In the wake of the Prime Minister’s move finally to scrap the borrowing cap, local councillors around the Aylesbury Estate are making bold moves to increase the social housing figures that have already been agreed – but the big question is whether the powers that be at the Town Hall have the ability to make that change.
There is now a degree of political consensus that things needed to change and regeneration – which we do need – should not come at the cost of gentrification.
However, claims from councillors that Faraday ward, which is home to the sprawling Aylesbury Estate, could have more social housing by 2030 than in its 1970s heyday, are extremely ambitious.
Many of the figures on social houses have already been agreed with developers. Large-scale outside funding will have to be found to pull this off.
In our article this week the cabinet member for social regeneration, great estates, and new council homes’ response to getting this done was hardly emphatic.
Let’s hope they do pull this off – but for the moment at least the jury is still out!