§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will take steps to agree with the London borough of Wandsworth that in all housing developments taking place within the borough there will be an agreed percentage of affordable housing built for local people. [32903]
§ Ms KeebleWe have made our views known to the London borough of Wandsworth on this matter for some time and have objected to the absence of an adequate affordable housing policy in the current unitary development plan review. Where schemes have been drawn to our attention we have issued Article 14 "holding" directions, to give us time to consider whether insufficient regard has been had to affordable housing needs, and we will continue to do this. In at least one of four recent schemes, the applicant has revised the scheme to include a percentage (25 per cent.) of affordable housing. We are monitoring closely the other three schemes to see if there is a case for calling them in for public inquiry.