Croydon Council has announced it will formally oppose the Mayor of London’s draft London Plan, arguing that proposals to build thousands of homes on Green Belt land would undermine protections for the borough’s open spaces.
The draft plan, published for consultation last week, sets a target for Croydon to deliver 21,544 new homes over the next decade. Of those, 15,944 would be built on brownfield land, while a further 5,600 homes are proposed on Green Belt land as part of a growth area between Croydon and New Addington.
Although any changes to Green Belt boundaries would require approval through Croydon’s own Local Plan process, the council said it does not accept that meeting housing targets should depend on developing protected land.
Instead, the authority is calling on City Hall and the Government to prioritise brownfield development and ensure homes that already have planning permission are delivered before Green Belt sites are considered.
The council said more than 300,000 homes had already been granted planning permission across London by 2025, arguing that increasing housing targets and allocating additional land alone would not address the capital’s housing shortage.
Executive Mayor Jason Perry said: ‘I am clear that Croydon will oppose the draft London Plan in its current form. We need more homes, including affordable homes, but our Green Belt is sacrosanct. The Mayor of London’s Plan identifies capacity for nearly 16,000 homes on brownfield land in Croydon. That must be the priority, alongside making schemes viable and getting existing permissions moving.
‘Whilst I am Mayor, Croydon Council will always stand up for our Green Belt and for the right of local communities to shape the places where they live.’
The draft London Plan, which is now out for public consultation until 15 October, sets out the Mayor’s long-term vision for the capital’s growth, covering housing, transport, jobs, the environment and public spaces.
Croydon Council said it is preparing its formal response to the consultation, which will argue for continued protection of Green Belt land, more realistic housing targets and greater support for developing brownfield sites.
Perry is also London Councils’ Executive Member for Planning, Infrastructure and Regeneration and says he plans to raise the issue through London Councils, calling for boroughs to have a greater role in shaping the final London Plan so that it better reflects local priorities and challenges.
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