Children in the social housing part of a new development are barred from playing on a swing in a lush central garden – because only families in private flats can use it.
Instead, kids in social rented flats have a smaller play area surfaced with bark chips on the other side of the building.
To get planning permission, the Baylis Old School complex in Lambeth, South London, had to include “affordable” homes and social rental units.
Plans for the 149-home complex, built in 2016, show a communal central courtyard garden accessible to all residents.
But now Wren Mews, which is the social housing part of the site, has no direct exit to the central courtyard.
A gate to it has a coded keypad that only private residents have the number for.
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Daniella Rea, who lives in Wren Mews with husband Salvatore and her two kids, aged nine and 13, said: “They walk home from school with their friends, then they are separated at the gates.
“From his bedroom [my son] can see other children playing. He asks if he can play with them, but it’s not possible.”
Neighbour Claudia Vasquez, 38, also mum to two kids, aged six and 14, said: “We received a letter saying we couldn’t use the garden. I cannot explain to my son why he cannot go there.”
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Councillor Matthew Bennett, responsible for planning on Lambeth Council, said the barriers were put up after initial plans for the complex were approved.
Original plans showed gates from all flats giving access to the main play area. Cllr Bennett said: “It is completely unacceptable for social housing residents to be denied equal access to play areas.”
Developer Henley Homes said the small play area for Wren Mews fulfils its duty to provide space for under-fives.
It said it had handed the freehold of the Wren Mews social housing block to social housing group Guinness Homes.
Suze Jones of Henley Homes, said: “Wren Mews is a separate, albeit closely neighbouring, block with its own access.”
Guinness Homes said it could not control access to the private areas.
Warwick Estates, which manages the private part of the development, defended keeping the garden swing area separate, saying social housing tenants do not contribute to its upkeep.
