British Land wants to slash plans for 120 affordable homes on part of Canada Water Masterplan and put in 86 private units.
The total number of affordable homes on Zone G – a portion of the Surrey Quays Leisure Park – would fall from 255 to 135.
However, British Land says the Canada Water Masterplan will still deliver a minimum of 35 per cent affordable housing across the overall scheme.
The developer says the mayor’s new fire safety regulations, meaning residential buildings over 30 metres must have two staircases, have necessitated a redesign.
Local campaigners have questioned why the redesign has come at the expense of so many affordable homes.
Jerry Flynn, spokesperson for the housing campaign group the 35% Campaign, said: “Sadiq Khan’s requirement for a second staircase on these buildings is absolutely right but the developers mustn’t now pass the cost on to the local community in the shape of the loss of affordable housing. That just isn’t right.”
The Canada Water Masterplan is one of London’s biggest developments – a sprawling 53-acre area that will comprise 3,000 homes, offices and towers of up to 35-storeys.
Initial plans for Zone G, a portion of Surrey Quays Leisure Park containing the Odeon Cinema, Buzz Bingo and Pizza Hut, were submitted last year. They included 419 flats comprising 255 affordable and 164 private units across five buildings.
The affordable stock included 115 social rent units, meaning government-subsidised for people on low incomes, and 140 intermediate rent units, meaning 80 per cent of market rate.
But now the developer wants to turn the whole of Building D, which would have contained 84 affordable homes, into private tenure. It is also set to remove 36 affordable units elsewhere on Zone G.
Under its new plans, there would be just 90 social rent homes and 45 intermediate homes, an affordable housing loss of 25 per cent on Zone G.
A spokesperson for British Land said: “British Land has submitted an addendum for its Reserved Matters application for Zone G of the Canada Water Masterplan, prior to the application being determined.
“This addendum has been submitted following future changes to national fire safety guidance that will come into force from 1st October 2023. The changes to the guidance were made after the original submission of the Zone G application, so British Land has updated the plans to ensure that the new fire safety guidance is adhered to.
“The updated plans incorporate a second stairwell which requires additional floorspace to be used. This has resulted in the reduction of the residential units.
“British Land is committed to delivering a minimum of 35 per cent affordable homes across the Masterplan throughout the lifetime of the project: 25 per cent of homes will be social and 10% of homes will be intermediate affordable homes. 60 per cent of affordable homes being delivered will be two bedrooms or more and so suitable for families.”
