Latest news with #CityHallConservatives
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rayner bails out Khan as he struggles to hit housing target
Angela Rayner has slashed Sir Sadiq Khan's affordable housing target by more than a fifth as the Mayor of London struggles to build in the capital. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has agreed the cut the Labour Mayor's target for new starts on affordable homes by 22pc, marking the second time in two years that ministers have stepped in to lower the target. Sir Sadiq initially had a goal to build 35,000 affordable homes in London by March 2026. However, the last Conservative government cut that target in 2023 to between 23,900 and 27,200 homes after the Mayor struggled. Ms Rayner's department has now lowered the goal even further to between 17,800 to 19,000 homes. Susan Hall, leader of the City Hall Conservatives, said: 'Khan's record is so shambolic his own government has had to bail him out.' The cut was announced hours after official figures were published showing that affordable home starts last year were at the second-lowest level since 2008. Works began on 3,991 affordable homes in the 12 months ending March 2025. While the total marked an improvement from the previous year's record low of 2,358, it remains significantly below average. Ms Hall said: 'Sadiq is nowhere near where he should be at this stage, absolutely nowhere near. He was given billions by the last government to carry this out. His record on housebuilding has been atrocious. Londoners deserve better.' Sir Sadiq promised a 'golden era for council housebuilding' in 2023. The Mayor was handed £4bn by the previous Conservative government for his affordable homes programme. It was topped up with £100m from Rachel Reeves in last year's Budget, and another £60m earlier this year. To date, construction has begun on 5,188 homes under Sir Sadiq's affordable homes programme, which runs from 2021 to 2026. The new, reduced target means the Mayor is now just under a third of the way to reaching his 2026 objective, rather than only around a quarter of the way to meeting the lower end of his previous goal. Sir Sadiq must still start work on 12,612 affordable homes in less than 12 months to hit his goal, meaning construction activity must more than triple. The Mayor has set an overall target to build 88,000 homes a year in London, though existing plans only deliver around 40,000. In a bid to ramp up his pace of housebuilding, the mayor last week said he was 'actively exploring' options to build on parts of London's green belt. His shift in stance has been met with significant backlash from campaigners and Tory councillors. Ms Hall said: 'For nine years he has promised to avoid building on the green belt. It was the one thing I believed him on, he's been so passionate about it for so long. For him to go back on it – it's an absolute disgrace.' Tom Copley, the deputy mayor of London for housing and residential development, said the Mayor was 'taking the hard decisions to improve housing supply of all tenures'. Mr Copley blamed the 'horrendous legacy of the last government' for making it harder to build homes, including 'a lack of national funding, high interest rates, spiralling building costs, delays from bodies like the Building Safety Regulator and the lasting impact of Brexit.' He added: 'The decision to adjust our Affordable Homes Programme 2021-2026 targets will enable us to support partners to build at scale and deliver the maximum number of social and affordable homes in this programme.' A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: 'We are determined to deliver the biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation but we cannot do this without London being ambitious in its approach. 'The Mayor last week put forward a bold proposal to tackle the capital's housing crisis, and we expect him to take all possible steps to build thousands more affordable homes that Londoners desperately need.' It is not the first time Labour has eased pressure on the Mayor. Last year Ms Rayner abandoned a review aimed at boosting homebuilding in London and reduced his overall housing target from 100,000. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
14-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Rayner bails out Khan as he struggles to hit housing target
Angela Rayner has slashed Sir Sadiq Khan's affordable housing target by more than a fifth as the Mayor of London struggles to build in the capital. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has agreed the cut the Labour Mayor's target for new starts on affordable homes by 22pc, marking the second time in two years that ministers have stepped in to lower the target. Sir Sadiq initially had a goal to build 35,000 affordable homes in London by March 2026. However, the last Conservative government cut that target in 2023 to between 23,900 and 27,200 homes after the Mayor struggled. Ms Rayner's department has now lowered the goal even further to between 17,800 to 19,000 homes. Susan Hall, leader of the City Hall Conservatives, said: 'Khan's record is so shambolic his own government has had to bail him out.' The cut was announced hours after official figures were published showing that affordable home starts last year were at the second-lowest level since 2008. Works began on 3,991 affordable homes in the 12 months ending March 2025. While the total marked an improvement from the previous year's record low of 2,358, it remains significantly below average. Ms Hall said: 'Sadiq is nowhere near where he should be at this stage, absolutely nowhere near. He was given billions by the last government to carry this out. His record on housebuilding has been atrocious. Londoners deserve better.' Sir Sadiq promised a 'golden era for council housebuilding' in 2023. The Mayor was handed £4bn by the previous Conservative government for his affordable homes programme. It was topped up with £100m from Rachel Reeves in last year's Budget, and another £60m earlier this year. To date, construction has begun on 5,188 homes under Sir Sadiq's affordable