Southwark Council started work on more social rent homes backed by Sadiq Khan than any other borough last year.
The council started 878 new homes in 2021/2022 that were funded by the mayor’s council housebuilding programme, way ahead of the east London trio of Havering, Barking and Dagenham, and Newham, which started 593, 424 and 410 new homes respectively.
Khan’s £4 billion pot of money is allocated to councils via a bidding process, with each council putting together a proposal. The News has asked for more detail on what proportion of Southwark’s new homes this represents. The council has started 2,500 new homes over the past four years.
Kieron Williams, Southwark Council leader, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Southwark and the Mayor of London, and is the result of our hard work and our joint ambition to tackle the housing crisis facing our city. Every one of these 878 homes will transform the lives of local families for the better for decades to come.”
Some 4,946 new social rent homes across London funded by the mayor’s council housebuilding programme started on site last year.
Khan has been an outspoken defender of Southwark’s sometimes controversial ‘infilling’ housebuilding policy. The mayor told the News last year that he would “rather live in Southwark than in Wandsworth” – the borough where he actually lives.
“I think Southwark residents should be incredibly proud they’ve got a council who are meeting the needs of Southwark residents.
“The housing Southwark builds is only for Southwark residents – no other residents are eligible for the council homes Southwark builds. Southwark is making tough choices, which is to build council homes at a time when other councils aren’t.
It’s all good and well that sidaq saying southwark are building homes ,but are they for family’s who are on the waiting list or for people to pay then knowing there a housing problem this give me the hump as I’ve been on the housing list for 13 years and work and put into to community and now am in temporary accommodation with a autistic child ,it don’t work and they need to sort is out and not let family live in temporary accommodation no more the a year special if they be waiting a long time .