Everybody knows it's expensive to live in London. That's why the council is doing its bit to boost the supply of affordable homes.

There are more than 800 low-cost homes being built locally, 12 of which are planned for a former children's home site in Linstead Way. The scheme will provide family-sized accommodation, everyone agrees is needed. So Labour councillors' opposition to the sale of the land is puzzling.

The housing department has gone a long way to meet residents' main concerns about parking difficulties in the area, and surely they cannot be saying land - which once housed a children's home - cannot be used for family accommodation?

In trying to block the sale, they are trying to stop more affordable homes being built.

Is this really a credible position for a party that professes to care about the needs of local people and key workers looking for decent London homes? Why routinely demand every piece of spare council-land be sold for this purpose and then oppose the action?

Wandsworth Council, with its array of low-cost schemes for first-time buyers, has done more to make local housing affordable than any other council in London.

If readers would like to know more about the different ways in which the council is working to make high housing costs more affordable they can visit the new affordable home page' at www.wandsworth.gov.uk/housing/affordablehomes.co.uk

COUNCILLOR CAROL HUMPHRIES, Wandsworth Council, Town Hall, Wandsworth

November 30, 2001 13:00