Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has revealed that City Hall is exploring the release of parts of London’s green belt for housing development.
Given the extent of the housing shortage and the nature of much of London’s green belt, Khan said the current protection for green belt was “wrong, out-of-date and simply unsustainable”.
He believes that hundreds of thousands of new homes could be built on what is currently green belt land.
Sites to be released will be required to be near railway stations, and Khan reckons that by requiring developers to combine their developments with biodiversity net gain requirements, environmental opposition can be won over.
Khan said: “The perception many people have is that the green belt is all beautiful countryside, green and pleasant land, rich with wildlife. The reality is very different. The green belt can often be low-quality land, poorly maintained and rarely enjoyed by Londoners. Only around 13% is made up of parks and areas that the public can access.
“So given the quality of parts of the London’s green belt and the extent of the housing crisis, I believe the status quo is wrong, out-of-date and simply unsustainable. Development on carefully chosen parts of the green belt – done in the right way – would allow us to unlock hundreds of thousands of good quality new homes for Londoners. This would not only go a long way to ending the housing crisis but provide a huge boost to our economy.”
Deputy prime minister and housing secretary Angela Rayner commented: “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.”
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