The Conservative Party proposes rewriting London’s planning strategy to unlock tens of thousands of new homes by focusing on brownfield sites, amid ongoing debates over Green Belt protections and recent policy shifts by Mayor Sadiq Khan.
The Conservative Party has pledged to rewrite London’s planning strategy if their candidate is elected mayor, aiming to unlock tens of thousands of new homes across the capital. According to the Conservatives, this overhaul of the London Plan—a development blueprint crafted by the mayor that guides housing, workplaces, transport, and open space policies—would clear the way for significant new housing development on brownfield land, potentially opening 16,800 acres for building.
The Conservatives argue that the current Labour mayor, Sadiq Khan, has failed to meet housebuilding targets, contributing to soaring property prices and reduced affordability for Londoners. In a speech at the Conservative Party Conference, shadow housing secretary Sir James Cleverly emphasised the need for a Tory mayor to “get a grip” on the housing crisis by prioritising brownfield sites near transport links, job opportunities, and economic hubs, citing successful precedents like Canary Wharf and the Olympic Park. He called for cutting through what he described as excessive regulation and for adopting a more permissive approach to housing that balances delivery with aesthetics, rejecting the notion that new homes must be low-rise sprawl or unpopular tower blocks.
However, the broader context of London’s housing policy reveals significant challenges beyond party lines. The London Assembly, in early 2025, urged the mayor not to compromise the Green Belt to meet housing targets, noting that an ambitious annual target approaching 88,000 new homes might require looking beyond brownfield sites alone. The assembly recommended shifting from blunt unit-based targets to more nuanced housing-type targets that better address social and affordable housing needs while calling for incentives to speed up the construction of approved projects.
Complicating matters, Mayor Sadiq Khan announced plans in May 2025 to build on some parts of the Green Belt, a move signaling a break from traditional protections around these areas. Khan framed this policy shift as a necessary response to London’s unprecedented housing demand, potentially requiring up to a million new homes over the next decade. His approach involves the selective release of lower-quality or less accessible Green Belt land near transport infrastructure to facilitate new affordable housing projects. While this plan has garnered support from some housing experts and politicians as a pragmatic step, it has also drawn criticism from environmental campaigners and London Conservatives, with the latter branding it a “complete betrayal” of prior commitments to preserve the Green Belt.
This evolving debate echoes the national government’s 2024 announcement of a wide-ranging reform of the planning system aimed at building 1.5 million new homes in five years. The reforms emphasise prioritising brownfield development but also require local authorities to review Green Belt boundaries when necessary, backed by financial support and ministerial oversight to enforce compliance.
Khan’s strategy builds on an earlier significant overhaul he introduced in 2017, which removed outdated density limits and set a 50% affordable housing target for new developments, simultaneously promoting growth for smaller builders and protecting green spaces. Despite these measures, the ongoing pressure to reconcile housing targets, affordability, and environmental preservation ensures London’s planning strategy remains a contentious and politically charged issue ahead of the forthcoming mayoral election.
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Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative appears to be original, with no substantial matches found in recent publications. The earliest known publication date of similar content is October 6, 2025. The report is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were identified.
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
No direct quotes were identified in the provided text, suggesting the content is original or exclusive.
Source reliability
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative originates from the Belfast Telegraph, a reputable news outlet. The Conservative Party’s pledge is corroborated by official press releases from the London Assembly. No unverifiable entities or fabricated information were found.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims made in the narrative are plausible and align with current political discourse. The Conservative Party’s focus on housing development and planning reforms is consistent with their recent policy positions. The narrative lacks specific factual anchors, such as exact dates for the proposed policy changes, which slightly reduces the score.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is original and fresh, with no significant issues identified in the checks. The source is reputable, and the claims made are plausible and consistent with current political discourse. The lack of specific factual anchors slightly reduces the plausibility score, but this does not significantly impact the overall assessment.
