The green belt, along with the NHS, is one of the few institutions founded by the post-war Labour government that survives essentially intact. And both possess a totemic status in national life that politicians shy away from challenging. But last month saw the publication of a report by planning inspectors recommending that the London green belt should be reviewed. The recommendation was part of the Inspector’s Report into the latest version of the Greater London Authority’s (GLA) London Plan.

There’s some good news for London mayor Sadiq Khan in the report, which endorses his once-controversial stances on affordable housing targets and viability assessments. But these glad tidings were overshadowed by the inspectors’ decision to slash the capital’s 10-year target for new homes from 649,350 to 522,850, which prompted their call for a review of the green belt. 

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