The legal challenge follows the Mayor of London’s decision last year to cut the affordable housing requirement on new developments from 35 per cent to 20 per cent. It is being brought by @TowerHamletsNow and has backing from @LewishamCouncil and @hackneycouncil who have also joined the legal action against the decision.
Cllr Martin Abrams, the Leader of Lambeth Council, said: “The shortage of social housing in Lambeth is creating serious harm in our communities, denying those with least the fundamental right to a stable home from which to bring up their families and build a future.
“We have more than 29,000 people on our housing waiting list and more than 4,275 homeless households living in often poor-quality temporary accommodation because of this shortage. It’s a real crisis.
“Cutting London’s affordable housing requirement would lock in a lower standard as the new norm and weaken our hand in negotiating every scheme with developers.
“Ultimately it would mean fewer much-needed affordable homes for Londoners, not more, which is why we wholeheartedly supports the legal challenge against the Mayor of London’s decision to cut the affordable housing requirement.”
