by LAURA BENJAMIN

In a bid to attract special government funds, Barnet Council has pledged that between 30 and 50 per cent of new homes will be affordable housing for poorer families.

Other strategies include boosting the supply of shared-ownership schemes for nurses, teachers and housing association tenants who want to own properties and encouraging people living in properties larger than their needs to scale down.

Barnet submitted its Housing Investment Plan (HIP) to the Government Office for London on Monday and the amount awarded will be announced in November.

Councillor Beverley Pearce admitted: 'There is huge pressure for affordable rented housing across London. The Government wants every local authority to provide quality and choice in affordable housing.'

But two of the most recent large building works to be approved in the borough ,, the redevelopment of Mill Hill's Inglis Barracks and the establishment of the North Finchley arts centre complex ,, seem to go against this new policy.

Ms Pearce said: 'There are other policies there that say that in certain circumstances this amount of affordable housing does not apply.

'One of these is when there are other community benefits in the plans. If we included affordable housing in the North Finchley tower block then the height would rise to 20 storeys.'

Although Inglis Barracks, in Frith Lane, will include 90 affordable homes among the 300 new properties, current council residents will be evicted and forced to join the housing waiting list. 'We have no legal powers to insist the developer provide for the existing residents,' Ms Pearce added.

key facts

Barnet had a record number of people living in temporary accommodation at the end of March

1,308 households were living in council-funded temporary accommodation and 542 families were in temporary private accommodation

A council report said the borough needs to create 8,600 new affordable homes by 2005

The Tally Ho Corner development has no affordable housing and families in affordable homes on Mill Hill's Inglis Barracks will be evicted