Experts in property development are calling for the release of public sector land to help resolve London’s housing crisis.

The Mayor of London is one of the largest public sector landowners in the capital through the Greater London Authority (GLA), and in April 2012, it inherited 635 hectares as a result of devolution.

Transport for London (TfL) owns around 5,700 acres of land across the city, including buildings and land attached to tube and railway stations.

In addition to this, vast amounts of land is owned by other public bodies, including the Metropolitan Police and local councils.

Scott Marshall, Operations Director at Roma Finance, thinks the release of this land is the most straightforward way to increase the supply of housing.

He told Development Finance Today: “With no obvious solution to the capital's housing shortage, releasing brown field sites for development has to be looked at seriously.

“Our population is growing and we aren’t making more land, so it’s common sense that unused or underutilised land is zoned for development.

“Experienced architects and property developers have always been capable of creating exciting new schemes next to railway lines, canals and of course the Thames, so the location of the pocket of land shouldn't be an issue.”

The GLA says around 99% of its portfolio has been developed, is in the process of being developed or is already on the market.

However, it could prove difficult to wrestle public land from other authorities.

Martin Gilsenan, Sales Director at OmniCapital, told Development Finance Today:

“I don’t see public land just being offered up without pressure from the property industry, and that needs to be right across the board, from providers of social housing [to]developers as well as the private sector, and all need to play their part in drawing attention to just how much surplus and underdeveloped land is held by these bodies.”

TfL is already in the process of releasing some of its land for development. In January this year, alongside the Mayor of London, TfL announced plans to release up to 50 sites for development, with around 10m square feet available.

Graeme Craig, TfL's Director of Commercial Development, said the prospective increase in London’s population was a key factor to the decision.

At the time he said: “London's population is set to grow from 8.4 million today to 10 million by 2030, the equivalent of one full Tube train arriving every three days.

“To enable this, London needs more homes and office spaces and the transport network needs sustained, long-term investment.

“Forming joint venture partnerships with property development experts will enable us to generate long-term income that we can invest in improving our network, which carries over 30 million journeys every day.

But the development of public land isn’t the only way the housing shortage can be addressed.

Development Finance today recently reported on the benefits of using Permitted Development rights to convert office buildings into residential homes. Adapt Finance has been championing this form of property development.

Luis McBriar, Director at Adapt Finance, told Development Finance Today: “I am strongly in favour of the development of public land for housing - we have an ever-increasing population in the UK, and as a result, we have a chronic housing shortage.

Luis also pointed out that the development of under-used sites not only provides more housing, but it also builds up the infrastructure of communities and drives the economy by suppling jobs and retail outlets.