Leveraging ‘Air Space’ as a Response to Housing Shortages | WSP Skip to content
  • Who We Are

    We are the sum of our collective passion, vision and expertise.

    Discover our people, purpose and stories that have helped shape the organization we are today and are inspiring the one we will become.

    Who We Are
    • What We Stand For
    • Our Story
    • Corporate Responsibility
    • Regional Leadership
    Corporate Responsibility
    • Communities
    • Corporate Governance
    • Diversity and Inclusion
    • Ethics and Integrity
    • Health and Safety
    • Sustainability
    Featured Content

    Future Ready

    With Future Ready we see the future more clearly and challenge our teams across the world to advise…

  • What We Do

    We shape the communities of tomorrow and help society thrive.

    With an intimate sense of local realities, we look at complex problems from different angles and deliver solutions that break paradigms.


    View All

    • Sectors
    • Services
    • Projects
    What We Do
    • Property and Buildings
    • Transport and Infrastructure
    • Project Management Services
    • Advisory Services
    Featured Content

    Rapid Responses to the Impacts of COVID-19

    Helping clients globally to prepare, respond and recover

  • Insights

    Our global experts offer compelling insights that provide new perspectives.

    Read inspiring articles that challenge the status quo by reframing current issues, sparking fresh conversations and finding new solutions.

    View all
    Insights
    • Climate
    • Mobility
    • Places
    • Resources
    • Society
    • Technology
    Featured Content

    Digital Twins Contribute to Infrastructure…

    Driving optimal outcomes for projects and communities

  • Careers

    Help us shape the future

    Join a collaborative team of experts that thrives on complex challenges and unconventional thinking.

    See more
    Careers
    • Join Us
    • Early Career
    • Experienced Professionals
    • Why Choose WSP
    Featured Content

    WSP is hiring in power

    Care to join us in doing purposeful, sustainable work that helps shape communities and the future?…

  • Who We Are
    • What We Stand For
    • Our Story
    • Corporate Responsibility
      • Who We Are
      • Accountable for Tomorrow
        • Communities
        • Corporate Governance
        • Diversity and Inclusion
        • Ethics and Integrity
        • Health and Safety
        • Sustainability
    • Regional Leadership
  • What We Do
    • Property and Buildings
    • Transport and Infrastructure
    • Project Management Services
    • Advisory Services
  • Insights
    • Climate
    • Mobility
    • Places
    • Resources
    • Society
    • Technology
  • Careers
    • Join Us
    • Early Career
    • Experienced Professionals
    • Why Choose WSP
Back

We are locally dedicated with international scale.

United Arab Emirates - English

International

  • Global
    English - Français

Americas

  • Canada
    English - Français
  • Chile
    Español
  • Colombia
    Español
  • Mexico
    Español
  • Panama
    Español
  • Peru
    Español
  • United States
    English

Africa

  • South Africa
    English

Asia

  • China
    中文(简体) - English
  • Hong Kong
    English
  • India
    English
  • Malaysia
    English
  • Philippines
    English
  • Singapore
    English
  • South Korea
    한국어(대한민국) - English
  • Thailand
    English

Europe

  • Denmark
    Dansk
  • Finland
    Suomi
  • France
    Français
  • Germany
    Deutsch
  • Greenland
    Kalaallisut - English
  • Netherlands
    Nederlands
  • Norway
    Norsk
  • Poland
    Polski - English
  • Romania
    English
  • Spain
    Español
  • Sweden
    Svenska - English
  • Switzerland
    Deutsch - English
  • United Kingdom
    English

Middle East

  • Kuwait
    English
  • Oman
    English
  • Qatar
    English
  • Saudi Arabia
    English
  • United Arab Emirates
    English

Oceania

  • Australia
    English
  • New Zealand
    English
Worldwide Offices
    • Investors

      Discover our diverse business, financial results and strategic ambitions.

      We are committed to delivering sustainable value to our shareholders and exceptional professional services to our clients.

      Read more
      Investors
      • Corporate Governance
      • Press Releases
      • Reports & Filings
      • Stock Information
      • Shareholder Information
      • Presentations and Events
      Corporate Governance
      • Audit Committee
      • Board of Directors
      • Business Conduct Hotline
      • Constating Documents
      • Governance Documents
      • Governance Ethics and Compensation Committee
      • Mandates
      Reports & Filings
      • AIF
      • Annual
      • Information Circular
      • Quarterly
      • SEDAR Filings
      • Sustainability
      Stock Information
      • Analyst Coverage
      Shareholder Information
      • Acquisitions
      • Dividends
      • Drip
      • FAQ
      Featured Content
      Thn-Web-Q42020-Results

      WSP's Q4 and 2020 Results

      We released our 2020 fourth quarter and fiscal results on February 24, 2021 after market close.

