Berkeley has defended its decision to slash more than two thirds of the affordable housing in its controversial 877-home plans to redevelop a Peckham shopping centre on the first day of a public inquiry into the scheme.

The developer said “no reasonable developer” could deliver the 35% London Plan minimum for affordable housing on the Aylesham Centre site and described the number as “simply unattainable” in its opening statement to the eight-day inquiry, which opened yesterday.

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