Mayor to ‘fast track’ development next to Cross Bones Graveyard

The Landmark Court site on Southwark Street – currently used as a car park – has been owned by the capital's transport authorities since it was used as a work site for the building of the Jubilee line extension in the 1990s.

Sadiq Khan visited Southwark Street on Monday and announced that at least 120 new homes will be built on the land.

"London gave me the opportunity to go from the council estate where I grew up to being able to buy a family home we could afford," said Sadiq Khan.

"But today, too many Londoners are being priced out of our city.

"One of the first things we did when we got to City Hall was open the books and look at what was already in the pipeline and it seems the previous mayor has grossly let down Londoners by leaving the cupboard bare when it comes to delivering affordable housing.

"I am determined to fix London's housing crisis and ensure that all Londoners have the opportunity to rent or buy a decent home at a price they can afford, but the scale of the challenge is now clearer than ever and we're not going to be able to turn things around overnight.

"We will be outlining our plans in the coming months, but one of the first things we can do is work with Transport for London to fast-track their numerous surplus sites for development that have previously just been sat on.

"There is no doubt we have our work cut out, but I plan to personally get to grips with the mess that has been left behind and will insist on far higher levels of affordable housing in new developments."

TfL's land holding at Landmark Court includes the site of Cross Bones Graveyard which has recently been turned into a 'meanwhile garden'.

Bankside Open Spaces Trust has a three-year lease on the land.

A Transport for London website spokeswoman told the SE1 website that TfL has now agreed with BOST that the garden will remain when the adjacent site is developed for housing.