Mayor Ken Livingstone has announced that he will be seeking powers to change the capital's planning guidance so that there is a "presumption against" housing developments in back gardens and to prevent the demolition of "sound buildings of character" to be replaced by poor quality flats.

We need new homes on brown field sites but the economic pressure to build bed-sits and flats at the expense of family homes in established communities has increased significantly in recent years. We cannot go on losing whole Edwardian and Victorian houses - perfect for housing families - to make way for bedsits and studio flats. We need to give communities and Councils the power to decide the balance locally between the need for family homes and the demand for flats and bedsits. London has many attractive, green and characterful areas which are not listed, protected or part of conservation zones. But nonetheless we should be able to stop whole scale redevelopment, which ruins the character of the area.

Having pressed the Mayor on this issue, I am delighted that he is now seeking to use his London Plan to give councils the teeth to refuse these inappropriate developments and decide locally what the make-up of our housing should look like.

A London-wide consultation will be launched once agreement has been reached between the Mayor and boroughs of London. I am confident that the new powers will give real power to communities to preserve the character of their area.

I have conducted a survey of residents on this issue which strongly backed my view that we need more protection in the planning system. The results can be seen here. I am continuing to press the Mayor to bring forward these proposals as soon as possible.