Lib Dems back legal challenge over Labour’s affordable housing cuts

Liberal Democrats in Southwark have backed a legal challenge against the Mayor of London’s decision to slash affordable housing requirements - saying it exposes Labour’s failing record on housing across the capital. 

The challenge, led by Tower Hamlets alongside Lewisham and Hackney councils, seeks to overturn the decision to reduce the affordable housing requirement on new developments from 35% to 20%. 

Southwark Liberal Democrats say the move risks locking in lower standards and deepening London’s housing crisis, after years of missed targets and broken promises under Labour in Southwark, City Hall, and in Westminster.

Liberal Democrats say the decision to weaken targets lays bare Labour’s failure to get a grip on London’s housing crisis, with too many families left priced out or stuck in temporary accommodation. 

The party is calling for a renewed focus on delivering genuinely affordable homes, stronger requirements on developers, and clear leadership to tackle the scale of need facing Londoners. 

Cllr Victor Chamberlain, Southwark Council’s Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Planning, said: 

“Southwark’s defining issue is a lack of genuinely affordable housing.

We have over 23,000 households on our housing waiting list and over 4,300 households in temporary accommodation. 

Behind each of those numbers is a family who needs a genuinely affordable, secure home. 

Cutting London’s affordable housing requirement would lock in a lower standard as the new norm and weaken our hand in negotiating every scheme with developers. 

Ultimately it would mean fewer much-needed affordable homes for Londoners, not more. 

This administration wholeheartedly supports the legal challenge against the Mayor of London’s decision to cut the affordable housing requirement. 

For too long, Labour has been in power at every level of London government and has failed to get a grip on the housing crisis. Now that Liberal Democrats are in power in Southwark, we are showing we won’t hesitate to stand up to Labour when they get it wrong.”