Left-wing swing to bring London planning gridlock
Monday 11th May 2026
In the country Reform UK are the clear winners, in terms of new councillors elected and even new council majorities.
But in London, the Greens have trounced Labour in their traditional city centre strongholds.
Even where the Greens have not won the council outright, as they have in Lewisham, Hackney and very nearly in my Borough of Lambeth, they have gained many new councillors and effectively hold the balance of power in London.
Green policies on housing include rent caps which will simply drive even more landlords from the market, further reducing supply. And what happens when you have strong demand and low supply…?
Local Councils are in charge of delivering new housing through the planning process in their areas.
Green policy seems to try to insist on at least 50% of new private developments to be ‘affordable’ housing, rendering any project unviable. Hardly, the way to speed the planning process and increase supply.
I do rather agree with the Greens’ idea that 100% of new builds on council-owned land should be affordable housing, though no private developer will want to fund that, so presumably the taxpayer will be made to pay.
They also suggest they would like to end ‘Right To Buy’ on these new council homes to keep them in public ownership.
On this last point I would go further and say ‘Right To Buy’ should be stopped altogether.
Perhaps I am a Green after all?
Until next time.
PB
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