The below post is from an email sent by the Mile End Residents Association (MERA)
If you found that the links to the pages I referred to in my previous email (and the links below) showed ‘Document not available’, open the whole planning portal first, HERE, then the links will work. It is to do with refreshing of the Planning server, it times out after a little while!
Do spend some time looking through and make your comments.
Main documents to study
Cover Letter from Leaside Planning:
Explains the changes EastEndHomes made to their application from last year.
The overall idea of the application, refers to planning guidance, and includes EEH’s own assessment of their plans.
Here just the list of contents. Open from the main Planning page; there’s a LOT of pages!
More detail of most aspects of the plans, how things are now, and what they will look like if the plans go ahead.
Here are some concerns that have come in
- Concern of structure not being able to withstand building on top
- Central Line already difficult to get on!
- Play grounds promised in the past are still outstanding
- Other outstanding work from previous building works (hoarding at Coniston House, bike roof at Ennerdale) – is it lawful at all to submit a new planning application in that case?
- Private sales may be bought-to-let, with the effect of ever changing tenants, who never learn to dispose of rubbish, or how to recycle, MAY be noisy and overcrowded. Mattresses on the estate at change over etc.
- EastEndHomes are breaking the 18m rule in Wraxall Road/Windermere garage conversions – are they even applying for dispensation or giving good reasons to break this rule?
- Concerns about over development and loss of amenities
The tenure mix – continued
The tenure mix is presented as if 50.1% of the whole development is going to be social housing, i.e. for people on the housing waiting list.
But within the 50.1% are Intermediate (17 units) which means either Shared Ownership or London Living Rent (no details given of planned ‘product’) – but both have the purpose of eventually selling the flats, and therefore those homes will never be social homes again.
Also within the 50.1% ‘social housing’ are Affordable units (39 units). Half of those (approx 20 units) will have London Affordable rent and the other half (approx 20 units) Tower Hamlets Living Rent.
London Affordable Rent is proper social rent, i.e. proper affordable, e.g. approx. £125/week for a 1 bedroom flat.
Tower Hamlets Living Rent is based on the average median income in the borough:
“TH Living Rents will be a rented tenure based on average median income levels which are £31,645 pa, and working on the premise that it is reasonable to spend a third of income on rents”.
Source: Cabinet Decision – 2 May 2017
Please read this document produced by the Affordability Commission as it explains the background for setting new levels of rent.
Here is a table from the report:
* S/C is an assumed £25 service charge.
I hope this throws some light on the tenure mix and rent levels. I think it is appalling and unacceptable that these details are omitted from the planning documents. And how do you access these units anyway? Transparency definitely lacking!
Further reading
Affordable Homes Programme 2016-21 Funding Guidance – GLA grant for delivery of affordable housing!
Affordable Housing Capital Funding Guide – Overview!
Affordable Housing – from the Council’s website, explains the Grant that Registered Providers (such as EEH) can apply for when they are planning to build.
NB: I had a residents walkabout and meeting with East End Homes and will post the details later.
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