Mayor of London considers releasing greenbelt land for housing

The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is to announce that City Hall is considering releasing part of London’s green belt to enable development. This is a change of heart from the mayor, who had previously been against releasing part of the green belt for development.

However, London needs 88,000 new homes a year over the next decade to meet demand, which is a level of development never seen before. The mayor, therefore, has realised her must be honest with Londoners that the current approach to only build on ‘brownfield’ will never be enough to meet the scale of the challenge.

For Sadiq Khan, releasing some of London’s green belt has the capacity to unlock hundreds of thousands of new homes for Londoners, including social homes, which would both help to reduce the housing crisis and boost the economy.

The mayor is to stress that the right transport and infrastructure will be key here, through enabling higher density developments near public transport connections. Working closely with the government, he intends to metro-ise London’s rail lines and extend the Bakerloo line and Docklands Light Railway.

City Hall is to stress that there will be conditions on releasing green belt land, not only to maximise the level of affordable, energy-efficient homes, but also to ensure that is an increase in biodiversity and public access to green spaces.

The mayor will not cast aside environmental risks, and will work with environmental campaigners to ensure that the environment is enhanced and London ins greener than ever.

This announcement follows the mayor’s consultation to shape the next London Plan, which sets out the Mayor’s vision for how the capital will develop over the next 20 to 25 years.

In support of the mayor of London’s plan, deputy prime minister and housing secretary Angela Rayner said: “We all know someone who has been affected by the acute and entrenched housing crisis we’ve inherited, and the picture in London is as stark as anywhere. 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.

“We cannot end the housing crisis and build the 1.5 million homes we need without London being ambitious in its approach. That’s why the government welcomes the bold proposal announced by the mayor today, which rises to the challenge of tackling London’s housing crisis. The mayor of London has our backing to deliver the housing this city needs, in line with our ambition nationally, to unlock the dream of a secure home for a generation.”