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News Desk- photo's by Natalie Mitrides
London will see 50,000 new affordable homes built by 2012 according to Mayor of London Boris Johnson who launched a new campaign to help Londoners find affordable homes on the internet.
City Hall have confirmed that "provisional figures" show 38,840 new affordable homes have already been been delivered, since Boris Johnson was elected. This means the Mayor remains on track to deliver his pledge of 50,000 more affordable homes by the end of March 2012, a "record for a Mayoral term" claims a City Hall statement. With London house prices rising by 2-3 per cent in the suburbs and in central London by over 10 per cent a year, and cuts expected in the public sector the "First Steps" website will provide a one stop shop for Londoners to find homes under the Mayor's First Steps programme.
This offers a range of low cost home ownership opportunities, making it easier to search and apply for affordable homes and, crucially, containing an affordability calculator to help people work out the monthly cost of renting or buying.
Mayor of London Boris Johnson was in Barnet to visit a new housing development by Barratt Homes, the Evolution project. During the visit the Mayor encouraged developers to bid for a share of the Government's new £210 million 'FirstBuy' scheme which offers an equity loan of up to 20 per cent of a property's value to help first time buyers who could not otherwise afford to buy a home of their own.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: "The capital is a fantastic city to live in, but for those on lower or middle incomes, getting on to the housing ladder can be extremely tough. So it is excellent news that we are closing in on delivering this record target of 50,000 new affordable homes, in spite of some of the worst economic conditions for many years. This, along with a great new website, will go a long way to helping many more Londoners into affordable homes and, if they wish, to take the first step into home ownership."
Councillor Lynne Hillan, Leader of Barnet Council, said: "I'm delighted to welcome the Mayor to Barnet to see how the borough is playing its part in delivering affordable homes to the residents who most need them.
"We are striving to create successful mixed tenure communities which compliment the suburban environment we are so lucky to have in this borough. We are working closely with our private sector partners who have an important role to play in constructing homes which will be desirable to live in, and benefit many of our residents in the years to come."
Alastair Baird, Regional Managing Director of Barratt London, said: "Barratt London is providing much needed affordable housing in Barnet and will continue working with the Mayor across the capital, getting people on to the housing ladder and delivering high quality new homes for all Londoners." photo credit: Mayor Johnson and Alastair Baird, Regional Managing Director of Barratt London
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