Wandsworth Council has put forward a plan which would ensure that half of all new homes built in the borough are affordable or social housing.
‘The Local Plan’ is pushing to increase the number of homes for social rent from future housing developments, looking particularly to developers to deliver more secure and affordable homes for local people.
Previously, the policy in the borough of Wandsworth was that 35% of new homes built should be affordable or social housing.
Councillor Simon Hogg, Leader of Wandsworth Council, said: “Delivering housing justice is at the heart of what this council stands for.
“We will take action to deliver more affordable homes, tackle homelessness and build stronger communities – creating a fairer, compassionate borough for everyone.”
The housing crisis has hit the borough of Wandsworth particularly hard, with more than 11,000 people on the council house waiting list as of March.
In 2010, less than 400 people in Wandsworth were in temporary accommodation waiting for council tenancy, compared to a now estimated 3,500.
Cllr Aydin Dikerdem, Wandsworth’s Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “For me it was very important that as a new administration we prioritised council housing and social homes.
“If you look at the housing situation, it’s now an emergency.”
As of June, Wandsworth had the sixth-highest temporary accommodation use in the country, but the council claims it is determined to address this.
In the decade before Labour was elected, Dikerdem claimed that around 16,700 homes were completed, but only 18% of those were affordable.
Hogg said: “Wandsworth is committed to delivering one of London’s most ambitious council house-building programmes.
“Working with developers, we will maximise genuinely affordable housing and address the needs of those households in the borough.”
The policy has received a positive reception from many of its residents.
Ayub Ali, 22, a Wandsworth resident who has lived in social housing his whole life, advocated for the importance of the council’s commitment to addressing the existing housing problems.
He said: “If it had not been for social housing when my parents first arrived in this country, my family would have really struggled.
“I’m very pleased that meaningful action is finally being taken, the lack of affordable housing for people has been detrimental.”
Other plans have also recently been introduced by the council to tackle the various problems surrounding housing in the borough.
The ‘Homes for Wandsworth Programme’ plans to build 1,000 new council homes across the borough, and ensuring that 100% of new homes built on council land will be council housing.
Dikerdem said: “This plan is important for us because public land should be for public good, it shouldn’t be sold off.
“We’re protecting that public land by building council housing that will be owned by the people of Wandsworth and rented by the people of Wandsworth.”
Hogg also highlighted that Wandsworth Council’s plans to increase affordable and social housing could create a wider urgency in London boroughs to take action.
He said: “There has been discussion through various London-wide forums and it will be important that we continue to engage and collaborate with them.”
Dikerdem added: “I really hope other boroughs will be inspired and follow suit in pushing for less private development, and instead providing more subsidised housing.”
