A report published this week by the business lobby group, London First, has revealed that the quality of life for those living in London has deteriorated noticeably over the last 12 months.

The report, which 20 major London business helped compile, is entitled "A Triple Bottom Line for London," a reference to the view that a combination of economic, environmental and social factors should be considered when assessing the overall health and sustainability of a major world city. And while the economic and environmental measures have shown steady improvement over the last five years, factors used to assess the quality of life have shown serious deterioration.

Much of this slump is due to the fact that house prices have continued to surge ahead over the last 18 months, while housing affordability has now been included in the measure of life quality in London. Clearly, with so many people unable to afford any sort of property in the capital, it makes sense that this measure is painting a picture of increasingly difficult times for London residents.

David Fell, director of the Sustainability Unit at London First said:"It may come as a surprise to some people, but the figures clearly show that London is becoming a cleaner, greener city. However, house prices have grown much faster than incomes over the past six years - so much so that London's social sustainability is being seriously undermined."

Peter Head OBE, Chair of the Sustainability Unit, added: "These latest results tell us two things. First, we must address key areas of weakness, notably housing, crime and transport. Second we must maintain the economic and environmental improvements we have seen. Failure on either front will mean that London will not be a genuinely sustainable city."