Four private-led developments with 50 per cent or more affordable homes have been approved in Lewisham in the past two and half years.

The details came out after resident Peter George asked the question to Lewisham’s cabinet member for housing and planning ahead of full council on Wednesday (October 21). 

Cllr Paul Bell said there have been four planning applications approved since May 2018 that offered 50 per cent or more affordable housing.  

“A further 11 applications submitted by the council have been approved with 50 per cent or more affordable housing.  

“There are a further five live planning applications that have 50 per cent or more affordable housing that have yet to be determined, two of these have resolutions to grant permission following planning committee,” he said.  

The cabinet member added that the council is “committed to delivering more genuinely affordable homes”.  

He said: “This council administration is committed to delivering more genuinely affordable homes to tackle the housing crisis, and will press developers at every stage of the planning process to explore how they can deliver more much-needed genuinely affordable homes.” 

Cllr Bell declined to provide the number of private developments that have been approved by the council since May 2018.  

But he told the local democracy service: “We interrogate and challenge every development to maximise the level of affordable housing achieved on each site.  

“It’s important to note that alongside private developments, we have our own housebuilding programme delivering social homes across Lewisham.” 

Developers applying to build fewer than 10 homes are currently not obliged to offer any affordable housing.  

But Cllr Bell said that could be changing in Lewisham.  

He said: “We are also taking our draft local plan to full council in November where we intend to consult on strengthened affordable housing policies, including requiring contributions from sites with under 10 units.”