Islington Tribune - News: Lib Dem quota ‘has cost us 150 homes’

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Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 24 August 2007

Lib Dem quota ‘has cost us 150 homes’

THE Lib Dems are accused this week of being “soft on developers” by failing to make 50 per cent of new housing affordable.
Opposition Labour councillors claim that up to 150 homes have been lost as a result of the council insisting on a 35 per cent affordable quota rather than a 50 per cent target.
Labour’s deputy leader Councillor Richard Greening said: “This shows the real cost to Islington residents of the Lib Dems not enforcing the 50 per cent target.
“The Lib Dems have never stood up to developers and put the interests of local people ahead of developers’ profits.”
Cllr Greening added: “Worse still, the Lib Dems are continuing to sell off empty council street properties, even though they have more than enough money to do them up and re-let them.”
Labour claims that six empty council homes have been sold since April 2006 and two more are due to be sold next month.
Cllr Greening said the council’s Labour-controlled west area committee had taken a firm stand with developers.
Earlier this year, after it turned down an application to build nine homes at Arena House in Pentonville Road, the developer submitted revised plans, which now include four affordable homes not in the original application.
The Lib Dem-controlled council intends to build 80 new council homes, at a cost of £10 million, from September.
A council spokeswoman said that each housing development was considered on its merits, but most schemes of more than 10 units included about 50 per cent affordable homes.
“However many of our new schemes were agreed when the council had a 35 per cent policy,” she added.

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