by Chris Newby, Tower Hamlets Socialist Party
In the shadow of Canary Wharf, where its unimaginable wealth sits alongside working-class Londoners, private developers are planning to build 850 private flats on the Mastmarker site in the Isle of Dogs.
Just 150 are due to be ‘affordable’. But at 80% of market rent, even these ‘affordable’ flats will be well out of reach of working-class people. Tower Hamlets Socialist Party has begun campaigning on this outside the local supermarket.
We are arguing for the independent ‘Aspire’ council to compulsorily purchase this site, and all other redevelopment sites in the area, and build much-needed council flats, as the start of a mass council-house building programme across the borough. There are 28,000 people on the Tower Hamlets housing waiting list.
We got a really good response to our campaigning. People are angry that yet more expensive private flats are being planned.
Several people who signed our petition are interested in helping the campaign. We raised £40 to help fund the Socialist Party’s campaigning, with one woman donating £20.