Cllr Pete Robbins
We can understand why people may be disappointed that homes for social rent will now be ‘affordable rented’ homes. However both the developers and the council’s hands are tied due to the coalition government’s new approach to affordable homes.
Until 2011, central government subsidised the cost of building homes for social rent to make them financially viable – but this subsidy has been abolished by the coalition government. They have instead introduced an ‘affordable rent model’ which allows rents to be set at up to 80% of market rates. We fundamentally disagree with this approach, but we can’t wish it away. Instead we ask developers to set affordable rents at the lowest possible level in order for them to still be viable.
Allowing the variation for Brixton Square means there will still be extra affordable homes, at rents greatly below local average, for families in need – the alternative would be that little or no new affordable homes in Lambeth would be built at all – which would be disastrous. Lambeth Council continues to have one of the most ambitious approaches to affordable housing in London.
Cllr Robbins is cabinet member for housing and regeneration.
Some people maybe afford it but there should be an opitions for these people to be able to transfere to a Housing Associations house at lower rent, if the cant keep up with the cost, of cause restrictions and checks should apply.
Affordable should no be totally controlled by the councilas as its not (greedy) social rent.