More than 200 homes will be built on brownfield sites in Ealing but less than half will be affordable as the council looks to meet its housing target.

Ealing Council has struck a deal with house building company Hill which will see 216 homes built on "underused" council-owned sites including garages.

Brownfield sites are defined as land previously used for industrial purposes or some commercial uses.

Currently only 87 of the properties will be affordable for rent council homes, with the remaining 129 of the homes for private sale - which will not be defined as affordable.

'A great and unique deal'

But a council spokesperson said the 87 council homes will contribute towards its target of building 500 council homes by 2018.

The spokesperson added that it would not have been possible to have reached a deal to build 87 council homes, on brownfield sites, without agreeing that a larger proportion be for private sale.

The spokesperson, who added the deal is thought to be one of the largest involving brownfield sites in London, said: "All of the 500 council homes to be built by 2018 will be affordable, with about 90% for affordable rent and around 10% for shared ownership.

"The joint venture with Hill house builders contributes towards our 500 homes target and it’s a great and unique deal.

"We’ve packaged together a number of underused and difficult to build on plots and vacant garage sites into one contract where Hill will build 216 homes in total.

"At least 87 of these homes will be for affordable rent and remain under council ownership, contributing to our council homes target.

"The sale income from the remaining 129 homes will help to cross subsidise the building costs of the rented homes.

"The sales will also contribute to the borough’s economy, bring in additional council tax and offer home ownership opportunities to residents in less expensive parts of the borough, such as Northolt."

'We need affordable houses for both rent and sale'

Sites in Ruislip Road, Greenford, and Trinity Way, East Acton, will be the first to be developed to create 134 new homes followed by 19 small sites for the remaining 82.

The plans fall in line with the the Mayor’s London Land Commission, which estimates that 130,000 new homes could be created on public sector land in London belonging to local authorities.

The homes are badly needed, with a recent study revealing that those looking for homes in west London needed to get their hands on 40 times their earnings before they could buy a home in several hotspots .

Conservative Cllr Ian Proud, the shadow cabinet member for council services and housing, said: "In this particular case Ealing Council is complying with government housing policy and whilst it gains 87 houses for affordable rent, through Broadway Living and Ealing Council, it should have taken advantage of the deal with Hill to include a proportion of houses for affordable sale.

"In a fast growing Borough, like Ealing, we need affordable houses for both rental and purchase."

Labour Cllr Jasbir Anand, Ealing Council’s cabinet member for housing, said: "Developing these underutilised sites gives us the scope to help tackle the housing crisis we are facing in London at a local level."

Conservative Cll Joy Morrissey said: "It is an outrage that the council will not be building any affordable homes to buy.

"Once again they are failing to help hard working middle income families and young professionals who are being permanently priced out of the housing market. We need housing solutions for nurses, teachers and police officers."