• I WAS interested to read your report about the new-found enthusiasm of some Tory and Lib Dem candidates for building more affordable housing, (Election hopefuls pledge to take on the developers, April 19).

However, I’m afraid that in their eagerness to attack Camden’s planning department, they conveniently failed to mention some important facts.

First, note that Camden secures substantially more affordable homes from developers through the planning system than many other boroughs. For example, Camden achieved 22 per cent in the last three years compared with Westminster’s rate of 12 per cent.

Second, just why is it that no councils anywhere in the country can force developers to provide the full policy requirement?

The main reason is national rules state that applicants only have to offer what is financially viable. No 20 per cent profit? No affordable housing. That is the deliberate policy of the government and it means that land values inflate in the expectation that the policy cannot be applied.

Councils have to abide by national rules as they will be taken to the Planning Inspectorate and lose if they don’t. Who introduced the rules? Well, it was the Tory-Lib Dem coalition government, of course.

Third, national government used to provide substantial public subsidies for affordable housing that found their way to schemes in Camden and boosted rates of social homes on developers’ schemes. This public investment was massively reduced by the coalition government, resulting in fewer new affordable homes.

Fourth, you report a Tory candidate saying that affordable housing requirements should only be placed on development over 10 homes in size.

Camden’s new policy applies to all residential schemes, including those below 10 units. We introduced this as there were lots of small schemes in Camden, many of them conveniently coming in at nine homes, that didn’t make any contribution to affordable housing at all.

It seems the Tories are now committed to reversing this, which rather undermines their comments about getting tough on developers.

It’s good to have a debate about affordable housing at these elections but we need practical solutions rather than cheap sound-bites that don’t stand up to scrutiny.

PHIL JONES
Labour councillor for Cantelowes ward 2010 – 2018