Press Release
CBRE’s Borough by Borough Report Highlights Shortfall in London’s Housing Delivery
June 18, 2025
Media Contact
Director, External Communications & PR
Media Contact
Head of External Communications
Global real estate advisor CBRE has revealed which London boroughs ranked highest across several metrics covering housing, population growth and residential pipeline, in its new Borough by Borough report.
The report highlights an imbalance between London’s growing population and delivery of new homes. Compared with the London Plan targets adopted in 2021, there is currently an estimated shortfall of over 50,000 homes across the capital.
The London Plan Targets
First set out in 2021, all but four boroughs have fallen short of their London Plan targets to date. Westminster was the best performing borough, building 1,000 homes more than its target. In contrast, Greenwich was at the other end of the scale, with a current shortfall of over 5,000 homes.
Energy Efficient Boroughs
Energy-efficient homes in the UK form a critical component of reducing carbon emissions and supporting sustainable communities. To analyse this, CBRE ranked the proportion of homes in London that have an Energy Performance Certificate rating of C or higher.
The research found that Tower Hamlets has the most energy-efficient housing stock, with almost 80% of its homes rated C or above. Southwark and Greenwich followed at 67% and 61% respectively.
Read the Full Report
London has consistently held appeal as a place to live for both UK and international residents, driven by work opportunities, tourism, good schools, and connectivity. While our capital’s population is tipped to grow, the need for additional housing is not being met.
Based on current market conditions, we are currently forecasting an average of 28,600 new homes to be built each year across the capital, which will fall considerably short of the London Plan target. Of the 32 boroughs examined, only four have exceeded their housing targets. The latest data from Molior also points to a drastic decline in housebuilding. In Q1 2025 only 1,210 new homes started being built in London, with 23 boroughs recording zero new housebuilding starts. This is the lowest quarterly rate of housebuilding recorded since Q1 2009, during the midst of the Global Financial Crisis. The recent updates to the National Planning Policy Framework are a step in the right direction, but there are a range of other challenges that need to be addressed to make any meaningful impact on housing delivery.
London Borough by Borough 2025
About CBRE Group, Inc.
CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBRE), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Dallas, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2024 revenue). The company has more than 140,000 employees (including Turner & Townsend employees) serving clients in more than 100 countries. CBRE serves a diverse range of clients with an integrated suite of services, including facilities, transaction and project management; property management; investment management; appraisal and valuation; property leasing; strategic consulting; property sales; mortgage services and development services. Please visit our website at www.cbre.co.uk.