London Mayor requires resident ballot before funding estate redevelopment schemes

Freedom of Information responses by London boroughs to the BBC have shown that more than 31,000 residents may see their homes demolished in the course of 118 regeneration schemes, prompting Sadiq Khan to introduce new consultation conditions on estate redevelopment.

The figures were given to the BBC’s Inside Out programme, which said one of the largest losses of social housing had occurred at the Heygate estate in Southwark, where 1,200 council homes were demolished.

Such regeneration schemes have caused controversy, for example with the now abandoned Haringey Development Vehicle.

in July, the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan made a positive vote by residents in favour of plans a condition of his granting funds for regeneration. This followed 88% support being recorded in a consultation. Councils must tell residents before they vote how funding can be clawed back if the original promises to them made are not honoured.

An independent body must conduct the ballot, and a new ballot is required to keep City Hall funding even on schemes that held votes in the past.

Mr Khan, said: “Anyone drawing up plans for estate regeneration must involve local people and must consider what impact their plans will have on people who live there now.

“That is why, from now on, City Hall funding for significant estate regeneration schemes involving any demolition of social homes will, for the first time, only be approved where there has been a positive residents' ballot.”

He also urged councils and housing associations to ballot residents on schemes where City Hall funds are not involved.