Communities Secretary Eric Pickles was greeted by a chorus of jeers from protesters as he arrived at Battersea’s Rollo estate on Thursday.

The minister unveiled the latest of Wandsworth Council’s Hidden Homes, an affordable housing scheme that has created 238 new homes in previously unused spaces for low
income families and first time buyers.

The army of protesters were angry at the vast swathes of cuts the borough’s young people and the elderly are facing, such as meals on wheels, adventure playgrounds, youth clubs and lollipop services, as well as increasing rent for council tenants.

Protest organiser Carmel Pollen said: “Just because they have created 30-odd new homes, it doesn’t excuse the huge numbers of services that have been cut.”

But Mr Pickles laughed off the protesters and joked: “Thank you very much indeed for putting on a demonstration I thought it was to test the new building’s sound-proofing.”