Housing in Greenwich praised by Mayor

The Royal Borough of Greenwich has been praised by the Mayor of London for its ambitious housing agenda during a flagship announcement to fix the housing crisis.  

Sadiq Khan was welcomed to Kidbrooke, on Friday 9 May, by Cllr Anthony Okereke, Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, as the Mayor announced a consultation on ‘Towards a New London’. 

Mayor Khan identified the Royal Borough of Greenwich and Kidbrooke as an example of where housebuilding has struck the right balance of the need for new homes for local people with green space and infrastructure.  

During the announcement, which featured a shift in greenbelt policy, the Mayor renewed his pledge to actively work with the government to extend the DLR to Thamesmead – something the Council has long lobbied for.  

Council Leader Cllr Anthony Okereke said: “Greenwich has rightly been recognised by the Mayor as leading the way in delivering new homes - and with Greenwich Builds, our award-winning council housebuilding programme, we’re on track to create over 1,700 new council homes for local people.  

“For too long too many people have been priced out of the areas they know and love. Young professionals earning a living, but having to live out of their childhood bedrooms. Or couples having to move further and further away from where they settled down to start a family.  

“That’s before you think about the fact that councils are having to find £4 million a day to pay for temporary accommodation for homeless Londoners. We’ve taken huge strides in Greenwich in that area – reducing our reliance on hotels by over 80%, with only three families now in that position. 

“Whether it’s building or buying, in Greenwich we’re committed to working with the Mayor and developers to get shovels in grounds and roofs over people’s heads. After 14 years of the previous’ government’s chaotic mismanagement of housing and development, we’re working as hard as ever to do our bit and fix the housing crisis.” 

Have your say on the Mayor’s new ‘Towards a new London Plan’.