Lambeth Liberal Democrats lay into Labour over failed housing promises
Lambeth Liberal Democrats have penned an open letter to Labour’s Councillor Adilypour voicing their concerns over the redevelopment of International House and Pop Brixton “primarily into luxury flats, commercial units …
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Lambeth Liberal Democrats have penned an open letter to Labour’s Councillor Adilypour voicing their concerns over the redevelopment of International House and Pop Brixton “primarily into luxury flats, commercial units and retail units.”
We’ve reproduced it in full below:
International House and Pop Brixton
I am writing to express my deep concern over Labour’s plans, approved at the Planning Applications Committee shortly before Easter, for the redevelopment of International House and Pop Brixton primarily into luxury flats, commercial units and retail units.
I do not accept that the inclusion of some affordable homes and community space is enough to justify the development as it stands. I believe that it represents a significant failure of trust by the Labour Administration when compared to previous undertakings in relation to this site.
The Liberal Democrats support the need for additional homes in Lambeth. The record of the current Labour Administration, with its Homes for Lambeth debacle, is one of over-crowding, unacceptably long waiting lists, and people living in unsuitable homes. Labour’s failures have left a legacy of despair for too many residents.
So we strongly support the creation of new homes.
But those must be homes that are suitable for the needs of local people.
The redevelopment of International House and Pop Brixton will now include just 34% affordable housing, according to the Officer report to the Planning Applications Committee, 24 March 2026, alongside 190 luxury apartments out of the reach of local people.
This is a huge drop from the original promise of 50% in 2021, and even below the revised figure of 40% agreed with London Square in 2024. That figure was confirmed by you before the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 2 December 2024, the minutes of which go further:
“Responding to Committee Members’ questions on whether they were any guarantees on the promise that 40% of the homes would be defined as affordable rent, the Deputy Leader (Housing, Investment & New Homes) told the Committee that even though the minimum was now 40%, he hoped that the Council would learn from its experience with the Somerleyton regeneration where the Council was able to yield more than 50% of the homes built at affordable rent which was higher than originally expected.”
Please could you explain the reason for meeting neither your promise to provide 40% affordable housing in this development nor your hope of providing 50%?
Labour promised in A Place We Can All Call Home, its housing strategy for 2024-2030, that it would deliver 50% affordable housing on Council-owned developments. Lambeth residents will treat future promises with suspicion based on the experience of the current development.
Lambeth Lib Dems absolutely support the building of new homes, but they must support the needs of local people.
The new development covers a huge site in the heart of Brixton. There will be a 20-storey building and an 18-storey building, which will dwarf the surrounding area.
Historic England stated in its consultation response that “the proposed tall buildings would harm [the Brixton Conservation Area’s] character and appearance and would notably exceed the height parameters of the adopted site allocation” (Officer report cited above, p41).
I note that the accommodation in these blocks will be on the upper floors, further restricting its suitability for people on the social rent waiting list. Other affordable homes are in a smaller six-storey block, with lower-level accommodation, but these will be above market trader facilities, calling into question Labour’s interest in peace and quiet for less well-off residents.
I am very concerned about the consultation process in connection with this scheme. It is no ordinary development, and one would expect the Council to go above and beyond in ensuring that there is buy-in from the community.
Yet the consultation opened just ten days before Christmas, was publicised on 19 December 2025 and ended on 19 January 2026. That was not adequate.
Despite this, according to the Officer report, out of 732 properties consulted on the application, only 10 responses were supportive. 53 responses, more than five times as many, objected.
However, I note that in the Capital Programme, published before the planning application had been decided, over £3.5m had already been allocated to decoupling International House from the Brixton Recreation Centre.
It seems that the views of local residents and community groups take a back seat to Labour’s dealings with developers.
Among the organisations to respond, Historic England, as noted, “confirms that there would be harm caused to the significance of the [Brixton Conservation Area]” (Officer report, paras 3.1.12-14), while the Metropolitan Police state that additional policing needs would require a £94,000 capital contribution in mitigation.
This sorry saga has already seen Labour’s ambitions reduced, for instance in losing the right of first refusal to buy private homes as originally intended, in reducing the amount of commercial floorspace significantly, and in reducing the anticipated land receipt, all accepted in 2024, while the number of affordable properties has now collapsed.
The new agreement seems to have been prompted by Labour failing the Government’s Housing Delivery Test, which, as noted by Officers, leads to a presumption in favour of approval under the so-called “tilted balance” test.
The community groups currently using the site will pay dearly for Labour’s failings, as will their service users. Their occupancy will reduce from over 7,500 square metres to just over 1,500 square metres. Those groups come primarily from the Black and ethnic minority communities, demonstrating Labour’s inability to live up to the needs of the people of Lambeth.
I look forward to hearing from you.
With all best wishes,
Councillor Donna Harris
Leader of the Liberal Democrat Council Group
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