03 May 2023 , 05:00
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Sadiq Khan has declared it is a “national scandal” there are not more council houses as figures show London is building double the rest of England combined.
Work began on 10,000 local authority homes in the capital last year (2022/23), more than in any year since the 1970s.
If other parts of England were building council housing at the same rate per head of population, it would mean 65,000 new local authority homes nationwide.
But most recent figures show only 4,325 council homes were started in the rest of England in the year before (2021/22).
Mr Khan said: “Growing up in Tooting, a council house gave me the very best possible start in life.
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“There’s no quick fix to London’s current housing crisis, but I’m hugely proud at the progress we’re making delivering a new era in council homebuilding in the capital.
Ten times as many council homes were built in London last year than in Boris Johnson's final year as mayor (Getty Images)“We’ve hit our ambitious target early, with more than 23,000 City-Hall funded council homes started since 2018.
“This is the highest number since the 1970s, and a key part of my plans to build a better, fairer London for everyone.”
In a call for ministers to show the same level of ambition across the country, Mr Khan added: “The fact that latest available figures show that only 4,325 council homes were started over a year in the rest of England is a national scandal.
“Council house building has essentially come to a halt, which is why I’m calling on ministers to urgently set up a new Government fund exclusively committed to funding new council homes across the country.”
The number of council houses started in London last year was more than ten times higher than under Boris Johnson in his final year in office when work began on just 774 local authority homes.
Mr Khan announced the figures on a visit to a housing development in Brent.
Since April 2016, Brent Council has started around 2,000 affordable homes, supported with cash from the Mayor’s affordable housing programmes.
Muhammed Butt, the Labour leader of Brent Council, said: “Brent provided more homes than any other council in the country last year and is also proudly the highest social housing builder in London.
"A safe and secure home is the foundation for people to build their lives upon.”
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A DLUHC spokeswoman said: “We do not recognise the GLA’s figures... We have contacted the GLA for clarification.
“Our latest published statistics show that in 2021/2022 over 43,000 affordable homes were started in England outside of London, compared to just under 20,000 in London."
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