Labour "betrays" thousands waiting for affordable housing
Responding to Government plans to boost house-building in London, Haringey Liberal Democrat Group Leader Councillor Luke Cawley-Harrison said:
"Halving affordable housing targets is a betrayal for thousands of Londoners stuck on waiting lists.
The Labour Mayor and Government are effectively handing developers a free-pass to build more unaffordable luxury homes, and contribute less to local infrastructure. It leaves Haringey's Local Plan in tatters.
The Liberal Democrats are calling for a much more ambitious plan to build 150,000 social homes each year across the country, with a dedicated Urban Delivery Unit working across London to give every borough council specialist support to ensure major planning applications are processed robustly and swiftly.
Labour's half-baked measures may encourage some developers to move forward with previously stalled sites, but it could cause other active developments to grind to a halt as their owners try to negotiate bigger profit margins at the expense of London's poorest families.
Next month, the Chancellor will have to announce yet more tax rises and spending cuts to balance the books as the economy continues to falter. This announcement is a desperate attempt to persuade the Office for Budget Responsibility that Labour has a plan for growth. It will do nothing to solve London's affordable housing crisis."