    • Investors
      • Corporate Governance
        • Investors
        • Corporate Governance
          • Audit Committee
          • Board of Directors
          • Business Conduct Hotline
          • Constating Documents
          • Governance Documents
          • Governance Ethics and Compensation Committee
          • Mandates
      • Press Releases
      • Reports & Filings
        • Investors
        • REPORTS & FILINGS
          • AIF
          • Annual
          • Information Circular
          • Quarterly
          • SEDAR Filings
          • Sustainability
      • Stock Information
        • Investors
        • Stock Information
          • Analyst Coverage
      • Shareholder Information
        • Investors
        • Shareholder Information
          • Acquisitions
          • Dividends
          • Drip
          • FAQ
      • Presentations and Events
    • News

      Progress happens quickly.

      Stay up to date with our latest global news, events, awards and more.

      News
      • Latest News
      • Press Releases
      Featured Content

      Scaling Up Healthcare Capacity At Speed

      With the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, our global healthcare network and specialist teams have…

    • Contact us

      We are dedicated to our local communities and driven by global talent.

      Contact us to find out how our diversified offering, world-class expertise and geographical reach can assist you in achieving your vision.


      Follow us

      Contact us
      • Send a Message
      • Offices
    • Investors

      Discover our diverse business, financial results and strategic ambitions.

      We are committed to delivering sustainable value to our shareholders and exceptional professional services to our clients.

      Read more
      Investors
      • Corporate Governance
      • Press Releases
      • Reports & Filings
      • Stock Information
      • Shareholder Information
      • Presentations and Events
      Corporate Governance
      • Audit Committee
      • Board of Directors
      • Business Conduct Hotline
      • Constating Documents
      • Governance Documents
      • Governance Ethics and Compensation Committee
      • Mandates
      Reports & Filings
      • AIF
      • Annual
      • Information Circular
      • Quarterly
      • SEDAR Filings
      • Sustainability
      Stock Information
      • Analyst Coverage
      Shareholder Information
      • Acquisitions
      • Dividends
      • Drip
      • FAQ
      Featured Content
      Thn-Web-Q42020-Results

      WSP's Q4 and 2020 Results

      We released our 2020 fourth quarter and fiscal results on February 24, 2021 after market close.

    • Investors
      • Corporate Governance
        • Investors
        • Corporate Governance
          • Audit Committee
          • Board of Directors
          • Business Conduct Hotline
          • Constating Documents
          • Governance Documents
          • Governance Ethics and Compensation Committee
          • Mandates
      • Press Releases
      • Reports & Filings
        • Investors
        • REPORTS & FILINGS
          • AIF
          • Annual
          • Information Circular
          • Quarterly
          • SEDAR Filings
          • Sustainability
      • Stock Information
        • Investors
        • Stock Information
          • Analyst Coverage
      • Shareholder Information
        • Investors
        • Shareholder Information
          • Acquisitions
          • Dividends
          • Drip
          • FAQ
      • Presentations and Events
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Press Releases
    • Contact us
      • Send a Message
      • Offices
  1. $name
  2. Insights
  3. Building our way out of a crisis

Leveraging ‘Air Space’ as a Response to Housing Shortages

As the world’s largest cities strive to address a growing shortage in housing, stakeholders continue to grapple with the challenge of meeting current demand within the confines of limited urban space. Green spaces and public parking facilities have become essential components of urban planning, further constraining plans aimed at developing much-needed new housing within reasonable proximity to thriving urban centres.

map marker United Kingdom | 18 December, 2017

In the city of London, 488,000 new homes are needed in order to stop the bleeding of a housing crisis that 75% of London businesses warn is a significant risk to the city’s economic growth. With less than half of the necessary homes currently being built, stakeholders are seeking innovative ideas to respond to a growing social and economic problem that has left many people struggling to live and work in the city.

Vertical Solutions

In examining a complex housing crisis wrapped in a myriad of political, environmental, infrastructural, financial and sustainability considerations, WSP researchers in the UK have determined that developing ‘air space’ above public buildings such as hospitals, schools and libraries could provide as much as 6,337 hectares of land, or enough space to build 633,700 new residential units in London. In a report titled Building Our Way Out of a Crisis, WSP researchers present the case that capitalizing on air space located directly above public facilities has the potential to address all of London’s housing needs and more, while stimulating parallel projects to upgrade the city’s public facilities.

