In this episode of Urban Forecast, Oli Lowrie and Jon Ackroyd sit down with Cllr Ross Garrod, Leader of Merton Council, to talk about what it really takes to shape a London borough. Ross grew up in Mitcham and returned to local politics after the pandemic left him feeling powerless as decisions were made in Westminster. He explains how Merton is building council homes again for the first time in a generation, why the council stepped in to buy affordable homes and get a stalled gasworks scheme moving, and how selling a council-owned business for £186 million cut historic debt and funded a new legacy fund for residents. The conversation also covers temporary accommodation, London's Borough of Sport, the future of shopping centres, and the one national policy change that would make his job easier. It's a candid, practical look at local leadership for anyone working in property, planning or architecture.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Ross came back to politics after Covid, having felt powerless watching Westminster decisions affect his community. Volunteering as a vaccinator helped, but he wanted to be part of the decision making.
Merton has claimed the title of London's Borough of Sport. Free swimming for under 16s and over 65s, free tennis courts and funded parkruns have helped around 6,000 to 7,000 residents become more active.
The council is building affordable homes itself again for the first time in a generation. It starts with 75 homes delivered with L&Q on former council car parks and a disused tin church site, and a ten-year housing delivery programme is on the way.
Merton's housing approach has three parts: self-delivery on small sites, partnerships with private developers on larger sites, and acquisitions to kickstart stalled schemes.
The former Mitcham gasworks scheme of almost 700 homes was approved with no affordable housing because of viability. The council chose to buy the affordable element to get work started on site.
Selling the council-owned business CHAS for £186 million cleared historic debt, which saves around £11 million a year. It also helped fund Morden regeneration and a £15 million Pride in Merton Legacy Fund that residents can bid into.
Merton has cut temporary accommodation numbers by 4%, against a London average of around 1%. It is buying street properties so residents can stay in the borough.
Asked what national policy he would change, Ross picked skills and resourcing in planning departments. Without them, the target of 1.5 million homes won't make it through the system.
BEST MOMENTS
"What I would always say to developers or people that do want to build in Merton is don't forget the residents that already live there."
"We're going to have to use every power, soft power, hard power, that we can use to really deliver those homes."
"There's no point going to market if it's going to fall flat on its face."
"If someone had a blueprint, I'm sure we would all try and take it."
VALUABLE RESOURCES
https://www.ackroydlowrie.com
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ABOUT THE HOSTS
Jon Ackroyd and Oliver Lowrie, the visionary hosts of Urban Forecast, bring their expertise from leading their innovative practice, Ackroyd Lowrie. Known for pushing the boundaries in urban design, Jon and Oliver use their podcast to delve into the future of cities, sharing insights from their work on projects that emphasise sustainability, community, and transformative architecture. Through Urban Forecast, they engage listeners with discussions on how architecture and design shape urban living, aiming to inspire new ways of thinking about the spaces around us.
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