He added: “Whilst we still would always try and ensure that we secure the affordable housing onsite, we have to accept that where the developer can evidence that no housing association wishes to acquire the homes that we would have to take a community sum in lieu.” He said housing associations prefer schemes where "affordable" homes are provided in a separate unit because they have “far greater control” over any service charges. The head of housing enabling and projects said: “There has been a trend in the past two or three years whereby housing associations have been more reluctant due to the resources that they have to commit to a project with a small number of affordable housing units, which can be almost as much as the much larger schemes.” READ MORE: Mystery over who has paid £2million to save South London pub from demolition
Councillor George Crivelli asked officers why nobody is “biting our hand off to have these nine houses”. But councillors heard that no housing associations had agreed to provide the homes for the development because of its smaller size. Nine of the homes are set aside for shared ownership, which helps first-time buyers get onto the property ladder. Wandsworth Council approved the plans from Brahma Developments on Tuesday (April 26) but raised concerns that it will not be possible to provide any affordable homes. Seventeen flats will now be built on the boarded-up site, including three studios, 11 two-beds and three three-bedroom homes.
Developers have tried to build new homes on Thessaly Road for years after the British Lion shut down around 2007, leaving the site empty for 15 years. A five-storey block of flats will finally be built on the site of a former pub in Nine Elms, nine years after it was bulldozed in 2013.