Council Homes Dispute Erupts (from Barnet Times)
Council Homes Dispute Erupts (from Barnet Times): "Council homes dispute erupts
By Marcus Dysch
Barnet Council may not be able to provide council homes to thousands of residents if its new planning policy gets the go-ahead, according to opposition councillors.
Consultations on Barnet Council's affordable housing supplementary planning document (SPD) end today, with the council set to formalise its plans in the coming months.
The document sets out guidance for developers and housing associations and should make clear what percentage of affordable homes in the borough will be either rented council-owned properties, or part-owned properties.
continued...
Mayor of London Ken Livingstone's London Plan advises authorities that 35 per cent of all new-build homes should be rented council properties, and 15 per cent should be part-owned. But the council's SPD fails to set any targets, leading Barnet Labour group's housing spokesman, Councillor Ross Houston, to call it a developers' charter'.
He said: 'There is loophole after loophole to let developers ride roughshod over the council.
'The guidance agreed will have a massive impact on whether the council can offer homes to the thousands of residents on its waiting lists.
'We cannot stand idly by while the Tory administration attempts to cut back on affordable housing by not setting any targets at all.'
Councillor Melvin Cohen, Conservative cabinet member for planning, said: 'Barnet is in full compliance with the London Plan on the overall levels for affordable housing. Thanks to our groundbreaking regeneration schemes, we are set to build unprecedented amounts of affordable housing across the borough."
By Marcus Dysch
Barnet Council may not be able to provide council homes to thousands of residents if its new planning policy gets the go-ahead, according to opposition councillors.
Consultations on Barnet Council's affordable housing supplementary planning document (SPD) end today, with the council set to formalise its plans in the coming months.
The document sets out guidance for developers and housing associations and should make clear what percentage of affordable homes in the borough will be either rented council-owned properties, or part-owned properties.
continued...
Mayor of London Ken Livingstone's London Plan advises authorities that 35 per cent of all new-build homes should be rented council properties, and 15 per cent should be part-owned. But the council's SPD fails to set any targets, leading Barnet Labour group's housing spokesman, Councillor Ross Houston, to call it a developers' charter'.
He said: 'There is loophole after loophole to let developers ride roughshod over the council.
'The guidance agreed will have a massive impact on whether the council can offer homes to the thousands of residents on its waiting lists.
'We cannot stand idly by while the Tory administration attempts to cut back on affordable housing by not setting any targets at all.'
Councillor Melvin Cohen, Conservative cabinet member for planning, said: 'Barnet is in full compliance with the London Plan on the overall levels for affordable housing. Thanks to our groundbreaking regeneration schemes, we are set to build unprecedented amounts of affordable housing across the borough."
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