New figures have revealed a soaring rise in the number of families living in temporary housing in Barnet.

Since 1997, the number of households in temporary accommodation in the borough has risen from 800 to 2,456 - almost double the London average.

The figures were published by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Councillor Ross Houston, Labour's housing and community safety spokesman, said: "The council's own figures show housing need in Barnet is greater than average and the latest homelessness figures bear this out. Yet this council has the worst record in London in producing new affordable homes.

"Barnet has a wonderful opportunity, with massive brownfield development sites such as Brent Cross Cricklewood, to deliver these much-needed new affordable homes. The only thing lacking is the political will."

He condemned proposals for less than 15 per cent affordable new homes on the Brent Cross Cricklewood development as "appalling", adding: "Developers think Barnet will let them get away with flouting the borough's own targets - we are not taking a tough enough line."

Under targets set by the Mayor of London, new housing developments in Barnet of ten units or more must contain at least 50 per cent affordable housing.

Leader of the Liberal Democrat group Monroe Palmer blamed the rise in temporary housing figures on the council's slowness in getting regeneration estates up and running, and highlighted the social problems caused when people are forced to move from place to place.

He said: "Being in temporary accommodation does not allow people to put down lasting roots - it doesn't allow people to build up relationships with schools, GPs, and all the other various services people use. It is not an encouragement to making life more secure, and it may cause more antisocial behaviour among youngsters."

Conservative councillor Lynne Hillan, cabinet member for community services, said that while the figures appear high they include people rehoused onto the borough's four regeneration estates.

She said: "These are not bed and breakfasts, they are proper council properties.

If you remove those people from the figures, it shows our temporary accommodation figures are reducing. The regeneration schemes are slow, but not any slower than anybody else's. At least at the end of it people are going to get nice new homes."