Southwark council has joined the line-up of parties criticising a new “vacant building credit”, which has been under fire from last week.
The council has spoken out against a new planning guideline that exempts housing developers that turn empty buildings into private housing from paying for affordable housing.
It is the latest council response to Estates Gazette’s report last week that Westminster city council could lose £1bn pa from its affordable housing pot as a result of the new planning guideline.
Southwark’s cabinet member for regeneration, councillor Mark Williams, said: “The government clearly hasn’t thought this through or given any consideration for how it will affect different parts of the country.”
He added: “The government’s latest changes will drastically reduce the number of affordable homes we can build. First they cut the central government grant that supported new affordable homes and now they are making it easier for developers to limit the number they build.”
The Westminster Property Association has also objected to the latest plans introduced by housing minister Brandon Lewis.
