LONDON mayor Boris Johnson has denied claims by York’s council leader that he supports controversial plans for 22,000 new homes in the city.
The Conservative politician said in a letter to City of York Council leader James Alexander in May that new and affordable homes were “crucial” and failing to build them would have “economic and social consequences”.
Coun Alexander said on Twitter that this represented backing for the Labour authority’s housing plans, which would see thousands of homes built on greenfield land under its draft Local Plan.
However, in a handwritten note on a letter to the council’s Conservative leader Ian Gillies, Mr Johnson said: “I am so sorry that my letter has been used to cause political mischief – I speak only for London”.
His letter said new housing in London would focus on developing brownfield sites and retain his city’s “unique characteristics”.
Coun Gillies said: “Why Coun Alexander thought he could get away with such a stunt is mystifying, but the end result is certainly an embarrassment.”