Council agrees to buy more flats for social-rent housing

The agreement will see the local authority purchase 21 flats at a new development in Wood Green, reports Joe Ives, Local Democracy Reporter

The new 83-home development (credit Google)

Haringey Council has agreed to buy another 21 homes at the site of a former petrol station in Wood Green.

The move was given the green light yesterday (Tuesday 5th) by Sarah Williams, the local authority’s cabinet member for housing and planning.

The properties are part of a newly-completed 83-home redevelopment of the former petrol station on Maynes Road, carried out by private developer Weston Homes.

In July 2025 the local authority acquired the 29 designated affordable homes at the development. But the purchase of a further 21 properties now means the council will own 50 of the properties – more than 60% of the total at the site.

A council report says that it entered a “re-engagement” with the developer in February this year to acquire the additional properties which were originally set to be sold on the private market. Now, if the move is completed as expected, the local authority plans to use these as social rent homes.

The additional properties, a mixture of 14 one-bed and seven 2-bed homes, are to be purchased “on individual long leaseholds” – with a minimum length of 250 years.

The precise details and cost of the council’s acquisition is not yet known, with the local authority placing this information in “exempt” reports unavailable to the public.

What is known is that the scheme will be part-funded by grant funding from Greater London Authority (GLA) through its Council Housing Acquisition Programme.

At the cabinet member signing Cllr Williams also approved the use of money raised through Right to Buy receipts or from the local authority’s general fund to help pay for the purchase.

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