Concerns: recommended bidder for Haringey's controversial regeneration plans

Local Lib Dem councillors have expressed concerns after it was revealed that Labour-run Haringey Council are recommending Lendlease as the developer who will own £2bn of what is now public property, in a company jointly owned with the council. The Labour-run council plan on using the company to rebuild estates and build new homes.

The recommendation was revealed in Cabinet papers which were published last night and will be considered by Haringey's Labour Cabinet on 14th February at a meeting in the Civic Centre in Wood Green.

Lendlease delivered the controversial Heygate Estate renewal on behalf of Southwark Council.

Cllr Gail Engert, Haringey Lib Dem Leader of the Opposition comments:

"I am very concerned that Lendlease has been recommended to the Labour Cabinet as the preferred bidder for the incredibly risky Haringey Development Vehicle.

"Lendlease are the company that completed the very controversial Heygate Estate renewal in Southwark. The estate renewal led to 1,200 mainly social rented homes being replaced with 2,300 flats and houses on the estate site, of which just 79 are social rented homes. The rest of those homes were sold at very high prices, that would be far out of the reach of many residents in Haringey.

"I sincerely hope the Labour Cabinet will think again. The Liberal Democrats will continue to oppose the Haringey Development Vehicle and Labour's privatisation of council property, there are better ways to build more genuinely affordable homes."

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