Homelessness, a spiralling housing market, funding for homes slashed by government – London is in a housing crisis. Locally, Waltham Forest council is doing what it can. Aditya Chakrabortty’s article (The families cheated out of their homes – for the sin of being poor, 13 January) is couched in emotive language with a simplistic narrative: bad Labour council wants to turf local residents out, then flog off flats to the highest bidder – just like Tories. In fact, no resident of Leytonstone’s Wigg and Walsh towers will have to leave the estate; all will be offered a flat on the redeveloped estate; a third block will be built between the two towers so residents will move only a few metres during renovation. We have spoken to residents personally, and the vast majority want a radical solution.
This is because half the residents live in overcrowded homes. It’s unacceptable that a family of seven is squeezed into a rundown two-bedroom flat. We did a minimal revamp a decade ago; a simple cosmetic change would do nothing to tackle overcrowding. Our scheme will deliver desperately needed bigger, better homes. The government won’t fund this, so some flats will be sold to help pay for the scheme. But 200 will be council-owned, wholly or partially. Mr Chakrabortty didn’t mention that by 2020 we will have built 12,000 new homes, many affordable council houses. If he visits the estate, we will happily introduce him to the families who are thanking us for making the decision to tackle overcrowding and get them good homes.
Cllr Khevyn Limbajee
Cabinet lead for housing, London borough of Waltham Forest