homes programme, which runs from 2021 to 2026. The new, reduced target means the Mayor is now just under a third of the way to reaching his 2026 objective, rather than only around a quarter of the way to meeting the lower end of his previous goal. Sir Sadiq must still start work on 12,612 affordable homes in less than 12 months to hit his goal, meaning construction activity must more than triple. The Mayor has set an overall target to build 88,000 homes a year in London, though existing plans only deliver around 40,000. In a bid to ramp up his pace of housebuilding, the mayor last week said he was 'actively exploring' options to build on parts of London's green belt. His shift in stance has been met with significant backlash from campaigners and Tory councillors. Ms Hall said: 'For nine years he has promised to avoid building on the green belt. It was the one thing I believed him on, he's been so passionate about it for so long. For him to go back on it – it's an absolute disgrace.' Tom Copley, the deputy mayor of London for housing and residential development, said the Mayor was 'taking the hard decisions to improve housing supply of all tenures'. Mr Copley blamed the 'horrendous legacy of the last government' for making it harder to build homes, including 'a lack of national funding, high interest rates, spiralling building costs, delays from bodies like the Building Safety Regulator and the lasting impact of Brexit.' He added: 'The decision to adjust our Affordable Homes Programme 2021-2026 targets will enable us to support partners to build at scale and deliver the maximum number of social and affordable homes in this programme.' A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: 'We are determined to deliver the biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation but we cannot do this without London being ambitious in its approach. 'The Mayor last week put forward a bold proposal to tackle the capital's housing crisis, and we expect him to take all possible steps to build thousands more affordable homes that Londoners desperately need.' It is not the first time Labour has eased pressure on the Mayor. Last year Ms Rayner abandoned a review aimed at boosting homebuilding in London and reduced his overall housing target from 100,000.
BBC News
09-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
London mayor aims to build on green belt to fix housing crisis
Sir Sadiq Khan is to announce plans to "actively explore" building on some of London's green belt in a bid to fix the capital's housing Mayor of London is expected to use a speech in Greenwich later to argue "the status quo is wrong, out-of-date and simply unsustainable", with a generation of Londoners unable to rent or buy a the proposals, London's planners will look to release some green belt land, with conditions on affordable housing, energy efficiency, transport links and promoting access to green Hall, leader of the City Hall Conservatives, said: "This is a mayor who will sacrifice London's precious green spaces to appease his Labour paymasters." London Plan The announcement marks a change in stance for Sir Sadiq, who has previously argued against releasing green belt land while there are still previously developed brownfield sites the mayor is expected to continue prioritising brownfield land, he is expected to tell his audience on Friday: "We have to be honest with Londoners that this alone will not be enough to meet our needs."The announcement comes as Sir Sadiq launches a consultation on the next version of the London Plan, which will set out his vision for development in the capital over the next two has a new target of building 88,000 new homes a year, but the current plan, which expects all housing supply to come from brownfield sites, is delivering only around 40,000 a rents in London rose by 11.5% last year and councils are spending £4m a day on temporary accommodation amid increasing homelessness. City Hall has already begun a review of green belt land in line with the government's policy of building more on low-quality parts of the green belt, so-called "grey belt" Friday's announcement is expected to go further, investigating other possibilities for securing enough land to meet London's housing Sadiq will say: "The green belt can often be low-quality land, poorly maintained and rarely enjoyed by Londoners. Only around 13% is made up of parks and areas that the public can access."Development on carefully chosen parts of the green belt - done in the right way - would allow us to unlock hundreds of thousands of good-quality new homes for Londoners."The government has welcomed the move, with Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner calling it a "bold proposal" that "rises to the challenge of tackling London's housing crisis".BBC London's political editor Karl Mercer said the plans could put the mayor on a collision course with several outer London Conservative boroughs, like Bexley, Bromley, Hillingdon and Croydon - all four refused to take part in the mayor's review of the green belt earlier this also comes just a year before council elections in the capital when all 32 boroughs go to the polls. 'Protect London's green belt' Claire Holland, leader of Lambeth Council and chairwoman of London Councils, has backed the said: "London is grappling with the worst housing pressures in the country and there is a desperate need to build new homes, particularly more affordable homes."Ben Twomey, chief executive of campaign group Generation Rent, said: "When housing costs are forcing too many of us into poverty and homelessness, it is right that the mayor sets out his ambition to build the homes we need, including in parts of the green belt where appropriate."Countryside charity CPRE opposes the plans. Its head of campaigns, Alice Roberts, said: "Building on green belt can't solve the housing crisis."There are 300,000 planning permissions out there for homes that haven't yet been built. "We think if you release green belt, you're failing to build the ones already planned."Andrew Boff, from the City Hall Conservatives, added: "The mayor has repeatedly stood in the London Assembly chamber and given categorical assurances that he would protect London's green belt. "This announcement is a complete betrayal of those promises and shows utter contempt for Londoners who treasure these vital green spaces."David Simmonds, Conservative MP for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner and shadow minister for Housing, Communities and Local Government said: "The mayor should be looking to bring forward those homes that already have planning permission in the capital rather than opening up the green belt, because once that is gone, it's gone forever, and it's a vitally important asset for present and future Londoners." Additional reporting by BBC London's political editor Karl Mercer and Lauren Stanley
