The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has said he is “furious” at Wandsworth council’s decision to allow the number of affordable homes at Battersea Power Station to be reduced.
The Battersea Power Station Development Company had submitted a deed of variation to its section 106 agreement, which would delay the construction of 250 affordable units until the end of the scheme, when it would conduct a viability review.
If its IRR was not high enough, it would then look to reduce the number of affordable units.
Wandsworth’s planning committee approved the changes last night.
Khan said: “I am furious over the Wandsworth council planning committee’s decision last night to back a wholly unacceptable cut in the amount of affordable housing at Battersea Power Station.
“If we are serious about tackling London’s housing crisis, we need all councils in London to be pushing in the same direction. This decision has let Londoners down.
“As this was a change to planning consent granted under the previous mayor, I have no formal planning powers to stop it.
“However, I have made formal representations to Wandsworth council, urging it to withdraw the decision and to work with me to secure the absolute maximum amount of affordable housing possible.”
Under the previous arrangement, there were plans for 636 affordable homes in the 4,239-home scheme. Now only 386 are guaranteed.
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