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New figures release by the Green Party reveal that over a thousand new homes are being constructed each year in Londons back gardens.

Developers are allowed to build on land in peoples back gardens because it is deemed to be a brownfield site as it has been previously developed. However, opponents to the practice say that the disappearance of grass and soil will make London more susceptible to flooding as rainwater will have less opportunity to soak away into the ground. There is also an increased risk of subsidence, leading to a reduction in house prices for a whole street. Campaigners also say that gardens are vital green space in the urban sprawl, and have called on the government to close the loophole.

The Green Partys Darren Johnson chairs the London Assembly’s environment committee. He said: “I was shocked by the figures which show that permission is being given to build over a thousand new homes a year in London’s back gardens. Records have only been kept since 2004/05, but since then the go-ahead has been given for 3,525 units to be built on gardens. We all know that there is a vital need for new housing in London, but garden-grabbing developments are not the way to deliver them. We must protect back gardens by re-designating them as greenfield - or even green belt or metropolitan open land. This will allow councils to reject applications in back gardens, remove the temptation from home owners to sell their back gardens and force developers to make maximum use of truly brownfield land like disused former industrial sites and warehouses. Londoners know that in a city like theirs, gardens provide vital green oases.”

There have already been concern raised over the number of Londoners concreting over their front gardens. Parking space is at a premium in the capital, and an estimated 12 square miles of front gardens have been concreted over. With more concrete and less grass and soil water runs into drains instead of being absorbed into the ground. London’s Victorian drainage system can barely cope and there is an increased risk of localised flooding, flash floods and sewage being sent into the Thames.