Islington Green Party is calling upon Islington Council, the Mayor of London and the national Government to take action to halt the current and expanding housing crisis in Islington. A recent report by Shelter has revealed that there are currently no affordable homes for sale in Islington.(1) Their work highlights the current lack of affordable housing is, preventing local people from finding a home and impacting upon job prospects, mental health and relationships. It is an ever-expanding crisis Islington Council, the Mayor of London and the national Government have failed to address and Islington Green Party demands that they commit to the development of housing that is suitable for and affordable by local people and those on regular incomes.
The lack of affordable housing is particularly dire in Islington. The New Economics Foundation published research that suggested that, unless things changed, by 2020 a family will need to earn £90,000 a year to afford a house at market rates.(2) Buying a home will be an impossibility for all but the wealthiest. Despite this back drop, Mayor Boris Johnson is trying to push through hundreds of unaffordable luxury homes in Mount Pleasant with only 12% affordable housing, far below Islington’s requirements of 50%.
Islington Labour Council built just over 1,800 affordable homes between 2010-2014.(3) Yet this is not enough to meet demand. Developments like Crayford Mews, approved by Islington council(4) with homes for £725,000+(5), are just not meeting the needs of the borough.
Caroline Russell Islington Green Party Councillor said “It’s terrible that there is not a single affordable home available in the borough. The endless supply of luxury housing will make Islington unrecognisable, a place where only the very wealthiest can afford to live. Things must change. The Green Party is strongly in favour of building more affordable homes, and introducing the Land Value Tax so wealthy investors have to pay for homes they leave empty as investments. We also need rent caps so people can pay a living rent, rather than be priced out of London.”
- From Shelter’s campaign http://m.england.shelter.org.uk/campaigns/building_more_affordable_homes/how_many_affordable_homes?utm_source=Twitter&utm_campaign=BMH-June&utm_medium=Tweet.
- NEF’s report http://www.neweconomics.org/publications/entry/distant-neighbours
- From Islington Evidence Hub Data http://www.islington.gov.uk/publicrecords/library/Information-management/Information/Factsheets/2013-2014/(2013-07-08)-Affordable-Housing-Factsheet-(5).pdf
- Islington Council approved the demolition of Garage Workshops to build Crayford Mews luxury homes, despite local residents objections http://democracy.islington.gov.uk/Data/Planning%20Sub%20Committee%20B/201301221930/Agenda/89%20Crayford%20Road%20Committee%20Report.pdf
- Details of Crayford Mews http://www.crayfordmews.co.uk/
