A SENIOR politician in Worcester has attacked the Government over affordable housing - saying the city faces a "double whammy".

Councillor Roger Berry, the city council's cabinet member for housing and heritage, says he fears Worcester will pay a heavy price unless controversial planning law changes are overturned by the new Government.

One of David Cameron's last flagship projects was to announce new legislation forcing developers to build 'starter homes' to first-time buyers aged under 40.

The starter homes' prices will be capped at £250,000, with the new law stopping councils from insisting social rented housing must be included in developments of certain sizes - loosening their powers known as Section 106 agreements.

Mr Cameron dubbed his move 'Generation Buy', but Councillor Berry says the new-look Government needs to scrap the Housing and Planning Bill.

Last week the Worcester News revealed how development in the city surged 37 per cent to 637 properties last year, including a staggering 257 affordable homes.

But Councillor Berry said he fears the changes will see the supply of social rented properties grind to a halt.

"I'm always pleased by affordable housing and it's been a great success over the last year, but it will just not be delivered in future years," he said.

"The Government has hit us with a double whammy because under Section 106 agreements there will no longer be social housing but 'starter homes'.

"It's a tragedy. It's really very serious - the Housing Bill will damage affordable house building in this city."

The new rule changes became law in May after getting Royal Assent in parliament, but there is not expected to be any changes to it under the new Government.

Under the old rules, Worcester City Council asked developers to ensure 40 per cent of a new development was affordable housing if 12 or more units were being built.

Over the years many firms used a loophole to duck that obligation - known as an 'open book assessment' which examines the developer's level of expected profit.

But last year's figure of 257 new affordable homes built in Worcester was more the double the average of 106 over the previous decade.

The Government wants 200,000 new starter homes across Britain by 2020, saying it wants to move away from 'generation rent' to 'generation buy'.

Ministers say the rules will "unlock brownfield land to provide homes faster" and build on the biggest expansion of affordable property building since the 1970s.

Each starter home will be for sale with a 20 per cent discount off the true market value, capped at £250,000.