London Mayor Boris Johnson has seemingly contradicted himself over the controversial Enderby Wharf scheme.

The Mayor office gave the thumbs up to the controversial cruise liner planned for Greenwich after the council approved it at a planning meeting in July.

Mr Johnson ignored calls from residents and community groups who are concerned about the impact the development will have on air pollution.

According to the developer generators on medium sized cruise ships consume around 700 litres of diesel fuel per hour - equivalent to 400 idle lorries.

Billed as London’s first passenger cruise terminal, the Royal Borough could see up to 55 cruise ships each year.

Despite approving it, when asked by assembly member Jenny Jones at Mayor’s question time last month, Mr Johnson appeared to acknowledge the possible detrimental effect on air quality.

He said: “One of the great illusions is that river traffic or boat transport is in some way more environmentally friendly than others. It simply is not.

MORE TOP STORIES “These boats use colossal diesel engines. We have got to make sure that we mitigate the impact of cruise ships arriving at Enderby Wharf in Greenwich.

“Although the funnels will be very high - they will not be, as some people have said, at street level - they will unquestionably be, in my view, adding to mono-nitrogen oxides (Nox) and to other pollution in the area.”

He pointed towards £400,000 which has been set aside for environmental monitoring and improving air quality. 

Ms Jones, a member of the Green Party, has been in favour of scrapping the scheme.

She responded to the mayor by saying: “You are almost arguing against what the Greater London Authority (GLA) has determined.

“I feel the GLA has played down all the pollution fears.”

But the mayor continued to defend the scheme, saying jobs and revenue were at stake, and claimed “local people are broadly supportive of the scheme”.

More than 100 letters of objection were received by Greenwich council before it was approved, with just three in support.

The proposals also include 477 homes, a skills academy, restaurants and retail units, and could be up and running by 2017.