Hayes (Kent) Community

Four Tory London councils have refused to participate in a review of the city’s green belt led by Sir Sadiq Khan’s office. The review will examine rural land and other green spaces in 18 suburban boroughs, to assess which areas could eventually be re-designated as ‘grey belt’ – enabling homes to be built on them.

But Bexley, Bromley, Croydon and Hillingdon have all declined the mayor’s invitation – given to all 18 affected boroughs – to be a “member” of the review. Green belt land is currently protected from most forms of development, due to laws dating back to before the Second World War.

But, the Labour Government has promised to “take a more strategic approach” to the green belt, by re-classifying “low quality” parts into the new grey belt category. Ministers hope that doing so will help them achieve their target of building 1.5m homes over the course of the current Parliament – which would require levels of house-building not seen since the 1970s.