The number of households being placed in temporary accommodation in Greenwich has risen by more than 170 per cent in the last four years.

Bosses at Greenwich Council have blamed rising rent prices in the borough's private sector for driving prices up to become unaffordable for many residents.

Between March 2013 and September last year there was a 172 per cent surge in the number of people being placed in temporary accommodation.

A report from the leader of the council said: "Rising rents against static Local Housing Allowances Levels (LHA), fixed by the Government until 2018, and welfare reforms have contributed to the private rented sector market becoming largely unaffordable to many in the Borough."

The loss of privately rented accommodation made up for 52.2 per cent of cases where occupants became made homeless last year.

More than 575 households were living in temporary accommodation by September last year.

Whilst hundreds of people manage to avoid losing their homes and accommodation, homelessness in general has continued to rise in Greenwich - as it has across the capital.

Councillor Averil Lekau, cabinet member for housing and anti-poverty, said: “As with other London boroughs, there is a sustained rise in the numbers of people presenting to the Council as homeless. This can in part be attributed to the decreasing number of private rental accommodation being available, which accounted for 52.2% of cases where households where accepted as homeless during 2016/17.

“The council is the first in the country to be given a Gold Standard award from the Government for its ongoing work to prevent homelessness. This includes early intervention work and reducing the number of households in temporary accommodation.”

“The council is targeting its work to tackle homelessness in the borough, by working with other social housing providers, by creating opportunities for more access to social housing and with a new support project to target homeless single people when they come to us for housing, giving them individual support, guidance and signposting to housing opportunities.

“Homelessness is a concern locally and we are doing all we can to rise to the challenge of meeting and tackling it.”

Planning permission has been granted for 2,380 new homes in the borough in the last year, and 331 of these have been earmarked to be affordable.

Resident groups have been set up to lobby against major regeneration schemes over the levels of housing included.

One group - Speak Out Woolwich - is petitioning the council over the proposed plans for the Spray Street Quarter - which includes plans for 14.5 per cent of housing being social rents.

Another petition was handed to the council over proposals by Meyer Homes which have since been recommended for refusal.

Campaigners said that scheme did not feature housing that would "work for everyone".