London planning officials have accused John Lewis of building “executive housing” that will not help local families.
The accusation comes after the retailer revealed that as little as 10% of flats at one of its flagship developments could be affordable.
In planning documents, the department store company claimed it aimed to make 20% of properties at its new Bromley development affordable, and added that it would “always provide a minimum of 10% affordable housing regardless”.
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Despite this, in an assessment of the development, the Greater London Authority Planning Unit said: “Considering the scale of development proposed on the site, the level of affordable housing proposed is significantly below expectation”.
The retail group hopes to build 353 flats above a Waitrose store in the South London borough, under one of three of its rental home schemes.
According to the Telegraph, the business remains in discussions with the London authority and council in aims to raise the development’s amount of affordable housing to 35%.
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