Labour pushes new-town housing plan in Enfield despite council's green-belt objection

Labour’s legacy of building new towns is set to expand with seven additional sites aimed at relieving the current housing crisis, the most prominent being a 21,000-home proposal in Enfield. The borough’s former Labour council promoted the scheme to relocate thousands of families from temporary accommodation, but the May election installed a Conservative minority administration supported by Greens, which announced a formal withdrawal, invoking a promise to safeguard the green belt.

The author contends that local councils lack authority to block such large-scale projects, which fall under the London mayor’s jurisdiction; Mayor Sadiq Khan endorses the Enfield and Thamesmead developments. Opponents point to existing “grey belt” development and several golf courses, arguing that green-belt loss is outweighed by urgent housing needs. Housing minister Matthew Pennycook is consulting veteran planners to avoid past mistakes, emphasizing high-density, transit-oriented design. The debate underscores broader political values, with new-town initiatives historically opposed by Tories but now championed by Labour and the mayor.