Khan targets green belt to fix capital’s housing crisis

The London mayor will rip up the rules protecting green belt land in a bid to build almost a million much-needed new homes for Londoners.

- ARCHIE MITCHELL

Sir Sadiq Khan is promising a “radical change of approach” to the green belt, where most forms of development are forbidden, to help tackle the capital’s “pervasive and profound” housing crisis.

In a controversial speech, Sir Sadiq will hit out at what he says are myths 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 lowquality land, poorly maintained and rarely enjoyed by Londoners,” he will say today.

Vowing to end the city’s housing crisis, the mayor will say that development in carefully chosen areas – done in the right way – will allow City Hall to unlock hundreds of thousands of goodquality new homes for Londoners. Sir Sadiq has said 88,000 new homes are needed in London each year for the next decade to meet the growing demand for housing.