A campaign against Sadiq Khans 'London plan' has been labelled a success- after the government ordered the mayor to make changes to meet housing needs.

 

MP Gareth Bacon campaigned against ‘London plan’ due to concern it would threaten the green belt, de-prioritise family homes, and fail to meet the housing needs of London.

The London Plan is a statutory Spatial Development Strategy that includes the Mayor’s general policies with the development and use of land in Greater London. 

In a letter from the Secretary of State for Housing, Robert Jenrick ordered the Mayor to amend his draft London Plan.

Orders were to:
•Abandon the “no net loss” of industrial land policy which would restrict house building on large swathes of brownfield land.

•Amend the London Plan to recognise “the need for additional family housing”.

•Reinforce the national protections for the green belt.

Gareth Bacon MP said:

“The Mayor’s draft London Plan would have had disastrous consequences for Orpington and outer London.

“I promised to fight the Planning Inspectorate's recommendation to review the green belt if I was elected.

"I am pleased that the Government has rejected it today.

“Outer London’s green belt protects our environment, safeguards the unique nature of Orpington and the surrounding villages, and prevents unchecked urban sprawl.

“It must be protected.

"We need a brownfield first approach to housing otherwise, we risk untold damage to our communities and the environment.

“Khan's reckless proposal would have threatened the green belt and prevented thousands of new homes being developed.

“That’s why I am pleased Sadiq Khan’s effective ban on building on brownfield land has been rejected.

“London desperately needs new homes, but we need the right homes, in the right places, with the proper infrastructure.

“Sadiq Khan’s building plans would have wrecked communities like Orpington’s and failed to deliver the family homes our city needs.”