Three London boroughs are taking legal action against the Greater London Authority (GLA) over proposals to reduce affordable housing requirements for private residential developments.
Hackney, Lewisham and Tower Hamlets councils have launched a Judicial Review challenge at the High Court, arguing that plans to lower the affordable housing threshold from 35% to 20% have not been properly justified or consulted upon.
Under current planning rules, developers can access a fast-track planning route if at least 35% of homes in a scheme are classed as affordable. However, proposals announced by the Mayor of London last year would reduce that benchmark to 20% in an effort to encourage more housing development.
The legal challenge is being jointly brought by the three boroughs and is supported by Lambeth, Southwark, Haringey and Waltham Forest councils.
In a statement, Tower Hamlets Council said the proposed change to the London Plan had not followed the statutory process required for amendments, lacked robust evidence to support a blanket reduction across all boroughs and was introduced without “fair and meaningful consultation”.
The council said evidence submitted to the High Court highlighted concerns about the potential impact on the delivery of affordable housing at a time of growing housing need across the capital.
According to the borough, social housing waiting lists are at their highest level in a decade, while around 183,000 Londoners are homeless and more than one million people are living in overcrowded or substandard housing.
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.’
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