Canada Water Masterplan will now deliver just 3% affordable homes in “betrayal” of communities.

The Canada Water Masterplan – the outline planning agreement between Southwark Council and developers to create 3,000 homes and a new “town centre” in the Rotherhithe district - will now only deliver 3% affordable homes, down from the 35% initially agreed. 

This is the second time the affordable provision on the site has been dropped – with reports earlier this year suggesting that it had dropped to 10%.

This comes after the Aylesham development in Rye Lane had dropped its housing provision to just 12% - and due to the council’s delays had the decision of whether to approve taken out of its hands. The application is now sitting with the national planning inspector following a public inquiry.  

Similarly, the council failed to make a decision within the legal time limit on amendments submitted by the developer on its plans for Canada Water, so the Mayor of London will now have full control over it.  

The Labour Mayor of London – along with the Government - has also recently slashed affordable housing requirements across the city, with “fast track” applications now only requiring 20% rather than 35% affordable homes.  

Commenting, Councillor for Surrey Docks ward Cllr Adam Hood said:  

"3% affordable homes on Canada Water is quite literally a new low for Labour's appalling record on securing affordable homes in Southwark. Once again, just like the Aylesham development, decision making has been taken out of local hands due to their dither and delay.  

We have over 21,000 homes on our social housing register in Southwark, and yet the response from our Labour council, Labour Mayor, and Labour Government, has been to slash affordable housing requirements across London, and let developers run roughshod over the needs of local communities. 

It’s a slap in the face to local people who engaged in good faith with the masterplan scheme only for this council and government to throw away that trust residents had placed in the scheme.” 

Deputy Liberal Democrat Group Leader Cllr Rachel Bentley added: 

“In the midst of a housing emergency, it beggars belief that Southwark Labour have allowed yet another huge scheme slash its affordable housing provision.  

This has been a scheme that’s been in the works for over a decade, and residents had repeatedly been promised 35% affordable homes and a new police hub. We’re now supposed to accept an insulting number of homes that local people can actually afford, and the new police hub has vanished.  

It’s just more broken promises from a tired Labour administration who just can’t stand up for our local communities.”