Khan sparks uproar with plan to build on London Green Belt

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has triggered a political firestorm by announcing plans to “actively explore” building new homes on London’s protected green belt – a dramatic shift in policy he says is essential to tackle the capital’s deepening housing crisis.

In a major speech this week, Khan said the city faced “the most profound housing crisis in its history” and called the status quo on green belt protection “wrong, out-of-date and simply unsustainable”. He said City Hall would support the strategic release of “low-quality or inaccessible” green belt land – provided developments were near public transport and included affordable housing, environmental enhancements and access to new green space.

The policy, which will form part of the new London Plan, received swift backing from Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, who called it a “bold” move that meets the scale of London’s housing challenge. But it drew fierce backlash from Conservatives and conservation groups, who labelled it “environmental vandalism”.

Reversal draws accusations of betrayal

Khan had long pledged to protect London’s green belt, repeatedly telling the London Assembly he would focus on brownfield development first. On Friday he admitted the announcement marked a “radical step-change”, but said it was necessary given soaring rents, school closures linked to family displacement, and over 90,000 children in London growing up in temporary accommodation.

Critics say the plan breaches trust. Susan Hall, the Conservative leader at City Hall, accused Khan of “dancing to Labour’s tune” and betraying Londoners. “His promises weren’t worth the recycled paper they were printed on,” she said. Tory MPs pointed to government data showing hundreds of thousands of unbuilt homes already have planning permission and called on Khan to force developers to deliver.

CPRE London, the countryside charity, said the answer isn’t building over fields but holding developers accountable. “Transform the market,” said CPRE’s Roger Mortlock, “don’t destroy it.”

Putney fears: AELTC, Wimbledon Park and Wandsworth Council moves

In South West London, the announcement has rekindled tensions over long-standing green space protections. Campaigners fighting the All England Lawn Tennis Club’s (AELTC) controversial expansion onto protected land in Wimbledon Park warned the Mayor’s policy opens the door to further erosion of Metropolitan Open Land (MOL). A judicial review into the AELTC plans is scheduled for July.

Meanwhile, critics are linking Khan’s proposal with local moves by Labour-controlled Wandsworth Council that they say also undercut protections. The council’s draft Events in Parks Policy would open up public parks to large-scale commercial festivals – a plan conservationists argue prioritises profit over tranquillity and nature. Elsewhere, the council proposed weakening the remit of the Conservation and Heritage Advisory Committee (CHAC), requiring it to consider the very planning documents that the mayor and Wandsworth Council are rewriting to include previously protected land when putting forward recommendations.

Can the plan work? And what are the alternatives?

Khan’s plan is bold – but whether it can work remains hotly debated. Supporters argue only 13% of the green belt is accessible parkland and that much of the rest is unused scrub, making selective development possible. The Mayor has insisted on “very special circumstances” and sustainability conditions, including biodiversity gains.

But opponents say even modest green belt erosion could set a precedent for wider loss. Others question whether developers will prioritise affordability and whether infrastructure – schools, GP surgeries, transport – can keep up.

Alternative solutions abound. Campaigners and policy experts point to underused brownfield sites, land banking by developers, and the need for more council-led housing projects. London has thousands of unbuilt homes already approved, and critics say focus should be on delivering those first.

A city-wide consultation on the next London Plan, including green belt reforms, is soon to open. Final decisions are expected in 2026.

We have created a long-read article on the Green Belt and Metropolitan Open Land, its intent, pressures to build on it, the London’s housing crisis that is driving these decisions, and a summary of what other cities in the UK and abroad have done to tackle the issue of housing and urban sprawl. Read it here.