Sadiq Khan blames government for delayed funding after just three affordable homes started last quarter

Sadiq Khan has criticised the government for its delayed funding of a flagship housing programme, as it emerged just three affordable homes were started in London between April and June this year.

Lord Bailey, a Conservative London Assembly Member (AM), accused Mr Khan of having “fallen years behind the latest housing targets and failing to deliver the affordable, family homes that Londoners need”.

“The mayor has received billions in government funding, which he is failing to spend, and yet is demanding billions more,” he added. “We cannot go on like this, with a mayor more interested in building his profile than building homes. London deserves so much better.”

The data, published by the Greater London Authority (GLA) on Tuesday, demonstrated how just three affordable starts were recorded during the three-month period, all via the Specialist Housing Programmes. None were started or completed as part of the separate £4 billion 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme (AFP).

A spokesperson for the mayor said this was due to delays from the government to approve funding for the latter scheme, with a deal only being struck on July 10 - after the reporting period covered in the latest data had ended.

They said: “Under Sadiq, the building of genuinely affordable homes in London has hit the highest overall level since records began and council housebuilding last year was higher than at any time since the 1970s.

“The government delayed signing off on funding for the mayor’s 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme until July so it was impossible for any new homes to be started in the first quarter of this financial year.

“This unnecessary delay has slowed down progress and is disappointing given City Hall’s success in delivering a record-breaking 116,782 homes under the previous affordable homes programme. Given spiralling housing costs there is an urgent need for additional investment in affordable housing in London and across the country – now more than ever.”

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, which oversees the funding, told LondonWorld there are “no targets” for individual quarters for homes funded through the 2021-26 AFP, in an apparent contradiction of Lord Bailey’s claims.

A spokesperson for the department said: “The government has allocated £4 billion to the Greater London Authority to deliver much needed affordable housing in the capital, and our support contributed to the delivery of more than 131,700 new affordable homes in the capital between 2010 and 2022.

“We expect GLA to get on and build the homes the Londoners desperately need and deserve.”

Earlier this month, the mayor convened a housing taskforce and called on Michael Gove, secretary of state for housing, for an additional £2.2bn in funding to boost the capital’s affordable housing delivery.

This came after City Hall data indicated a 41% year-on-year drop in major planning applications referred to the mayor, with Mr Khan warning of housebuilding “grinding to a halt” in London.