Mayor Sadiq Khan has refused an application to increase the number of homes being built on the site of the former Scotland Yard because it would dilute the percentage of affordable homes being provided.
The Met’s former HQ was sold off in the wake of successive government funding cuts in a deal which netted the force £370m.
Shortly before last year’s City Hall elections, BL Developments were granted planning consent to build 268 homes on the site, of which just 10 would be affordable. The developers also agreed to pay Westminster council £10m to provide affordable housing elsewhere in the borough.
Earlier this year the firm sought to amend their planning permission to build a further 27 homes, none of which would be affordable. This application has now been rejected by Mr Khan on the grounds that it would dilute the already small percentage of affordable homes being provided.
Announcing his decision, the Mayor said: “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.
“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.”
City Hall says the Mayor’s decision doesn’t stop the original scheme from proceeding. The developers also have the right to bring forward further proposals or appeal today’s refusal to the secretary of state.
