Mayor Khan accused of ‘ratting’ on affordable housing election pledge
HOUSING developers have been allowed to reduce the number of affordable homes they build in a move by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, which has seen fierce opposition.
In a new deal, private housebuilders will need 35% of the homes to be affordable housing, rather than the 50% pledged by Khan previously.
The new threshold was announced on Tuesday November 29 in a new housing strategy came under scrutiny after City Hall Conservatives accused the Mayor of “ratting on what he said during the election”.
However, the Labour Mayor has strongly denied he has done a U-turn and said planned to “move towards a long-term strategic goal” of half of new homes being genuinely affordable.
Speaking of the capital’s housing crisis, he said “fixing [it] will be a marathon not a sprint”.
He also stressed the importance of granting £3.1 billion of the money Chancellor Philip Hammond will give to City Hall towards the cause, enough to fund 90,000 new affordable homes.
“London is in the midst of a housing crisis, with thousands of Londoners priced out of a city they call home,” said Khan.
“These announcements today demonstrate real progress on the long road towards fixing London’s housing crisis.”
London’s mayor had formerly admitted during a Mayor’s Question Time meeting that he “cannot set a target” on affordable target but is making it his priority.