The number of affordable homes due to be built on a Cricklewood development is at risk of being cut and the developer says Barnet Council is to blame.
In a statement last week, Chase New Homes said that despite the company’s “comprehensive marketing campaign” over 30 registered housing associations had declined to acquire the affordable homes on an industrial site on Claremont Road.
The developer received planning permission early last year to build 251 new homes across three blocks, including around 38 affordable homes. Of the affordable housing, 23 homes were designated affordable rent and 15 London shared ownership.
However, Chase New Homes said that, to date, the only offer it had received was from the neighbouring Brent Council. and that this offer was refused by Barnet due to “internal political reasons”.
The only alternative, the housebuilder said, was to cut the homes and to make a financial contribution to Barnet so it could fund equivalent provision elsewhere.
Chase New Homes added “progress” and “agreement” on the matter was “lacking” and as such the construction of the affordable housing block had been “forced to halt”.
When asked why the sale was not permitted a Barnet Council spokesperson said the offer from Brent would mean the homes would not be provided “on the site for Barnet residents”.
The spokesperson said: “Barnet Council has a great track record of working with developers to get homes built so it is disappointing to hear Chase criticise the council for the issues it is experiencing.
“Chase notified us in November 2024 that the housing provider they had been working with had pulled out of a deal to provide affordable housing on this site and that they were progressing a tender to obtain a new provider.
“By mid-January we had notified Chase that their new potential provider, who would offer the homes to a neighbouring council, was not acceptable to us as it did not comply with the Section 106 agreement to provide affordable housing on the site for Barnet residents.
“Since then, we have been in discussions to try and help Chase resolve this issue either by finding another provider who will allocate the homes to Barnet residents or by offering an equivalent financial contribution so that we can plough the money into homes.
“We will continue to engage with Chase, as we have been throughout, to help them try and resolve this issue.”
A spokesperson for Chase New Homes described the council as “indecisive” and said the situation highlighted a “wider national issue” but it was “committed to working with all stakeholders to find a resolution”.
The spokesperson said: “If housing associations are unable or unwilling to acquire affordable units, local authorities must act swiftly to accept commuted sums — enabling affordable homes to be built or purchased elsewhere. Failure to do so is worsening the housing crisis and stalling developments that would otherwise benefit thousands.”
Local Democracy Reporter Grace Howarth covers the London boroughs of Barnet, Enfield and Haringey as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), reporting on local government, housing, planning and community issues.
