• Question by: Thomas Turrell
• Meeting date: 22 May 2025

Thomas Turrell AM: Thank you, Chair. Mr Mayor, last year you told this Assembly that London’s Green Belt is as important today as it always has been. All that has changed since then is that Labour is now in Government, so Londoners are left wondering: are you a liar or a lapdog?

• Question by: James Small-Edwards
• Meeting date: 22 May 2025

James Small-Edwards AM: Thank you, Chair. I think it is just worth reiterating in this debate that only 13 per cent of the Green Belt is green space that is accessible to Londoners and nowhere in the Towards a New London Plan consultation does it talk about building on that green space. When it does talk about building on the Green Belt, it sets out clear stipulations around affordable housing, around infrastructure and around new or additional green space. What I am taking away from it is more housing that is affordable, greater infrastructure connectivity, increased biodiversity and more or...

• Question by: Alessandro Georgiou
• Meeting date: 22 May 2025

Alessandro Georgiou AM: Thank you, Mr Chair. Mr Mayor, I hope you and your family are keeping well. Mr Mayor, does low quality Green Belt include parks and MOL?

• Question by: Joanne McCartney
• Meeting date: 22 May 2025

Joanne McCartney AM: Yes, thank you. Following on from that, it is a very emotional and emotive subject, and I was very surprised to see that TPOs are not placed on most heritage trees. In fact, most heritage trees do not have protection. At a recent [London Assembly] Environment Committee [meeting, on 14 May 2025], we heard that in actual fact local authorities only tend to protect when they are aware of an imminent danger to a particular tree, which there did not seem to be that imminent danger. But there are some different regimes across the world, such as...

• Question by: Alessandro Georgiou
• Meeting date: 22 May 2025

Alessandro Georgiou AM: Thank you, Chair. Mr Mayor, I used to play under that 500-year-old oak tree when I was a child, having been born and raised in Enfield. Yes, not 500 years ago, mind you, but still I had the beard then. I would ask: would you join with me in asking councils to be proactive with these heritage assets, particularly trees, in issuing TPOs? I know it is not generally done but given what we have experienced to stop these crooks cutting down our valuable heritage assets, such as these trees.