Councillors from across the politican spectrum came together to debate the capital’s environmental policies ahead of the May elections at a conference last week.
Hosted by The More Natural Capital – a coalition of London’s leading environmental charities – and centred on the charity’s 10 environmental pledges, the conversation revolved around community engagement with green spaces amid the UK’s affordable housing crisis.
Speakers included Zoe Garbett (Greens, Hackney) Katherine Dunne (Labour, Hounslow), Edward Smith (Conservatives, Enfield) and Josh Matthews (Liberal Democrats, Lewisham).
Environmentalism versus affordable housing
Forward in the discussion were concerns around protecting natural spaces against government schemes to create affordable housing, with fears that new developments will endanger local wildlife and ecosystems.
Instead of building new homes, Cllr Garbett – who is running for Mayor of Hackney – suggested strategies like repurposing empty properties, ending the Right To Buy scheme, introducing rent controls for private renters, and increased government funding.
She said: “Our housing crisis is not caused by the lack of space or supply, it is caused by inequity of access to affordable, safe and secure housing.”
Matthews, who is standing as a candidate for Mayor of Lewisham and Catford South Ward, highlighted both environmental and housing benefits to revitalising brownfield sites.
He said: “We can use nature protection as a way to incentivise development, not just to block it.”
Cllr Smith, meanwhile, raised concerns over the government’s new plans to build a town of up to 21,000 new homes in London’s Green Belt.
He said these developments will impose environmental risks and strains on local health and education services and called on the local council to revitalise Enfield’s many brownfield sites instead.
He criticised a policy shift from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, who had previously opposed development on this land.
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: “The Mayor remains fully committed to the protection of Metropolitan Open Land and other protected green spaces.
“These spaces play a crucial role in the capital’s network of green infrastructure – and are key components of ‘London’s lungs’.”
Nature in the community
Matthews recommended councils reclaim land for productive community use, working directly with local groups to ensure they are protected and managed sustainably.
Cllr Dean also emphasised community engagement, pointing out Hounslow’s ‘Grow for the Future’ campaign, which is the UK’s first policy converting unused council land to grow food and educate children on healthy living.
A similar proposed initiative is a Hackney Greens’ scheme, ‘Who Owns Hackney?’, which aims to bring underused land and buildings into community use.
London’s borough mayoral and council elections take place on Thursday 7 May.
Feature image: Olivia Humphrey
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