The leader of Dartford Council has insisted the council has “an amazing record” of providing affordable homes after the Labour Party slammed the Ebbsfleet Garden City development for “failing to provide housing for all.”

Jeremy Kite said the council’s record was “better than all the other Kent boroughs” in providing affordable housing after Labour slammed the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation for not offering any homes for social rent on the site.

Labour politicians in Dartford claim that the only affordable housing options to be made available are shared ownership and affordable rent – which will be charged at 80 per cent the value of market rent.

Responding to questions tabled by the Labour Party, the Corporation said: “The affordable housing products being delivered in the EDC area are shared ownership and affordable rent rather than social rent.

“These products have been agreed by the respective housing authorities.”

Deputy leader of Dartford Labour, Josh Jones, said: “It’s disappointing to see that despite over £300 million of public money being directed to the EDC, the rates of affordable housing remain so low and that excludes any houses for social rent.

“With housing waiting lists and levels of homelessness rising we should be using the Garden City as an opportunity to address this and provide homes for local people who are struggling to find a place of their own.”

He claimed that, although options were being offered for affordable housing, many Dartford residents would still struggle to afford rent at 80 per cent of market value.

Mr Kite said Labour’s figures were “just wrong” and accused the Labour Party of “presenting problems, rather than offering solutions.”

He added that the council is building council housing across Dartford, including houses available for social rent.

“It’s very frustrating as you can’t do any more than achieving best in Kent for affordable homes,” Mr Kite told News Shopper.

Ebbsfleet Garden City is expected to offer a total of 15,000 homes when construction is completed.

So far, 851 houses on the site have been completed, 129 of which are affordable. 

Planning permission has recently been granted for the construction of new houses on the site, 372 of which will be made affordable.