Sadiq Khan challenged Sir Keir Starmer by stating that he supports the green belt status quo. Photo: Holly Adams/Getty
Sadiq Khan has opened a public split with Sir Keir Starmer over the Labor leader's green belt housing plan.
The Mayor of London has said he is “committed to defending” the capital's greenbelt and that even “abandoned and unsightly” parts of it should be barred from development.
Sir Keir said last month that councils should be given the ability to build on certain sections of the Green Belt, as he promised that the Labor government would be on the side of “the builders, not the blockers.”
“We need to have this discussion,” he said. “But this cannot be reduced to a simple discussion of whether you will or will not build a green belt. That's why it's important that local communities have the right to decide where housing will be located.”
In a subsequent interview with the BBC, he said: “We would make this difficult choice and say that the adjacent areas, even though it's a green belt, if it's a car park or similar land that doesn't spoil the beauty of our countryside… then we'll change the planning rules, we'll give you the authority to do so.” /p>
Teresa Villiers, former environment minister, says Labour's green belt policy is “another big reason people come out and vote against them.” especially in the suburbs.” Photo: Teri Pengilli.
However, Mr. Khan challenged the Labor leader, saying he supports the status quo.
Asked about the mayor's position in light of Sir Keir's comments, Mr Khan's spokesman pointed to his London Plan – a strategy developed in 2021 to inform planning decisions in the capital for the next two decades – which strongly supports the green belt.
Importantly, the document appears to rule out Sir Keir's proposal to build on “land that does not affect the beauty of our countryside.”
The plan stated: “Openness and permanence are important characteristics green belt, but despite its open nature, some parts of the green belt do not bring significant benefits to Londoners, as they have become abandoned and unsightly.
< p>“However, this is not an acceptable reason for development.
“These abandoned sites can make a positive contribution to biodiversity conservation, flood prevention and climate resilience.
“The mayor will work with the districts and other strategic partners to expand access to the Green Belt and improve the quality of these areas in ways appropriate for the Green Belt.”Andrew Boff, who is running for Conservative mayoral candidate, says abandoned greenbelt lots need to be protected. Belinda Jiao
A spokesperson for Mr Khan said: “The Mayor is committed to protecting London's green belt. It performs a number of vital functions, including mitigating the effects of the climate crisis and protecting the green spaces that Londoners depend on.
“The Mayor believes that where green space development is permitted, it should be very limited, and the Mayor’s London Plan makes it clear that green space boundaries should only be changed in exceptional circumstances.
“The Kindergarten has started a record number of truly affordable homes by working with partners to successfully carve out more abandoned land for residential development.”
The disagreement is the most significant split between the two Labor politicians since Mr Khan's comments in January that the UK should consider re-joining the EU's single market and customs union, a policy Sir Keir ruled out.
< p>Despite Mr Khan reaffirming his support for the green belt, the Tories are likely to try to use Sir Keir's policies against the mayor of London ahead of next year's mayoral election.
'Green belt defended London'< p>Teresa Villiers, former Environment Minister and MP for Chipping Barnet's London headquarters, told The Telegraph that Labour's green belt policy was “another big reason people came out and voted against them, especially in the suburbs”.
“Green Belt protected London and gave it real green lungs,” she said. “Seeing it torn apart is really unsettling.”
Ms Villiers added that “a reaffirmation of strong support for the defense of the green belt” should be “part of the platform” for anyone running for Tory mayoralty.
Andrew Boff, a member of the London Assembly running for the nomination, said abandoned sites in the green belt should be protected.
In an interview with The Telegraph earlier this year, he said: “ People say, “Well, you might lose a little of that, and that piece of green belt that doesn't look so green, we might lose that.”
“Well, the moment you start walking If you compromise, you can write off the whole amount.
“Because the moment you say you can compromise on the green belt, the people who own the green belt plots of land will intentionally abandon it.”
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