Revealed: the areas in Southwark where Labour have built zero council homes

Southwark Liberal Democrats have exclusively revealed that in two thirds of wards, Southwark Labour have started zero council homes.  

The following wards – 15 out of 23 – had zero starts since the last local elections: 

• Borough & Bankside 

• Champion Hill 

• Chaucer 

• Dulwich Hill 

• Dulwich Village 

• Faraday 

• Goose Green 

• North Walworth 

• Nunhead & Queens Road 

• Peckham 

• Rotherhithe 

• Rye Lane 

• South Bermondsey 

• St George's 

• Surrey Docks 

Most shockingly, according to data from the council, zero council home starts were recorded anywhere in Southwark in 2024/2025. 

This comes in the midst of Labour’s housing crisis – with 22,000 households on the social housing waiting list. Affordable housing built through private developments has also collapsed under Labour – with developments like Borough Triangle, the Aylesham Centre, and Canada Water all proceeding with 17%, 12%, and 9% affordable housing respectively.  

The Canada Water Masterplan had initially been promised to residents as being able to deliver 35% affordable housing – but the developer claimed last year that it would now only deliver 3%. Whilst that figure has now increased to 9% it is still far below the original 35% promised.  

Southwark Liberal Democrats have made a manifesto commitment that every new development would only be permitted if it delivered 50% affordable housing, and would get on and built more council homes. 

Commenting, Southwark Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Victor Chamberlain said:  

“This data really lifts the lid on the spin coming out from Labour about their housing record. The fact that the vast majority of areas in Southwark aren’t seeing new council homes started is only going to accelerate the social divides in our borough – and the housing crisis that’s forcing families to move out of Southwark and schools to close will only get worse.  

Working class communities from Bermondsey to Borough are getting hollowed out – and it’s Labour who have let them down.  

Liberal Democrats have a plan to fix our housing crisis – we would build more council homes across the borough, and force developers to make sure that half of all new homes are genuinely affordable to local people.”