Dreams alone will not transform London - Mike Tuffrey

12.08.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 12th Oct 2009

Mike Tuffrey, the Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on the Mayor's draft London Plan published today said:

"This plan sets out an attractive vision, but it is little more than a dreamland of warm words. Unfortunately the Mayor has failed to face up to the reality that is London today, nor make the tough choices necessary to achieve a better future for Londoners. The Plan is sadly lacking in how most of the changes will come about, or the vital milestones that must be reached on the way."

"It is actions not words that matter and the hard evidence is that the Mayor has repeatedly failed to either honour or deliver on previous promises. Indeed only in the last week the Mayor blatantly breached his specific manifesto promise to not intervene in planning decisions made by local councils.

"There is a chasm between the Mayor's real record and his bold election pledge to provide extensive housing on land owned by the London Development Agency, TfL and other organisations under his remit. Despite the huge amount of land that comes under the Mayor's control planning permission has been granted for less than 1000 new homes."

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. In Boris Johnson's 2008 Housing manifesto Building a Better London p 9-10, it was suggested as many as 39,000 new homes could be built on TfL and LDA land.

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-files/Guardian/documents/2009/04/27/borishousingmanifesto.pdf

2. The Mayor says in his foreword to the London Plan that " we are seeking a world reputation for new and improved public spaces that Londoners will cherish for decades to come" (p.6), but there are no new public space projects outlined in the Plan and no more funding than the £200,000 previously announced for Great Spaces.