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| London deputy mayor rejects luxury 'caviar care' homes scheme | London deputy mayor rejects luxury 'caviar care' homes scheme |
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| Plans to build a multi-million pound “caviar care” complex for wealthy older people in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea have been rejected by the deputy mayor of London in the latest clash between Labour and the Tory-led borough over affordable housing. | Plans to build a multi-million pound “caviar care” complex for wealthy older people in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea have been rejected by the deputy mayor of London in the latest clash between Labour and the Tory-led borough over affordable housing. |
| Plans for the luxury complex included 142 homes with extra care provided, selling for an average of £3.6m each, three houses selling for up to £12m and just five affordable homes – well below the target set by the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, for all new housing developments to include 35% affordable housing. | |
| The scheme on the site of Heythrop College, a former Jesuit seminary, had been supported by the leadership of the borough council (RBKC), which has been strongly criticised for failing to speedily find replacement affordable housing for the survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire. The council accepted the developer’s argument that the care home units were not conventional housing and so did not trigger an affordable housing obligation. | The scheme on the site of Heythrop College, a former Jesuit seminary, had been supported by the leadership of the borough council (RBKC), which has been strongly criticised for failing to speedily find replacement affordable housing for the survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire. The council accepted the developer’s argument that the care home units were not conventional housing and so did not trigger an affordable housing obligation. |
| However, City Hall complained that under the scheme none of the proposed affordable housing would have been delivered on-site and would have been provided elsewhere in what is the UK’s richest borough. It said that in the year to April 2018, just 89 new affordable homes were completed in the borough. | However, City Hall complained that under the scheme none of the proposed affordable housing would have been delivered on-site and would have been provided elsewhere in what is the UK’s richest borough. It said that in the year to April 2018, just 89 new affordable homes were completed in the borough. |
| The deputy mayor, Jules Pipe, cited that record as a reason for refusing the application for what is the latest example of a new type of housing development for ageing millionaires who want to downsize and receive later life care in luxury surroundings. | The deputy mayor, Jules Pipe, cited that record as a reason for refusing the application for what is the latest example of a new type of housing development for ageing millionaires who want to downsize and receive later life care in luxury surroundings. |
| The developer of the Heythrop site has built another retirement complex nearby, branded Auriens, which features on-site nursing and a restaurant serving £250 pots of beluga caviar. | The developer of the Heythrop site has built another retirement complex nearby, branded Auriens, which features on-site nursing and a restaurant serving £250 pots of beluga caviar. |
| Pipe said: “While we agree there is the need for retirement properties in this area, the mayor and I are clear that developments of this kind should always meet his minimum target for affordable housing. | Pipe said: “While we agree there is the need for retirement properties in this area, the mayor and I are clear that developments of this kind should always meet his minimum target for affordable housing. |
| “In light of the evidence available to me, and given Kensington and Chelsea’s recent track record in failing to provide enough genuinely affordable homes across the borough, I have decided to refuse this application. We welcome the provision of retirement housing and we hope the applicant submits a revised application with an appropriate level of affordable homes.” | “In light of the evidence available to me, and given Kensington and Chelsea’s recent track record in failing to provide enough genuinely affordable homes across the borough, I have decided to refuse this application. We welcome the provision of retirement housing and we hope the applicant submits a revised application with an appropriate level of affordable homes.” |
| Johnny Sandelson, a partner at the developer, Westbourne Capital Partners, said it would appeal against the “incredibly disappointing” decision to the housing secretary, James Brokenshire. | Johnny Sandelson, a partner at the developer, Westbourne Capital Partners, said it would appeal against the “incredibly disappointing” decision to the housing secretary, James Brokenshire. |
| He said the scheme would not be commercially viable with more than five affordable homes because it would “disrupt too highly the financial equilibrium”. | He said the scheme would not be commercially viable with more than five affordable homes because it would “disrupt too highly the financial equilibrium”. |
| “You have a Labour mayor and Conservative RBKC,” he said. “You can’t help but feel that politics comes into this.” | “You have a Labour mayor and Conservative RBKC,” he said. “You can’t help but feel that politics comes into this.” |
| However City Hall’s planners have questioned the developer’s viability calculations, saying they were “inadequate” and not in line with national guidance. | However City Hall’s planners have questioned the developer’s viability calculations, saying they were “inadequate” and not in line with national guidance. |
| Sandelson said he hoped Brokenshire would overrule City Hall and added: “We will explore all options open to us to exceed our ambitions.” | Sandelson said he hoped Brokenshire would overrule City Hall and added: “We will explore all options open to us to exceed our ambitions.” |
| Will Pascall, the borough councillor in charge of planning, said: “We are disappointed the mayor would aim to deny vulnerable older people the chance to live in one of the 150 much-needed extra care homes this development would create. We ask the mayor to be reasonable and help older people find a suitable home for themselves in their local area when they retire.” | Will Pascall, the borough councillor in charge of planning, said: “We are disappointed the mayor would aim to deny vulnerable older people the chance to live in one of the 150 much-needed extra care homes this development would create. We ask the mayor to be reasonable and help older people find a suitable home for themselves in their local area when they retire.” |
| He said the more than 400 affordable homes had been built in the borough between 2014 and 2018 and the council planned to build 600 council homes. | He said the more than 400 affordable homes had been built in the borough between 2014 and 2018 and the council planned to build 600 council homes. |
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