Labour-run Lewisham Council failed to meet a key deadline set by the Mayor of London, which has led to a total of £42.4million being lost from two major housing developments in the borough.
Catford was set to receive £22.4million to fund more affordable homes, improvements to the railway station arrival area and in flood alleviation, and the New Bermondsey development has due to receive £20million, including losing the £12million for a new overground station.
The funding had been allocated by the former Conservative Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, but the current Labour Mayor moved the deadline forward and Lewisham Council subsequently did not meet the new January deadline.
Conservative candidate for Mayor of Lewisham, Ross Archer, said “Delivering more affordable homes for Lewisham will be a top priority for whoever is elected Mayor later this year. We need more affordable home as well as the transport and infrastructure to support such developments – in one go the Labour-run Council in Lewisham has lost funding for both of these”.
He added “This is just another example of why Lewisham needs a fresh start in May – Labour have become complacent and it is local residents who are paying the price”.