New rental flats on a Muswell Hill development will be hundreds of pounds per month more expensive than planned, Haringey Council has confirmed. 

The authority had planned to let 32 properties on the former Cranwood care home site in Woodside Avenue at social rents.  

But the plan has now been abandoned, with the council blaming soaring costs.  

“Over the past two years, construction costs have risen by a third,” said Ruth Gordon, Labour cabinet member for house-building. 

“In six months, interest rate costs have more than doubled.” 

The development has already been mired in controversy.

Haringey initially planned to buy up a row of houses in Woodside Avenue, then bulldoze them to facilitate the development. 

That plan was abandoned after thousands signed a petition – but then the Local Government Ombudsman said the U-turn had not been properly considered.  

That finding led to former council leader Joe Ejiofor being deselected as a candidate in this year’s local elections. 

Now Lib Dem councillors have raised further concerns after the plan to let properties on the development at social rents - ratified only last month - were abandoned. 

Ten one-bedroom flats on the development were due to be rented at a maximum of £504.66 per month. 

But they will now be let under “London affordable rents” instead of social rents - meaning the maximum cost will be £731.99 per month. 

Seventeen two-bedroom flats, which would have cost a maximum of £624.03 per month, will now be let at up to £775 per month.  

Five three-bedroom properties, which would have been capped at £725.95 per month, will now cost up to £818.05. 

Pippa Connor, Lib Dem councillor for Muswell Hill, said Haringey Council had already “burned through” so much trust in the area that “you’d expect Haringey to stick 100% to their promises going forwards”. 

“Yet now it appears that the assurances the cabinet gave in November meant nothing,” she said. 

“I would ask that the cabinet rethinks this new position and brings back social rents to Cranwood.” 

But Cllr Gordon said the change of plan was a “sensible” move to “protect the programme financially”. 

“Moving some of our council homes to London affordable rent ensures that we can deliver our housing programme,” she said. 

“Delivering council homes is my primary objective.” 

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