Responding to the Mayor of London’s announcement that from today, major estate regeneration schemes involving demolition of social homes must have the backing of residents, Labour’s London Assembly Housing Spokesperson, Tom Copley AM, said:
“With estate residents usually the only group of people who face the prospect of having their homes demolished, I am really pleased with the Mayor’s decision to require ballots wherever demolition takes place as a condition of funding for regeneration schemes. It is also good to see the strengthening of these requirements with guidance on how funding can be clawed back when a completed project doesn’t honour what was promised by the landlord, and with the stipulation that ballots will be conducted by an independent body.
“We want to see that estate regeneration delivers better quality homes and more affordable housing. But unless it is done with resident support, schemes can face being blighted from the start. This is something that both the London Assembly and community groups have been calling for in recent years and I’m pleased that the Mayor has listened.
“I’d also echo the Mayor’s call on London councils and housing associations to adopt his commitment to balloting residents on non-GLA funded regeneration schemes they oversee.”
ENDS