Luxury housing experts blast Westminster's mansion size proposals

Luxury housebuilders and estate agents on Tuesday attacked new plans to stop mega-mansions being built in the West End.

Experts were responding to Westminster City Council’s “2019-2040 vision” which proposes that new-build homes cannot exceed 1615 square feet, 50% bigger than average sizes in the borough.

There are growing concerns about affordability and oligarchs doing huge extensions with noisy construction.

Becky Fatemi, managing director of upmarket estate agent Rokstone, warned the plan “may risk foreign investment” coming into central London amid existing Brexit jitters.

Dean Clifford, co-founder of developer Great Marlborough Estates, said: “This appears to be yet more tinkering at the edges rather than trying to solve the big issues of affordable housing.”

Cluttons’ head of research Faisal Durrani said: “This move will cause confusion, rather than address the root causes around housing affordability challenges.”

Westminster council’s cabinet member for place shaping and planning, Richard Beddoe said: “We want Westminster to be home to thriving, mixed communities, not empty super prime properties.”