An MP has criticised the new draft London plan, which would give Barnet the highest target for new homes of the outer London boroughs.

Theresa Villiers, MP for Chipping Barnet, expressed concern over Mayor Sadiq Khan’s proposals for housing and planning, such as the removal of back garden protection, what she calls “garden grabbing”, and the removal of the housing density matrix, which limits the size of developments.

Ms Villiers is calling for significant changes to be made to the plan before it is agreed after the public consultation ends in March next year.

Villers said “I am worried that the Mayor’s draft London Plan could lead to over-development in the Chipping Barnet constituency.

“I accept the need for new homes; we are building more homes in Barnet than in any other London borough.

“But we need to ensure that new development is in tune with the surrounding area and does not put undue strain on local services and infrastructure.”

A London Labour Party spokesperson said: “Ms Villiers fails to grasp that London is in the grip of a housing crisis. The Mayor’s draft London Plan shows how we could double homebuilding up to 65,000 new homes a year, without building on the greenbelt.

“He has set out that 50 per cent should be affordable, which is great news for Londoners who desperately need new housing.

“The Conservative Party should know the previous Mayor’s London Plan made no mention of targets for family-sized affordable housing. In contrast, Sadiq’s new draft Plan say boroughs should set out requirements for much-needed family-sized housing for low-cost rent.

“Everyone in London agrees the government now needs to step up and support more homes being built.

“Ms Villiers should focus her attention on lobbying her ministerial colleagues to give London the funding and powers we need to fix London’s housing crisis, rather than playing petty party politics which is distracting from the real issues.”

The London Plan will be open for consultation until March 2 on the GLA website: www.london.gov.uk.