A Bromley Green Party member has called for the council to take up a London-wide environmental initiative.

Mary Ion, local candidate for Bromley Town, has requested Bromley Council include planning policies for the ‘All London Green Grid’ in its new local plan.

Bromley Council is one of 15 across the capital that has not signed up for the Greater London Authority scheme, which looks to improve green spaces for residents and wildlife.

Mrs Ion said: “"We have such a wonderful network of green spaces in Bromley, we have to protect and improve them.

“It's important that the council makes space for birds, insects and other species as well as open spaces for residents.

“To get this right while building new homes, the council has to plan it properly. I hope they develop this new policy as soon as possible."

Bromley Council's executive for the environement, Colin Smith, said: “As the local Green Party have been told previously and should therefore be very well aware, we have been supportive of protecting green space and Green Belt for many, many years and residents should be in no doubt that this will continue.

"The ‘All London Green Grid’ (ALGG) is already part of supplementary planning guidance and as such is already a consideration in planning applications. Interested residents will be able to see that the Council has already signalled its support for the so-called London’s Downlands Area Framework of which our Borough is part.

"Whilst there is no specific reference to the ALGG in the adopted or emerging Local Plan for Bromley, our emerging plan does embody the principles being advocated without the unnecessary duplication."