New powers granted to Ken Livingstone will be bad news for local people, Hounslow Council has warned. Under a package of reforms announced by the Government, the London Mayor is to be handed a host of new roles by the Government, including the power to overrule local planning decisions.

Under the new plans, the Mayor will be able to direct changes to Hounslow’s local development plans, as well as taking a personal decision on planning applications of strategic importance.

In practice, the Mayor’s new powers could be used to push through major developments in the borough against the wishes of the Council and local residents.

Livingstone is known to support the development of high density residential buildings as a way of meeting the capital’s housing needs. He has previously given his backing to a number of controversial proposals that could change the face of the borough.

At present, the Council takes decisions locally and has a duty to take resident’s opinions into account. This enables the council to block developments that would not benefit the borough, even where they are supported by the Mayor.

In recent years, the Council has successfully opposed plans supported by Livingstone such as a proposed 28-storey block at Gunnersbury Station and a controversial residential development on a site by Kew Bridge.

Under his new powers, the Mayor could give the green light to developments like these against the wishes of local people.

Hounslow Council’s executive member for Environment and Planning, Cllr Barbara Reid, has reacted angrily to the news. She said “The Government’s consultation on Ken’s new powers was a farce. It completely ignores the wishes of London’s Boroughs and the needs of their residents.

“Local people will lose the power to influence planning decisions that affect their lives. They will have to capitulate to a Mayor with the authority to ride roughshod over local decision-makers.

“The borough’s residents deserve an open and transparent system that ensures local decisions, that affect local people, can be taken locally. We will work with our colleagues across London to challenge these retrograde proposals.”