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GMB is accusing the Sutton Trust of asset stripping of land in Chelsea bequeathed by Victorian philanthropist William Sutton to be used in perpetuity for social housing in this most expensive part of London.
Some 462 social homes on the Sutton Estate in Chelsea are to be replaced with 316 homes available for social rent if plans to regenerate the estate are given planning permission. This is a reduction of 146 units. 106 units are for sale to private sector.
Sutton Estate managers applied to Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) for planning permission to demolish and redevelop parts of the estate on 31st July 2015. The planning application has now been validated. There will be a hearing to consider the application in March 2016.
Last month GMB challenged practices on the estate and received assurances that what had happened had been a mistake.
A GMB analysis of the planning documents on the RBKC website shows that the income from the redevelopment and sale of 2 acres (44% of the land area of the estate) yields £360m.
The expenditures associated with the development are £230m. That leaves a profit to Sutton Estate of £130m from the re-development.
GMB is concerned that what is happening on the Sutton Estate is part of wider land grab of land used for now used for social housing.
Zac Goldsmith, the Tory party candidate for Mayor in London, advocates demolishing council and social housing estates where lower paid workers live. See notes to editors for copy of GMB press release on GMB policy, Tory policy and Mr Goldsmith position.
So the Sutton Trust claim to be selling minimum necessary to fund regeneration is misleading.
The reality is a shameful asset strip of land in Chelsea bequeathed in perpetuity for social housing in most expensive area of London
GMB members, working for contractors in the Royal Borough or at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, are lower paid workers. They need access to social housing such at that on the Sutton Estate.
On the planned new development 316 units will be available for social tenants. This is a reduction of 146 units. 106 units are going to be sold.
It is now clear that the Sutton Trust are hell bent on this asset stripping and only elected politicians can stop them.
GMB intend to appeal to elected politicians in RBKC and to the electorate during elections in London next year to stop this land grab.
