Dartford could ditch Kent to become part of London borough, a planning expert has claimed.
Professor Paul Cheshire, hailed as one of planning industry’s most influential people, has announced that the capital's boundaries should be re-drawn, encompassing Dartford as part of the Greater London Authority (GLA).
The Professor of Economic Geography at the London School of Economics (LSE) told News Shopper that the changes would improve transport in Dartford and help solve London's housing crisis.
Professor Paul Cheshire
He said: "Dartford is already part of London economically speaking. We need to have boundaries that reflect economic reality, which they currently do not.
"A high percentage of people who live in Dartford already commute to London for work so to extend the boundaries it would improve transport links to the south."
Prof Cheshire told News Shopper that London's boundaries have been expanding for 500 years.
The city's boundary was last redrawn in 1965.
Councillor Jeremy Kite
But, Dartford Council leader, Councillor Jeremy Kite has slammed the saying: "It's wrong, wrong, wrong.
"I don't like it, the people of Dartford don't like it - it's just not something that people want to happen."
Cllr Kite added: "This sort of thing comes around every two or three years and this strikes me to be the view of one academic.
"I think it's about social housing.
"It won't help the housing crisis - we don't want to share our social housing list.
"97.5 per cent of social housing in Dartford belongs to people from Dartford - that's not an accident, it's our policy."
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