More than 1,000 residents have signed a petition demanding Richmond Council take greater action to deliver affordable housing, after data revealed the borough completed just 34 affordable homes between 2020/21 and 2022/23. Only the City of London built fewer among London boroughs, according to figures from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
Petition calls for four key commitments
Twickenham Labour's petition urged the Liberal Democrat-run council to "become one of the best councils for providing affordable homes." The petition gathered 1,169 signatures, according to the council's website. At a council meeting on July 14, Pam Marum, Twickenham Labour's policy officer, welcomed the council's statement that it had over 1,000 affordable homes in the pipeline but stressed residents needed "clear evidence of progress."
Ms Marum said: "If that programme delivers completed homes everyone in this chamber will welcome it, but residents have heard ambitious figures before. A pipeline is not a completed home, a start on site is not a family receiving the keys to a secure affordable home and planning permission is not the same as delivery."
Demands for transparency and social rent
Ms Marum urged the council to commit to publishing how many affordable homes it expected to complete in 2026/27, how many in the pipeline had planning permission or were under construction, and quarterly updates on starts and completions. She also demanded confirmation of how many homes would be for social rent, which she said families, key workers, and younger residents needed most.
"People from every part of Twickenham signed that petition because they’re worried that their children can’t afford to stay here, that key workers are being priced out of the communities they serve and that too many local families are waiting too long for an affordable home," Ms Marum added.
Council response and housing record
Liberal Democrat Councillor Chris Varley, Lead Member for Housing, said the council maximised "all opportunities to deliver more genuinely affordable homes." He argued Richmond was not among the worst-performing boroughs, noting that Kingston upon Thames, Merton, and Sutton recorded lower completions. However, he added: "I would rather talk about our own ambition."
The council stated in March it expected to complete over 250 affordable homes in the next two years as part of a pipeline of more than 1,000. It also reported building 118 affordable homes since 2022. Councillor Varley said the council was developing "an ambitious housing delivery strategy" and had applied for funding from the Greater London Authority's London Social and Affordable Housing Programme.
Political blame and unresolved demands
Liberal Democrat Council Leader Gareth Roberts accused London Mayor Sadiq Khan of being the "biggest blocker" to homebuilding in Richmond, citing rejected housing applications such as the Stag Brewery redevelopment in Mortlake. The original plans proposed more affordable housing than the 65 ultimately approved in a revised 1,075-home application.
Councillors did not commit to the actions requested by Ms Marum at the meeting.
