PROPORTION OF NEWLY BUILT AFFORDABLE HOMES DROPS BY A SIXTH SINCE LIVINGSTONE TOOK OFFICE - DOOCEY

12.01.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 20th Oct 2004

Liberal Democrat London Assembly housing spokesperson, Dee Doocey, will later today reveal new figures that show the proportion of affordable homes being built in London has declined by a sixth since the Mayor came to power.

The figures, taken from affordable house build completions, shows that despite the Mayor setting a target that half of all new homes built should be affordable, the percentage in London has fallen from 37.6% in 2000/2001 to 31.2% in 2003/04.

At Mayor's Question Time later today, Dee Doocey will press Mr Livingstone on this failure and his recent agreement to allow a development at Stratford City to go ahead with only 30% affordable housing, despite the fact that this is one of the largest regeneration schemes in the capital.

Dee Doocey said:-

"Reneging on an election pledge to ensure 50% affordable housing on new developments across London is one of the Mayor's biggest let downs and means the most vulnerable and needy people in London are going to suffer.

"Time and again, the Mayor has blamed councils across London for not achieving his 50% affordable housing target. Yet when push comes to shove, Mr Livingstone has exposed himself to be one of the worst offenders of all.

"Thanks to the Mayor's broken promises and lack of leadership, there will be thousands of people right across the capital who will not be able to get their first step on the property ladder. With housing at a premium, and thousands of people on Council waiting lists, for many the news of fewer affordable homes being built than the Mayor promised during his election campaign will come as a bitter pill to swallow."

ENDS

Notes to editor

Dee Doocey will highlights these figures and tackle the Mayor on affordable housing at Mayor's Question Time on Wednesday 20th October 2004 at 10.00hrs in City Hall

Affordable Housing Demand and Pledges

Demand for affordable housing is 25,700 homes per year.

In the London Plan the Mayor pledges that 50% of all new housing provision should be affordable - this would amount to 15,000 affordable units per annum if the 30,000 target for total annual provision were met.

Affordable Housing %age of new houses that are affordable Total number of new affordable homes

2000/01 37.6 7,468

2001/02 36.7 6,656

2002/03 30.1 6,568

2003/04 31.2 7,609

AVERAGE 7,078

Mr Livingstone's quotes on his 50% affordable housing target

"To help increase supply, the London Plan sets the target that 50 per cent of new homes built in London should be affordable. This has been supported by the independent inquiry into the London Plan, and overwhelmingly by the public, with recent polling showing 80 per cent support from Londoners. The independent Planning Inspector who looked at Hounslow's plan also agreed the 50 per cent target was right for Hounslow.

"During the mayoral election Londoners were given a clear choice between Steve Norris's plan to abandon the 50 per cent target and my commitment to stick with it. Londoners as a whole, including in South West London, voted to continue with policies to improve the supply of affordable housing.

"The great majority of boroughs, irrespective of political control, are doing their bit to support the drive for more affordable homes. (Ealing Times - 20/08/04)

General

Ken Livingstone threatened to 'crush' boroughs that did not meet up to his housing targets. He calls English Heritage's 'stupid approach' and 'a real outbreak of nimbyism by the boroughs' as his greatest enemies. (Evening Standard - 16/03/04)

'The main issue is the need for all boroughs to sign up to the London Plan targets to deliver more housing, of which 50% should be affordable. Although some boroughs have raised their game to meet these targets there are still too many that have not. It is vital to ensure that all negotiations with developers on individual sites make the appropriate contribution to this target.' (MQT 31/03/04 - Q420/2004)

'I am generally aware that there is an issue among some London boroughs in failing to meet the housing provision targets set out in the London Plan. I have previously expressed my concern that in some boroughs - notable Southwark and Lambeth - a 'nimbyish' attitude to development is prevalent and that this is holding back the construction of thousands of potential new homes for Londoners.' (MQT 28/04/04 - Q570/2004)

Stratford City Development

- The Mayor announced he had approved the Stratford City Development on 4th October 2004. This will be one of the largest regeneration schemes in the capital.

- £3.5billion development to build homes, a huge new office and retail centre, hotel, conference, health, educational and community facilities.

- The project is being carried out by the Stratford City Development Partnership, comprising Chelsfield, Stanhope and LCR. It will include over £300m for essential infrastructure, £115m in community benefits and land for a new school and community facilities.

- There will 5,000 new homes, 1,350 of which will be affordable - 30%

- An independent financial appraisal carried out for Newham and the GLA by ATIS Weatherall concluded that 30% is the level of affordable homes this particular development could support without becoming economically unviable.

A legal agreement means that if more funding becomes available to support affordable housing a further 5% could be achieved.