The Mayor for London and the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) have been attacked for their decision to sell former police housing in central London to the highest bidder for £25m.
Trenchard House on Broadwick Street, London W1, once housed 215 police officers but has been empty for the last two years.
The sale forms part of the MPA’s plans to sell its central London properties to boost its finances and to fund the renovation of police accommodation in East Ham and Greenwich. It is thought that an MPA-owned housing block in Marylebone is also scheduled for sale.
But the strategy has come in for sharp criticism. Councillor Angela Hooper, Westminster council’s planning chair, described the move as “disastrous and shortsighted”.
“The shortage of police in central London is often put down to the cost of accommodation – so this decision not only conflicts with the Mayor’s policy on affordable housing, but it’s very confusing to the public. It makes no sense to sell key worker housing in central London, while demanding that developers provide more. They also appear to be budgeting for a change of use. We wonder how they could otherwise achieve a £25m value for Trenchard House.”
A spokesman for Mayor Ken Livingstone said: “Affordable housing for key workers is an important part of the Mayors vision for London. The proposed sale of Trenchard House is of concern to many and there is a need for continued dialogue between the interested parties.”
The MPA’s own figures show that it would cost £1m less to restore the 215-unit Trenchard House for use as police accommodation than it would to renovate the other 218 residential units in Greater London.
EGi News 12/07/01
