The Green Party enjoyed success at the 2026 local elections, increasing their representation on English councils by 411 seats. They were particularly successful in London, where they took overall control of Hackney, Lewisham and Waltham Forest, and now run Lambeth, Southwark and Haringey in minority or coalition arrangements. Across England, key wins included gaining control of Hastings and Norwich City councils.
With the Green Party making decisions on planning, housing and regeneration across some of the country's most development-pressured areas, particularly in London, understanding the party's priorities is key for those with development interests in Green-led councils.
Listening to councillors and MPs, there was a clear and consistent theme: frustration with the housing and planning system, and a growing debate about how Green-led authorities can deliver their local election promises on social and affordable housing, and other equitable improvements to the built environment.
Ahead of the conference, and as part of his pitch for the Holborn & St Pancras by election, Green Party Leader, Zack Polanski announced a policy for a three-year emergency brake on private rents – setting up housing as the hot topic of the three-day conference agenda.
The top priority: affordable and social housing
At the conference, Green Party council leaders, mayors and councillors all cited affordable and social housing as their top local priority. Having campaigned to deliver more social and affordable housing, there was a clear feeling of frustration from new council leaders and mayors who were coming to terms with the planning system, the role of combined authorities, and the limitations of their local authority to influence change.
There was universal dismay at the lack of delivery of social homes and scepticism around current definitions of affordable housing. On the main conference floor, solutions to the problem lacked detail and insight – as they often do in any political party’s big speeches. In a sign of the Green Party’s strategy to compete with a new Labour Prime Minister (who has stolen the momentum from the Green Party lately), the benefits of ‘Manchesterism’ with regard to delivery of affordable and social housing were heavily critiqued.
But in smaller audiences – at roundtables and fringe events – there was a lot of common ground found between the Green Party and industry representatives. There was acknowledgement of the challenges faced by developers on land, viability, materials, and skills. There was broad agreement that governments at all levels needed to play a bigger role in delivery of affordable and social housing. And surprisingly, industry professionals and Green Party attendees were in agreement that any desired change at a local level, and overcoming the realities and challenges of housing and regeneration, requires more than just tinkering with policy, law and funding – it requires a system-wide reboot.
Finding ways to deliver locally
Acknowledging the need to work within the system (for now), and the challenges faced by developers, several London council leaders set out their stall for prospective developers in their boroughs.
In an approach that received broad support from Green Party leaders and mayors in attendance, Cllr James McAsh, Leader of Southwark Council, set out how he is dealing with, and will continue to deal with, development proposals – to be firm with developers on demands for affordable and social housing at a scheme level, and be flexible on everything else a scheme could deliver.
All leaders, mayors and councillors outlined a key goal to increase the role they play in delivering social homes – bringing back more delivery into the local authority’s hands. Many boroughs like Hackney already have council housing delivery programmes in place and there is ambition to scale – as is the plan in Lewisham with their recently announced strategic partnership with Hill Group – set to deliver new affordable and social homes.
Longer-serving leaders from councils outside of London shared their advice to new leaders, encouraging collaboration with developers to achieve Green Party goals. Genuine community engagement was also a shared expectation of leaders and mayors old and new, who said they can see right through tick box consultations.
Development, infrastructure and community outcomes
There was also a clear ambition to increase social impact through development and regeneration beyond the provision of housing alone. Devolving more power to communities, creation of housing cooperatives, and getting the best out of public land were all avenues identified for further exploration, with some examples of how these options have worked well in the past or are working well today.
And of course, the Bakerloo Line extension enjoys political support from the Green Party in the inner South London boroughs – recognising that big ticket infrastructure can unlock development, growth and deliver positive social outcomes.
What next for the Green Party?
Whilst some say the Green Party’s momentum is stalling nationally, politics is a long game. Despite losing the Holborn & St Pancras by-election (though with a healthy 22% vote share increase on the 2024 election), the strategy is clear – change the Government without the Government actually changing, by pushing Labour to the left. The effectiveness of this pressure may improve as Andy Burnham faces the crunch of making some tough fiscal and political decisions, and if the Green Party can properly deal with internal infighting on key political issues.
With many council leaders and mayors just getting stuck into their new terms, they will continue to grapple with the realities of running a local authority – but they still have plenty of time to deliver. The key question for housing and planning is how they will work within the existing system to deliver their priorities.
With developers wondering what to do next with existing and future projects in Green-led councils, the message is clear – come with your best foot forward on affordable and social housing, work collaboratively, and thoroughly engage communities.
Turley Strategic Communications works in a number of Green-led councils in London and more widely. For more information on how our Strategic Communications team can provide political insights or support your project, please contact James Simondson.
20 October 2026
