In a statement on Brent Council's website today the Council announces that the July 28th Cabinet will pause the social housing programme:
Issue Details: New Council Homes Programme Update
To agree to pause delivery of social rent schemes due to the financial viability of these projects. In addition, to delegate authority to the Corporate Director Neighbourhoods and Regeneration, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning and Property, to enter into a Deed of Variation for the GLA Affordable Housing Programme 2021,26 and agree pre-tender considerations and subsequent contract award for construction contracts relating to the delivery of the Edgware Road Scheme.
The announcement anticipates that information will be restricted as
'relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)'
The announcement is of particular significance for South Kilburn where the council has been seeking a single developer to complete the regeneration. Doubts have been raised whether any would take on the risk in the present climate without changing the expected tenure to include a larger proportion of private housing to make the project financially viable.
Today at Cabinet, Cllr Grahl, told her colleagues that Cllr Kelcher, Chair of Brent Planning Committee, would be pressing for 50% of the proposed 1,000 homes on the Bridge Park -Unisys regeneration site to be affordable.
The slippery concept of 'affordable' has been much discussed on Wembley Matters (See: Call for Brent Council to deliver more council homes for social tenants and end confusion over their use of the term 'affordable')
Given the current housing crisis and doubts over shared ownership, leasehold problems and housing associations moving into the private market, the need is clearly for council homes.
Will the Labour Government grasp the nettle with one of its own councils declaring the suspension of its social homes programme?
The Quarter 4 Borough Plan Dashboard shows just 26 new council homes completed:
So another Labour promise broken!
ReplyDeleteWe have a Labour Government, Labour MPs, Labour Mayor of London and a Labour run Council.
What is the point of voting Labour in Brent?
Will Councillor Butt take responsibility for the this massive failure and resign?
Hi Martin - can you please put a link to the statement on here ? I can't find it on the Brent webpage. Thanks
ReplyDeleteSee: https://democracy.brent.gov.uk/mgIssueHistoryHome.aspx?IId=78316&PlanId=628&RPID=246443318
DeleteThe Council has had a 50% affordable target for a very long time. For most off us 'affordable' meant Council level rents and not the 'fudge' imposed by the Labour Mayor and others.
ReplyDeleteLocal people have been badly let down by the Brent Planning Committee for years as for most of the time they failed to enforce the Council's own policies.
Opportunities were missed and developers have been let off the hook for years by this Labour Administration who made promises and boasts while failing to deliver year after year as so clearly exposed by contributions to Wembley Matters by Philip Grant.
Are these 1000 homes part of khan’s 40,000 homes costing £100,000 each.
ReplyDelete