GLA sets out difficult choices for new mayor
A report released by the planning committee members of the London Assembly has recommended that the next London Mayor must consider extending expansion beyond London’s boundaries in order to meet extraordinary housing demand. The Planning Committee’s role at the GLA is to scrutinise the detail of the London plan and the Mayor’s use of planning powers.
Although the report says that development on brownfield land should be maximised, the option of looking to green belt for development should be considered as a last resort. It makes the point that the green belt should be "redefined to fit the 21st Century".
The report also recommends “increasing the density of some parts of suburbs, regenerating estates, and building new and expanded towns outside London’s boundaries.” despite recommending increased density, it sees tall residential buildings as “not the answer to London’s real housing needs.”
The report concludes that many different options and “tough decisions” must be considered to accommodate London’s increasing population.
Tories ramp up attack on Khan’s housing and fares policies
Zac Goldsmith has launched a broadside on his Labour rival’s policies for fares and housing as the London mayoral election is now less than 100 days away. In the renewed attack by the Tory hopeful, he has called the Labour candidate Sadiq Khan’s proposals “fantasy plans” which would do very little to help Londoners.
Mr Khan has promised a freeze on fares for the full four year term, which he claims will cost around £450m. But Goldsmith has highlighted TfL’s own figures which claim the policy would cost £1.9bn, a loss that he claims would mean “serious cuts to essential programmes like the tube upgrades”. Incumbent mayor Boris Johnson added to the criticism, claiming that his would-be successor would need to plug the gaps in TfL’s income “by whacking up council tax or putting in new congestion charges”.
Network extensions currently planned by TfL, such as the extension of the London Overground to Barking Riverside, are part of a plan to build of thousands of new homes. Goldsmith believes these homes would be jeopardised if TfL were forced to scale back its plans in the face of lower than expected fares income.
The also rans
In the first round of the YouGov poll taken at the start of January, Goldsmith and Khan hoovered up 80% of the vote between them. You’d be forgiven for not knowing there is anyone else running. Who are these future also-rans?
There’s Peter Whittle, the UKIP candidate and his party’s culture spokesperson. As well as supporting the typical UKIP fare of anti-EU and anti-immigration sentiment, he describes himself as a Peckham lad who wants to protect local communities. Whittle was controversially selected over UKIP’s deputy chair Suzanne Evans after rumours of disagreements between Evans and the party’s dominating leader, Nigel Farage.
Then there’s Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat candidate. She’s been a London Assembly Member and a Southwark Borough Councillor, whose plan for London focuses on alleviating the housing crisis – a problem felt keenly by many Londoners. Apart from rising rents, Pidgeon also wants to introduce measures to help people afford to live in the capital, including transport subsidies for low-paid workers.
Then there are the ‘others’. The Green’s candidate is Sian Berry, who wants to focus on housing like Caroline Pidgeon and has a bold proposal to replace London City Airport with affordable and social housing. There’s also George Galloway, who’ll be standing for the Respect Party after losing his seat in Bradford West in the 2015 general election.
Don’t forget these names just yet however; Whittle, Pidgeon and Berry are all seeking seats in the London Assembly, the 25-strong body that holds the Mayor to account.