Sir Sadiq Khan has announced a major shift in planning policy by pledging to “actively explore” the release of selected parts of Green Belt land in Greater London for homebuilding.
Speaking in Greenwich, the Mayor said the “extraordinary challenge” presented by the capital’s escalating housing shortages requires a “radical step-change in our approach”, which “would allow us to unlock hundreds of thousands of good quality new homes for Londoners”.
Khan announced his decision as he launches a consultation about the next London Plan, the master planning framework for Greater London which guides the evolution of its built environment and other infrastructure for the next 20 years or more, alongside social and economic strategies.
Previously, Khan has firmly opposed erosions of the Green Belt protections, telling The Economist in 2016 during the first of his three successful election campaigns “there is plenty of scope to fix the housing crisis without building on the Green Belt” and that London was “nowhere, nowhere, nowhere near” needing to look beyond making the best use of land not covered by them.
However, in today’s speech he said he believes “the status quo is wrong, out-of-date and simply unsustainable” in a situation where “at stake is the fundamental promise of our city – that if you work hard, London will work for you”.
His focus will be on land close to existing transport links with the potential to accommodate hundreds of thousands of homes, delivered as part of a “new consensus” about the urgent need for more affordable housing.
The context for Khan’s change of heart is the Labour government’s headline pledge to bring about the building of 1.5 million new homes nationally during its expected five-year term – an average of 300,000 a year, of which London is expected to contribute almost 88,000 a year.
Khan’s Green Belt commitment is in line with Sir Keir Starmer’s continuing intention to see so-called “grey belt” land – officially within Green Belt areas but of poor quality and sometimes already built on – brought forward for development.
London’s Mayors do not deliver housing themselves and planning applications for any type of development are initially made to London borough councils and determined by their planning committees.
However, since 2008 Mayors have had powers to intervene in local decisions that meet “strategic” criteria for the capital, either requiring changes so that they conform to London Plan policies or taking over the applications themselves, meaning boroughs and developers need to be mindful of mayoral priorities when assessing and devising housing and other schemes.
Deputy Prime Minister and housing secretary Angela Rayner has backed the Mayor’s initiative, saying “a whole generation of Londoners will be able to tell you of the horror stories they’ve faced while trying to find a suitable home in our capital” and emphasising that the 1.5 million national target “cannot be met without London being ambitious”.
Claire Holland, chair of the cross-party body London Councils, which represents the capital’s 33 local authorities, said: “London is grappling with the worst housing pressures in the country and there is a desperate need to build new homes, particularly more affordable homes. We look forward to helping inform the development of the new London Plan to achieve this goal and ensure that it meets the needs of our local communities.”
Seeking to address concerns about environmental damage and loss of green space, Khan challenged “the perception many people have” that Green Belt is “all beautiful countryside, green and pleasant land, rich with wildlife” when the reality it cis often different and “only around 13 per cent is made up of parks and areas that the public can access”.
He added: “I can assure Londoners that we’ll attach the right conditions to any release of the Green Belt. Not only will we always make the best use of land, maximise the level of affordable housing and produce high-quality, energy-efficient homes with good transport connectivity, but we’ll ensure we increase biodiversity and public access to good quality green spaces.”
Anticipating the speech, Muniya Barua, deputy chief executive at BusinessLDN, said “the Mayor’s commitment to actively explore releasing poor quality parts of the capital’s Green Belt close to transport links is a very welcome step forward to tackling the city’s housing crisis – an approach we have long championed” and also welcomed the “crucial opportunity” to create a “slimmer” London Plan to facilitate development.
However, she stressed that the government and City Hall’s planning reforms “will require backing with hard cash during next month’s spending review”, describing this as “vital to unlock additional private investment that can support a step-change in delivery of affordable homes, as well as major transport and infrastructure projects required to boost growth”.
OnLondon.co.uk provides unique, no-advertising and no-paywall coverage of the capital’s politics, development and culture. Support the website and its writers for just £5 a month or £50 a year and get things that other people won’t. Details HERE. Follow Dave Hill on Bluesky.
I wish they would give examples of this “grey belt” idea rather than, simply state it exists. Also, will these houses be council houses? I have many questions.
Khan should be looking to improve those ‘poor quality’ sections of London’s vitally important green belt, not covering them in housing that is substandard in terms of zero carbon and climate change.
Because that is what UK developers build, way behind other countries, hide-bound ideas and bad developments. Khan should look to cities like Copenhagen before thinking about any housing developments in London.
Khan should also be turning office buildings into housing, and using CPO powers to turn all those miles of suburban housing into taller multiplexes, all eco-housing. Not attacking the green belt that London needs so badly, that wildlife, including insects, need so badly. Bad thinking, poor decision.