'Simply unacceptable': Mayor rejects plans to increase number of homes at former Scotland Yard building with just 10 affordable homes

The Broadway building was used as headquarters for Metropolitan Police for more than half a century

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06:00, 6 SEP 2017

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Sadiq Khan has rejected an amended proposal for the redevelopment of the former Metropolitan Police headquarters in Broadway for having just 10 affordable homes.

The former New Scotland Yard building, near St James's Park station in Westminster, was sold to developers by the then Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, who also approved plans to convert the office building into 268 apartments.

The development was to include 10 affordable homes, making up 4% of the building but amended plans submitted BL Developments saw the total number raised to 295 homes, without any increase in the number of affordable homes.

The former New Scotland Yard building was sold by former Mayor of London Boris Johnson (Image: PA)

Mr Khan, the current Mayor, reached the decision on advice from his team of viability experts, responsible for assessing the level of responsible housing in applications referred to him.

The decision comes just weeks after his heavy criticism of Wandsworth Council for approving a 40% decrease in the number of affordable homes at the Battersea Power station development.

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In an effort to tackle London's housing crisis, the Mayor has issued Supplementary Planning Guidance, offering developers a fastrack route through the planning process if they offer at least 35% affordable housing without public subsidy.

Mr Khan, said: “A shortage of affordable homes is at the heart of the housing crisis in our city.

"The scheme put forward for this site is simply unacceptable: it fails to provide the maximum amount of affordable housing that could be delivered on this landmark site, and follows a previous application in which the affordable housing provision agreed by the previous Mayor was already appallingly low.

Metrpolitan Police moved from their old headquarters at 8-10 Broadway to the Curtis Green building at Victoria Embankment earlier this year (Image: PA)

"It beggars belief that the initial application was approved under the previous Mayor with a paltry 4% affordable housing, just days before the Mayoral election.

“This is a site which has only recently been transferred from public ownership and sits within one of the most expensive areas of the country.

"Having carefully considered the evidence available to me, I have decided to refuse permission for this amended application.

“This comes just a few weeks after the outrageous decision to cut the level of affordable housing at Battersea Power Station and I am more determined than ever to do all I can to ensure Londoners are not short-changed when it comes to developers doing their bit to help tackle London’s housing crisis.

"The government now needs to show it is committed to this too and devolve the powers to help me stop developers getting away with unacceptably low levels of affordable housing.”