In the report, supported by numerous stakeholders, WSP research unveils a path to success through private sector refurbishment of public facilities, with a return on investment derived from the rental or sale of apartments added above the facilities. The report puts forth a blueprint for maximizing the efficiency of existing land, while regenerating public facilities and addressing the crisis head-on by providing housing in ideal locations close to transportation networks and amenities.

“This isn’t about replacing schools and hospitals with apartment blocks, but rather about using the existing land more effectively, with the added bonus that you can regenerate community facilities at the same time,” explains WSP Director, Bill Price. “The problem isn’t the building process - the challenge is more about the perceived issues of people living above places like hospitals, because it’s not the ‘done thing’ in the UK.”

Supporting the research, a WSP survey of Londoners reveals that 57% believe that the city’s public facilities are in need of regeneration, while 61% think that building homes above public facilities is a good idea. However, as Bill Price points out, the concept raises a separate social challenge, with WSP’s survey finding that 63% of Londoners would happily move into housing located above a library, but only 23% would be equally happy living above a school or hospital.

Read our White Paper: Building our way out of a crisis

More on this subject

thn-Carbon-offset-better-normal

March 2021 | 10 minutes

Should offsetting be part of the net zero puzzle?

Blog
Climate , Places
thn-wp-alliance-contracting

February 2021

Leveraging Project Procurement and Delivery Approaches for Positive Outcomes

White Paper
Mobility , Places , Resources , COVID-19 , Resilience
Indigenous Cultures-Thumbnail

February 2021

Embracing Indigenous Cultures to Address Infrastructure Needs

Feature
Places , Resilience , Society
thn-Winners-without-losers-better-normal

February 2021 | 8 minutes

Net Zero: Can We Have Winners Without Losers?

Blog
Places , Resilience , COVID-19
Thn-Web-VZ-ITS-Article6

December 2020

Creating Safe Road Ecosystems

Feature
Mobility , Technology , Places , Society
thn-wsp-uber-whitepaper

December 2020

Future Ready Kerbside: Creating Places That Put People First

Australia
White Paper
Places , Resilience , Society
Thn-Web-VZ-ITS-Article5

November 2020

Designing Out Flaws Within Road Transportation Systems

Feature
Mobility , Places , Resilience , Society , Technology
thn-news-waterways

November 2020 | 2 minutes

Water at the heart of long-term thinking for sustainable urban development

New Zealand
Feature
Places , Climate , Society
Thn-Web-Insight-TI-Electric-Vehicles

November 2020

Continuing the Shift to Electric Vehicles

Feature
Mobility , Places , Technology
Cities after COVID

November 2020 | 15 minutes

Cities After COVID: How Can We Create A Positive Legacy For Health And Wellbeing?

Feature
COVID-19 , Places , Resilience , Society
Thn-VZ-ITS-Article4

November 2020

Adopting the "ITS" Holistic View to Progress Road Vehicle Safety

Feature
Mobility , Places , Resilience , Society
Thn-Web-Insight-Mt-Eden-Station

October 2020

Innovative Pathways Deliver Vital Infrastructure

Feature
Mobility , Technology , Places

Share this page

  • Share on Facebook - Warning, this link will open a new tab.
  • Share on Linkedin - Warning, this link will open a new tab.
  • Share on Twitter - Warning, this link will open a new tab.
  • Share on Skype - Warning, this link will open your Skype application.

[Add titles for more than 1 file]

  • WSP white paper-housing crisis

    pdf , 4833KB


Related themes and tags

  • Places (158)


  • Buildings (86)
  • Advisory (82)
  • Infrastructure (93)
  •   Page will open in a new tab
  •   Page will open in a new tab
  •   Page will open in a new tab
  •   Page will open in a new tab
  •   Page will open in a new tab
  • Who We Are
  • What We Stand For
  • Our Story
  • Future Ready
  • Regional Leadership
  • Our Offices
  • What We Do
  • Sectors
  • Services
  • Projects
  • Insights
  • Climate
  • Mobility
  • Places
  • Society
  • Resources
  • Technology
  • Careers
  • Join Our Team
  • Spontaneous Application
  • Corporate
  • Sustainability
  • Health and Safety
  • Investors
  • Business Conduct Hotline
  • News
  • Corporate Governance
  • Ethics and Integrity
    ©2021 WSP
    • The WSP Logo
    • Privacy Policy
    • Anti-Spam Commitment
    • Cookie Policy
    • Terms of Use
    ©2021 WSP

    Exiting our Website

    You are about to leave WSP.com and are being redirected to a job opportunity at Louis Berger, which has been recently acquired by WSP in the US.