RATES of construction of social housing in Slough remain well below that which is required for a sustainable housing market, the GMB union has claimed.

Some 130 homes were completed in Slough over the last year, of which 20 were constructed by housing associations or the local authorities for social housing, representing 15.4 per cent of all homes built.

Slough built the least number of new homes out of all South East areas, although the number of social houses built was still higher than some. For example, the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead built 310 new homes, but none of them were social housing.

Across the UK, 148,000 dwellings were constructed, of which about 18 per cent were social housing. The information was collated by the Department of Communities and Local Government.

The GMB union has previously asserted that 250,000 homes – 32 per cent of them social housing – would be required to meet demand.

Paul Maloney, GMB Southern Regional Secretary said: “The figures for each area in the South East are equally falling well below the numbers needed to meet pent up demand for new homes.

“The growth in the population in the region combined with the failure of the house building sector and social housing providers to complete enough new homes has led to sky high house prices and ballooning private rents. This is not sustainable.”

The union criticised the Government’s Housing Benefit system, calling it an ‘expensive mistake’.

The lack of affordable housing being constructed across the Royal Borough was hotly criticised in the last Planning Committee meeting at Slough Borough Council. One councillor described it as ‘social cleansing’, while others complained that the lack of social housing in the Royal Borough was forcing homeless families into Slough.

Royal Borough Cllr Ross McWilliams said: “The Royal Borough is determined to create a borough that works for everyone. A fundamental part of this is to provide genuinely affordable homes for young people, families and first-time buyers.”

“Our draft Borough Local Plan has set out an ambitious target of 30 per cent affordable housing, which will include innovative schemes, such as Do It Yourself Shared Ownership and Rent to Buy.”