Following a walk of London’s 169-mile loop Green Belt walk, Bexley and Bromley London Assembly member Thomas Turrell AM said he feels “disgusted” over the news of Sadiq Khan’s proposals to build housing on London’s Green Belt.
Sadiq Khan announced plans to “actively explore” building on some of London’s green belt in a bid to fix the capital’s housing crisis.
The Mayor of London argues that “the status quo is wrong, out-of-date and simply unsustainable”, with a generation of Londoners unable to rent or buy a home.
Under the proposals, London’s planners will look to release some green belt land for housebuilding, but with conditions on affordable housing, energy efficiency, transport links and promoting access to green spaces such as parks.
However Mr Turrell opposed these plans, expressing concerns that they will “make nature less accessible” for economically deprived communities in London.
In a statement, Mr Turrell also added that he felt that Sadiq had “lied to Londoners faces” after having previously spoken of the benefits that London’s Green Belt provided for environment and mental wellbeing.
Thomas Turrell AM said: “Having just walked the entire London Loop, I’ve seen first-hand the incredible value our green belt brings to our city – from biodiversity and flood protection to mental wellbeing and clean air.
“The Green Belt also offers accessible open space to thousands of Londoners who don’t have a garden. These plans make nature less accessible for some of the poorest in society.
“I am absolutely disgusted that the Mayor has lied to Londoners faces. He has previously spoken about the benefits the Green Belt brings to London in terms of environment and mental wellbeing.
“Now he’s prepared to turn his back on Londoners and green spaces to satisfy his masters in No10, selling out London in the process.“
The announcement marks a change in stance for Sir Sadiq, who has previously argued against releasing green belt land while there are still previously developed brownfield sites available.
The announcement comes as Sir Sadiq launches a consultation on the next version of the London Plan, which will set out his vision for development in the capital over the next two decades.
London has a new target of building 88,000 new homes a year, but the current plan, which expects all housing supply to come from brownfield sites, is delivering only around 40,000 a year.
Meanwhile, rents in London rose by 11.5 per cent last year and councils are spending £4 million a day on temporary accommodation amid increasing homelessness.
City Hall has already begun a review of green belt land in line with the Government’s policy of building more on low-quality parts of the green belt, so-called “grey belt” land.
But this is expected to go further, investigating other possibilities for securing enough land to meet London’s housing needs.
Sir Sadiq said “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 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.”
The Government has welcomed the move, with Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner calling it a “bold proposal” that “rises to the challenge of tackling London’s housing crisis”.
