Evening Standard: 'London ‘might have to be expanded to swallow up commuter belt towns'"

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"The boundaries of London may have to be pushed outward to swallow commuter belt towns and villages that are 'utterly dependent' on the capital, according to a leading planning expert.

Planning consultant Barney Stringer said London’s population is growing so fast that politicians will be forced to look at ways of redrawing the map.

But his comments sparked a fierce debate in 'independent' communities such as Epsom and Staines, with one councillor warning such areas would become outliers of huge 'Soviet-style London boroughs'. In a blog titled 'Is London too Small?', Mr Stringer said the capital was surrounded by a 'whole dormitory belt... that is utterly dependent on the city for work'."