assets
- Defend and extend affordable accommodation for all
- Cherish our natural capital and decarbonise our land
- Give the community real power and voice
- Disrupt the status quo to unlock bigger changes
Read the final report of the Commission (PDF, 19.7mb).
Page last updated: 12 September 2023
