LONDON, UK — Mayor Sadiq Khan has come under fire for plans to allow development on parts of London’s green belt land, with critics accusing him of “sacrificing” the capital’s green spaces to satisfy the Labour government and address the city’s deepening housing crisis.
The Mayor is expected to announce on Friday that City Hall will “actively explore” building on select green belt sites, a significant shift in policy aimed at tackling the chronic shortage of affordable housing in London.
Susan Hall AM, Leader of the City Hall Conservatives, issued a scathing response, accusing Khan of abandoning his environmental commitments. “Once again, Sadiq Khan has shown his true colours by dancing to the tune the Labour Government sets,” she said. “This is a Mayor who will sacrifice London’s precious green spaces to appease his Labour paymasters. Londoners elected him on a promise to protect our environment, but it’s now clear those promises weren’t worth the recycled paper they were printed on.”
In a scheduled speech in Greenwich, Khan is expected to argue that the current system governing London’s land use is outdated and unable to cope with modern demands. “The status quo is wrong, out-of-date and simply unsustainable,” he is expected to say. “We have to be honest with Londoners that this alone will not be enough to meet our needs.”
The new approach would allow the release of green belt land for development, but only under strict conditions. These include requirements for affordable housing, high energy efficiency standards, improved transport links, and efforts to ensure public access to new and existing green spaces, as reported by the Daily Express.
The announcement marks a notable change in tone from the Mayor, who has previously resisted building on green belt land, arguing that London should prioritise brownfield sites—previously developed land—before encroaching on protected areas.
However, with thousands of Londoners priced out of both renting and buying homes, Khan is expected to warn that relying solely on brownfield sites will not be enough to address the city’s housing needs.
While environmental campaigners and political opponents are likely to push back against the plan, housing advocates may welcome the move as a necessary step toward addressing London’s growing affordability crisis.
The debate over green belt development has long divided opinion in the capital, and Khan’s proposal is set to ignite further discussion over how to balance housing demand with environmental preservation.
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