Khan paves way for scheme with 9.6% affordable housing

The Labour mayor of London today announced he is handing a decision over plans for a new Wimbledon Football Club stadium and homes, which had been called-in by previous mayor Boris Johnson, back to Merton Council.

Plans previously approved by the council for the Plough Lane site include 602 homes of which just 9.6% are affordable and for shared ownership. The council has, however, agreed a ‘clawback’ mechanism under which developer Galliard Homes increases its contribution if viability improves.

Mr Khan has pledged to increase affordable housing numbers in the capital. He has a long-term aim of ensuring 50% of all new homes are “genuinely affordable”. He is looking at ways of ensuring an affordable housing level of 35% in all schemes.

However, today Mr Khan said: “I’m confident the stadium and the leisure facility proposed alongside it will be of great benefit to Londoners and the wider community for generations to come.

“As such, I have decided to return the application to the local council to determine itself.”

It is understood the Labour mayor believes the community benefits of a new football stadium outweigh the low affordable housing percentage.

The decision last December by Merton Council to approve the plans has proved controversial because of the low level of affordable housing, transport impacts and the loss of a greyhound stadium. Previous mayor Boris Johnson called in the decision in March.

Mr Khan’s decision to hand the planning decision back to Merton Council followed a 14-day consultation period.

Stephen Alambritis, leader of Merton Council, said he was “thrilled” with the decision.