Southwark Land Commission to explore opportunities for public good

03 February 2023

We’re working with Southwark Council to convene the Southwark Land Commission, the first commission of its kind in London. We’re bringing together a panel of experts, community groups and major landowners to work together to free up more of Southwark's land for the benefit of local people.

We Made That are one of three local organisations assisting the council to deliver the Land Commission and are delighted to be working alongside PRD and PMV Planning.

Local representatives will bring their insight, expertise and experience to shape the future of land use for the borough as members of the first ever Southwark Land Commission. The Southwark Land Commission will be chaired by Dr Miatta Fahnbulleh, Chief Executive of the New Economics Foundation and supported by 12 other members of the commission.

“Everything happens on land. Whether it’s time spent at work, at home, or out and about enjoying ourselves with friends and family – everything happens somewhere. All human activity needs a place to host it – it all needs land. This gives landowners a lot of power to shape our world. You can only go to the zoo, the cinema or the shops because the owners of these patches of land gave permission for their land to be used in this way. But it’s not just landowners who have powers and rights over the land – we all do and we should use them.

We’ll look at how power to shape land can be radically devolved to the communities who use it.”

Cllr James McAsh, Cabinet Member for the Climate Emergency and Sustainable Development

The Council’s Delivery Plan for 2022-26 ‘Fairer, Greener, Safer’, is a bold and cross-cutting plan of action which will ensure that every aspect of council activity delivers against these core values and the local priorities that define what that means for each of these. Within the Plan, the council has committed to deliver a Land Commission, to identify how more land in Southwark can be freed up for public good, including quality green space, food growing, active travel and genuinely affordable housing, working with major landowners including the NHS, Transport for London, the Port of London Authority, Dulwich Estate and local faith organisations.

“We’re interested in enabling choices about using land in a more socially equitable way that empowers the community. Through the Land Commission we will explore - with local stakeholders - how to deliver investment that is not measured against financial success measures alone, but which speaks to Southwark’s ‘Fairer, Greener, Safer’ values.”

Holly Lewis, Co-founding Partner, We Made That