Parts of London's green belt should be opened up for housing development to solve the capital's crisis, experts said at a summit on Wednesday. The Centre for London think tank argued that while increasing density in inner city and suburbs is crucial, the gap between supply and demand can only be closed by building on sections of the rural ring.
Researcher Jon Tabbush said the green belt, established in 1938 to prevent urban sprawl, now covers an area three times larger than London. He noted that past policies like building New Towns have been abandoned, leaving a restrictive framework without outlets for growth. This creates 'structural unfairness' for Londoners, who face higher housing costs and poverty rates compared to other English regions.
Tabbush pointed to Copenhagen's 'green fingers' approach as a model, where sustainable, rail-led development extends beyond the belt. He suggested centring new development on rail lines would naturally create a similar pattern. Tory Lord Shaun Bailey echoed the call for realism, stating that much of London's green belt does not resemble rolling hills and that politicians must be brave about where to build.
However, Deputy Mayor for Housing Tom Copley reaffirmed Sadiq Khan's 'brownfield first' policy, prioritising building on vacant and previously developed land. He acknowledged that Labour has proposed allowing construction on 'low quality' parts of the green belt, known as 'grey belt', but said the party would need to assess implications for London if it wins the next election.
Lord Bailey criticised the mayor's affordable housing programme, which aims to start 23,900 homes by March 2026. He noted that only 1,700 homes have begun construction halfway through the programme, despite £4 billion in government funding. City Hall attributed the delay to government signing delays, with construction only starting in the second half of last year.
