Below is the start of the lead piece from the latest edition of the On London Extra newsletter, published on Substack. It links to the rest at the end. Sales of On London Extra finance the whole of this website. A free trial is available.
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Downing Street has said it will back city Mayors with building big housing schemes and has named Enfield Council as a blocker. That borough is now led by a very right-wing Tory thanks to a handful of Greens enabling it. Those theoretical progressives share the right-wing Tory’s view that a New Town should not be permitted on Green Belt land. But it looks as if this blue-green conservationist alliance is out of luck.
Tools already exist for over-riding the objections of local London politicians to large development schemes. They are in Sadiq Khan’s hands, and the Prime Minister has signalled that he wants them used. The key one is the creation of a fourth Mayoral Development Corporation, following those set up for the Olympic Park, Old Oak and Park Royal and, most recently, the Oxford Street district. The local rail service would come under the control of TfL, including Crews Hill station which serves the earmarked area.
The stage is therefore set for a major test of London government’s vision, values and know-how. What will be required to construct the New Town and do it well?
Read the whole thing here.