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Two-thirds of Londoners back ballots on redevelopment

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A survey published today has found that nearly two-thirds of Londoners expect to be balloted on whether their homes are subjected to redevelopment.

Sadiq Khan: wants to ballot residents affected by housing developments

The survey, conducted by YouGov, was commissioned by London Assembly Member Sian Berry. It found that 64 per cent of Londoners back the Mayor of London’s proposals for ballots to be a condition of his funding future housing development schemes. Only 13 per cent of those surveyed were against the proposal.

Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, put forward the ballot proposal because of widespread opposition to the demolition, and social cleansing, of large housing estates in Lambeth, Southwark and Haringey. Although not directly applicable in Croydon, 17 residents groups in this borough have sent an appeal to the Mayor asking for similar ballots to be applied where their neighbourhoods are affected by the council’s Brick by Brick housing developments.

“If you live on an estate it makes sense that you get a say in what happens to your home,” Berry, a Green Party Assembly Member, said.

Sian Berry: backing ballots

“My research shows a majority of Londoners think this is fair. Importantly, my sample was representative of all Londoners not just people who live on estates whose homes are directly threatened with plans for demolition

“Londoners living on estates have waited a long time to be allowed a say over their homes – but if the Mayor had signed off bad schemes during this interim period that would have been a real betrayal of the principle he has embraced as a result of effective campaigns supported by Assembly Members here. I am glad that he has promised very clearly today to hold off on new deals and support residents’ rights to a ballot.”

The consultation ends on April 3 and the Mayor’s final funding guidance is expected to come in within months.


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