Published: Friday, 1st May, 2009 11:00am

Developers want fewer affordable homes

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THE NUMBER of affordable homes being built over the next 20 years could be slashed as council chiefs buckle to demands from developers.

Wokingham Borough Council's Core Strategy, the blueprint for all development for the next 20 years, calls for "at least 35%" of new homes to be affordable. But developers planning to build the 6,500 houses required want 35% to be a 'target' instead of a minimum.

During a session of the public hearing into the Core Strategy, Charles Collins from estate agents Savills said: "Supposing we get past this recession then the underlying need to deliver housing needs to be the focus. If we allow for a 35% target for affordable housing then we can have confidence the scheme will be adopted." Affordable housing means houses which are either sold to housing associations and rented out to low earners, or sold on a shared ownership basis.

At the hearing Wokingham borough said it would be prepared to lower its demands to guarantee that development continued. The verdict is due this summer.