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Making these documents public also promises to reveal a key fact about development in London that has remained hidden for too long – that developers have been overpaying for land. They argue that land prices mean they are unable to build homes that are affordable. In fact, the equation works the other way: the reason land prices have risen so dramatically is that developers are willing to pay them, safe in the knowledge they can still make a profit by negotiating with councils and the mayor to reduce the number of affordable homes in the project. It's a fact that was acknowledged by Tony Pidgley, chairman of Berkeley Group – one of Britain's largest house builders – earlier this year.
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