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sadiq Khan plots tower blocks on London's green belt
The countryside on London's outskirts could soon be concreted over to make way for tower blocks as Sir Sadiq Khan throws his support behind building on the green belt. The Mayor of London will on Friday announce plans to release more of the capital's green spaces for housing as he launches a consultation on the city's development strategy for the next two decades. Sir Sadiq is expected to argue that parts of the green belt 'can often be low-quality land, poorly maintained and rarely enjoyed by Londoners' and would be better used as housing. The mayor will say in a speech in Greenwich: 'Development on carefully chosen parts of the green belt – done in the right way – would allow us to unlock hundreds of thousands of good-quality new homes for Londoners. 'This would not only go a long way to ending the housing crisis but provide a huge boost to our economy.' It represent a U-turn in his stance, having staunchly opposed green belt development in previous years in favour of construction on brownfield sites. However, the change of heart comes as Sir Sadiq scrambles to hit has target to build 88,000 homes per year. His existing plan is only delivering around 40,000. Recent findings by research company Molior show housebuilding in the capital has slumped to its lowest level since 2009, with works starting on just 1,120 private homes in the first quarter this year, and no works starting in 23 of London's 33 boroughs. The move to open up London's green belt sparked an immediate backlash from campaigners and the Conservatives. Alice Roberts, at CPRE London, the countryside charity, said: 'Our green belt is incredibly valuable. It's a home for nature, it's the countryside next door, it's important for agriculture close to the city, it's incredibly important for climate because of the need to plant trees, to absorb rainwater, to manage rainwater and surface flooding. There's no more important time to keep our green spaces green.' David Mooney, chief executive of the London Wildlife Trust, said: 'We will fight hard to protect our nature-rich green belt and hold the mayor to account to make absolutely sure only the right sites are selected, and that nature is not shoved out the way.' Susan Hall, leader of the City Hall Conservatives, said: 'Once again, Sadiq Khan has shown his true colours by dancing to the tune the Labour Government sets. 'This is a mayor who will sacrifice London's precious green spaces to appease his Labour paymasters. 'Londoners elected him on a promise to protect our environment, but it's now clear those promises weren't worth the recycled paper they were printed on.' Andrew Boff, who represents the City Hall Conservatives on planning matters, said: 'The mayor has repeatedly stood in the London Assembly chamber and given categorical assurances that he would protect London's green belt. 'This announcement is a complete betrayal of those promises and shows utter contempt for Londoners who treasure these vital green spaces.' A review is already under way in City Hall examining the scope to build on so-called grey belt land, but the mayor's plans are expected to go further than this. A spokesman for the GLA said the focus will be on low-quality, poorly-maintained land rarely accessed by Londoners, with scope to build high-density housing and good transport links. Earlier this year, Sir Sadiq was accused of presiding over a 'crusade' to build on parks in the capital, after a row broke out over suggestions from Transport for London to release historic land in Enfield for more than 10,000 homes. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
BBC News
24-02-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Sir Sadiq Khan: 20mph limits in London not making buses slower
Twenty mile per hour speed limits on some roads in London are not responsible for slower buses, the mayor of London has Sadiq Khan said while there was "a perception of declining bus speeds following returning traffic and roadworks after the Covid-19 period", in reality buses were about as slow as they were five years a written question the leader of City Hall Conservatives, Neil Garratt, said there was "clear evidence" that bus speeds were declining across London and asked what work had been done to determine whether lowering speed limits was a possible mayor said the average bus speed in London in 2019-20 was 9.29mph (15km/h) and in 2023-24 it was 9.27mph. Sir Sadiq said that was "a very small decline of 0.02". A report by the watchdog London Travelwatch revealed in November last year that in parts of central London, bus speeds had dropped below 7mph (11km/h).The research found that average bus speeds range from 8.1mph (13km/h) in inner London to 10.3mph (17km/h) in outer London. Bus speeds were lower in every borough in 2023-24 compared with 10 years the 'square mile' of the City of London, buses travel at only 6.6mph (11km/h) – and at 7.1mph in Westminster and in Camden, the report his written answer to Mr Garratt, Sir Sadiq said more than of half of London's roads now had a 20mph speed limit and 19 of the 33 London boroughs had 20mph speed limits across their mayor said preliminary data showed a 24.9% reduction in fatal and serious injuries after the introduction of 20mph speed limits.
