Greenwich Council is calling for an apology over an "appalling" advert flogging new Abbey Wood homes to wealthy Asian investors by boasting the block has "no social housing".

The advert for Abbey Tower  plugs an "exclusive launch" at a Hong Kong hotel of 32 apartments - the entire first phase of the landmark £85m Cross Quarter development - and tells buyers the building is a "fully private block with no social housing".

Cross Quarter, which will be moments from Abbey Wood's new Crossrail station, was approved in 2013, featuring a Sainsbury's supermarket, hotel, nursery school and 216 homes - just 23 of which will be "affordable" in one of south east London's poorest areas.

Green Party London Assembly Member Darren Johnson said: "Boasting about the absence of social housing in adverts for new developments shows that housing policy in London is about meeting the needs of wealthy investors, not about the needs of ordinary Londoners. At least this appalling advert is honest about it."

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Greenwich Council has called for the company to apologise for its "crass" advert. Cabinet member for regeneration and transport Councillor Danny Thorpe said: "Quite why these homes are being marketed in Hong Kong is unclear when there is such a great level of housing need in London.

"We have contacted the developer to express our thoughts in the strongest possible terms and have requested a meeting with them to discuss their approach urgently.

"In the meantime, I would urge them to issue a full apology, retract this advert and take a moment to reflect on their contribution to alleviating the current housing crisis in London, rather than focusing on their planned sales event in Hong Kong."

A spokesman for Development Securities said: "The 32 apartment Abbey Tower is just the first phase of this development and it is being marketed to a wide range of audiences, starting with a launch in London to give the local market the first opportunity to buy at the scheme."

He added that the project would provide aorund £1.2m investment into Crossrail and local infrastructurre, along with 300 jobs, apublic square and library.

It's the second time in recent weeks that a Development Securities project has proved controversial. A video promoting subsidiary company Cathedral's Deptford Rise scheme, which claimed property investors could cash in on the area's arty atmosphere before prices rose, had to be taken down from the internet after people reacted furiously. 

One online commenter claimed the video had made them "physically sick".

The company is also involved in projects like Greenwich's Alcatel-Lucent factory scheme - rebranded Telegraph Works and featuring just 15 per cent affordable housing. The company boasts it has already made a £9m profit on that site by selling land to Weston Homes.

Mr Johnson said: "The Mayor of London's voluntary agreement with developers on marketing isn’t worth the paper it’s written on. He should lobby for measures like a land value tax to stop this rampant speculation on new housing, and ensure every new development is built with social housing."