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Anthony Okereke is leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich
Greenwich Council has ordered to demolish 200 homes – here’s why we did it
As the local planning authority, the Royal Borough of Greenwich has taken the decision to progress with enforcement action against the Comer Homes Group’s Mast Quay Phase II development. Anthony Okereke explains why
There are 20,000 people waiting for a home in Greenwich, but the council has ordered 200 build-to-rent homes to be bulldozed. Instead of putting homes up, the council is trying to tear some down.
Good Morning Britain presenter Susanna Reid asked me the question: “How on earth can you justify that?”
Well, quite easily I think. Mast Quay Phase II is not the development that we, as the local planning authority, approved back in 2012. It’s a crude parody of what was proposed.
And I’m not just talking about the colour of the cladding being slightly different from the slick computer-generated images of the luxury development on the developer’s website and in the planning application.
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These are things that have changed the fundamental construction of the building from the inside out, in our opinion, for the worse. It’s rendered parts of the building inaccessible, inadequate and unlawful as a whole.
We were promised a play park, we got a car park. ‘Floor to ceiling windows’ with views of the Thames are nowhere to be seen. Balconies aren’t accessible to people in a wheelchair.
What kind of authority would we be if these things went unnoticed and unchallenged?
I want a society that prioritises families, that prioritises access, that prioritises people. To do that, we need to protect and enhance the character and environment of where we live, including nearby heritage assets.
“Making people homeless in a housing crisis isn’t ideally what a council wants to be accused of, but we can’t let some developers take advantage of the housing crisis to build what they want”
This hasn’t been an easy decision in the midst of a housing crisis and a climate emergency. I understand the debate that this has caused because it’s true, there are already thousands of people who would love a home and we’re asking people who have one to find somewhere new.
Mast Quay isn’t going to solve the housing crisis. But maybe many more Mast Quays would. But is that really how we want to solve the housing problem?
Our willingness to build our way out of the crisis shouldn’t push us to accept unlawful homes that don’t promote people’s welfare and the environment.
If we don’t set the bar somewhere, we will have towers hanging over us for decades to come that are subpar. Mast Quay is a drop in the ocean in terms of the number of homes we need, but that’s not an excuse to accept what developers tell us to.
Making people homeless in a housing crisis isn’t ideally what a council wants to be accused of, but we can’t let some developers take advantage of the housing crisis to build what they want because they know we really need new homes. Councils can’t be held hostage with subpar developments and broken promises.
Some people seem surprised that this massive tower block was allowed to be built, and we didn’t think to say anything until now. The fact is that we have been engaging with the developer since 2021. We first asked them not to move people in to Block E – Main Sail House – in February 2023, following completion.
We then wrote to the developer to repeat this in March and again in August.
This was promised as a luxury riverside development, but it isn’t. It’s built-for-rent, it’s built for profit. The developers chose to take tenants’ rent knowing we were investigating their buildings.
Some people have suggested we just fine them and move on. It’s built now, councils are cash-strapped and this could be a lengthy battle. But it’s just not that easy.
Planning regulations exist for a reason. They’re not just there for fun – they’re designed by experts to make sure future neighbourhoods are up to the standard we expect. They’re there to stop flagrant breaches of what has been agreed, and when that happens, we have to take action. We also cannot fine the developer at present as planning legislation does not permit this. A fine can only be imposed after an enforcement notice is issued and subsequently breached.
If the developer looks elsewhere in Greenwich, they will see examples from their industry colleagues of what good development looks like. Planning is designed to safeguard people’s health and well-being and our local environment. Developers can’t pick and choose which parts they follow to suit themselves. They aren’t the ones living with no playgrounds or potentially unable to get onto their balconies. Lowering standards isn’t fair on anyone.
If nothing else, I’m proud to have started the debate about how developers and councils need to conduct themselves. If we are going to build our way out of the housing crisis it must be still based on quality and exemplar developments that people can enjoy living in for decades to come.
The developer has said it will appeal, and it will be for the Planning Inspectorate to decide what happens next in respect of the enforcement notice. We’ll continue to reach out to the residents living in this unlawful development to make sure they know their rights and to help them.
They’re the victims in all this, as the landlords continue to advertise vacant properties.
Anthony Okereke, leader, Royal Borough of Greenwich
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