A CALL for 40 per cent of the new homes built on Manydown to be affordable has received support from councillors.

Councillor Paul Harvey, deputy leader of the borough’s Labour group, and Labour member for Popley East, Cllr David Potter, called for the borough council to ensure that 40 per cent of all new homes built on the site would be affordable, in a motion to a full council meeting last Thursday.

The site is earmarked for 3,400 new homes between now and 2029.

As previously reported by The Gazette, a report published recently questioned if 40 per cent affordable housing could be achieved on the site because of the amount of developers’ contributions which could be claimed for infrastructure.

But the two councillors urged the rest of the borough council to support a plan to ensure that the 40 per cent target is reached.

In the motion, the two councillors said residents were assured when council properties were sold in 1993 that the proceeds would be ploughed into affordable housing schemes around the borough.

Cllr Harvey told members that the borough council “could and should” commit to 40 per cent affordable housing on the site as joint landowner.

He added: “I believe we can deliver value for money for social good. It is absolutely crucial that we deliver 40 per cent affordable housing on Manydown, so why shy away from this?”

Labour councillor Sean Keating also said that 40 per cent of affordable housing on Manydown would contribute to the “health and wellbeing” of people across the borough.

But Cllr John Izett, borough Cabinet member for property, finance and commissioning, argued the council could not commit to 40 per cent affordable housing on the site.

He said: “This council has committed itself to a policy in the draft Local Plan of 40 per cent affordable housing. I would like to make it crystal clear that as the portfolio holder and as an administration, we are committed to the Local Plan policy of achieving 40 per cent affordable housing.

“We don’t control the land exclusively so as a council we have a statutory duty to obtain the best consideration for land sold for development. This motion is at least premature and would put the council at risk.”

Despite Cllr Izett’s concerns, the motion was passed after 29 councillors voted in favour and 23 councillors voted against the commitment.