Reimagining London’s Green Belt A Strategic Pivot in the New London Plan
The Mayor of London’s Towards a New London Plan proposes a transformative shift in land use policy, signalling a more pragmatic and targeted approach to the capital’s green belt and Metropolitan Open Land (MOL). With London facing a severe housing and infrastructure shortfall, the Plan introduces the concept of a “grey belt” green belt land that no longer strongly serves its intended environmental or planning purposes and may be suitable for development.
The goal is to address the significant gap between the 88,000 homes London needs to build annually and the 36,000 currently delivered. The GLA will undertake a comprehensive review of green belt and MOL land across London, prioritising sites that are underused, degraded, or inaccessible to the public, and that are well-connected to public transport or could be with feasible investment.
This is not a blanket relaxation of protections. Instead, development will be directed to strategically located sites that can accommodate high-density, affordable, and well-designed housing, as well as essential industrial and infrastructure uses. The Plan also aims to offset any loss of green space through enhanced biodiversity, new public parks, and greater accessibility.
While green belt and MOL will continue to play a vital role in shaping London’s landscape, the proposed changes mark a clear departure from past policies that favoured preservation over practicality. For developers, landowners, and local authorities, the review offers a unique opportunity to promote suitable sites during ongoing Local Plan consultations, especially those with high PTAL scores or alignment with future transport projects.
Ultimately, the Plan aims to strike a balance between growth and green infrastructure, redefining land value by quality, purpose, and contribution to Londoners’ lives rather than designation alone.
