New Boroughs Summary

I have proposed 9 new London Boroughs which will bring the total number of London Boroughs (including the City of London) up from 33 to 42. They vary in population from 160,000 to 280,000 with most under the 200,000 number. The current London boroughs (excluding the City of London) vary in population from 170,000 to 350,000, with most in the 200,000s, so my proposed boroughs are smaller on average than the current ones. The total population of all the new Boroughs is 1.72 million which will bring the total population of London up to just under 10 million.
The new boroughs are in areas which are currently parts of all six home counties (Berks, Herts, Bucks, Surrey, Kent and Essex) and I have attempted to include as few rural areas as possible however I did include a few but these were mainly areas located inside the M25.
My next few posts will be attempts to justify the inclusion of these new boroughs into Greater London.

London Borough of Epsom and Banstead

This proposed borough includes the existing Surrey borough of Epsom and Ewell as well as parts of the Surrey boroughs of Mole Valley, "Reigate and Banstead" and Tandridge. The name comes from Epsom and Ewell as well as the Banstead in the existing Reigate and Banstead borough. It includes all the parts of these boroughs that lie within the M25 as well as Leatherhead, Fetcham and Great Bookham which form a sort of urban peninsula that stretches from the M25 into the Surrey green belt. The parts of the Mole Valley, "Reigate and Banstead" and Tandridge boroughs outside of my proposed borough will be merged into a new borough tentatively named East Surrey.
The proposed boundaries are shown in the map below in the pink. I estimate the population of this borough to be 170,000.

Towns and villages in the Borough:

Epsom, Ewell, Banstead, Tadworth, Caterham, Warlingham, Ashtead, Leatherhead, Great Bookham, Fetcham, Woldingham

Notable things about the area:

Home to Epsom Downs Racecourse.
Epsom and Ewell Borough council is run by the Epsom and Ewell Resident's Association not one of the main political parties.
It contains a large number of golf courses, as well as a few country parks and woodland.

 

London Borough of Spelthorne and Runnymede

This proposed borough is a merger of the existing Surrey boroughs of Spelthorne and Runnymede. The proposed borough's boundaries are shown below in red. I estimate the population of this borough to be 180,000.

 

 

Towns and Villages included in the borough:

Staines, Sunbury, Shepperton, Chertsey, Addlestone, Egham, Ashford, Ottershaw, Virginia Water, Thorpe, Englefield Green, Stanwell, Laleham

 

Notable things about the area:

The fictional comedic character Ali G is supposedly from Staines and the film involving the character, Ali G in da house, was set in the town.

One of England's largest theme parks, Thorpe Park, is located here.

On the southern edge of Heathrow Airport.

Contains a lot of reservoirs including the Staines Reservoirs, the Wraysbury Reservoir, the Queen Mary Reservoir and the King the George VI reservoir.



London Borough of Woking and Elmbridge

This proposed borough is little more than a merger of the existing Surrey boroughs of Elmbridge and Woking. The only change is a little bit of motorway alignment. The proposed boundaries are shown in the map below in dark purple. I estimate the population of this borough to be 230,000.

Towns and Villages included in the Borough:

Woking, Walton, Weybridge, Cobham, Oxshott, Esher, Molesey

Notable things about the area:

Elmbridge has been frequently named the district with the highest quality of life in the country.
Elmbridge pays more tax than any other district in the country.
Woking has the first purpose built mosque in the country.
Woking was the setting for the classic novel "War of the Worlds" by HG Wells it was also written there.

London Borough of Slough

This proposed borough includes the town of Slough, currently a unitary authority in Berkshire, as well as substantial parts of the current South Bucks district (in the county of Buckinghamshire aka Bucks). The district lies on the western border of the M25 and where the M25 joins the M4. Due to the loss of the most populous parts of the South Bucks district to the new borough I propose that the remainder be merged with the neighbouring Chiltern district. The proposed borough includes the relatively deprived town of Slough as well as neighbouring villages which are amongst the most affluent in the country. I estimate the population of the proposed borough to be 170,000.

Towns and Villages included in the Borough:

Slough, Burnham, Stoke Poges, Farnham Royal, Iver, Wexham, Colnbrook with Poyle

Notable things about the area

The location of Pinewood studios.
Crossrail will pass through much of the borough.
Slough trading estate.
Like much of London Slough is an immigrant hotspot with a particular problem of sheds with beds.
Black Park (a rather tranquil country park).

London Borough of Thurrock

This proposed borough is mostly made up from the Borough of Thurrock. Which is currently in the county of Essex and is a unitary authority (i.e. outside Essex County Council control). The proposed borough lies partially inside the M25 but mostly lies outside of the ring road. Under my proposal rural parts of the existing borough as well as the small part of the current London Borough of Havering outside the M25 (encircled in purple in the picture below) will be transferred to Brentwood district. I estimate the population of this borough to be 160,000.

Towns and villages included in the Borough:

Grays, Tilbury, South Ockendon, Stanford-le-hope, Corringham, Mucking, Horndon-on-the-Hill, Orsett, East Tilbury

Notable things about the area:

The Northern side of the Dartford Tunnel and Dartford Crossing.
The Port of Tilbury.
On the Thames Estuary.
Lakeside Shopping Centre.
Coryton Oil Refinery (this could become a valuable brown field site if it goes).

London Borough of Dartford and Gravesham

This proposed Borough is made up from an amalgamation of the Kentish districts of Dartford and Gravesham as well as a sliver of Sevenoaks district mostly parts inside the M25. In the pictures below I show two different possible boundaries for this proposed district the first includes the whole of Dartford and Gravesham districts and so includes a number of large villages. The second restricts the boundary somewhat, to only the most urban parts i.e. mainly just Dartford, Gravesend and the bits inside the M25. There is still a part of the M25 outside my new Greater London boundary I will annex this part to adjacent existing London Boroughs. I estimate the population of what is in the first picture to be 220,000 and the second 180,000.

Towns and Villages included in the Borough:

In Both Pictures: Swanley, Hextable, Gravesend, Dartford, Swanscombe, Northfleet
Only in Picture 1: Higham, Meopham, Hartley, Longfield, New Ash Green, South Darenth, Istead Rise

Notable things about the area:

Bluewater shopping centre.
The Dartford Crossing and Tunnel.
On the Thames Estuary.
The proposed Theme Park of Paramount Kent.
Ebbsfleet International Railway Station.
Ebbsfleet Valley New Town.

City of St Albans

My third proposed borough is centred around the town of Hemel Hempstead and the city of St Albans. Both of which are in Hertfordshire, form part of the Greater London Built-up Area and lie just outside the M25. This is the last potential Borough with any part in Hertfordshire and includes large parts of the current Dacorum and City of St Albans districts. I propose that the remainder of these districts merge along with that sliver of Three Rivers outside my proposed boroughs form a new West Hertfordshire district. To prevent a thin peninsula other parts maybe annexed to the Welwyn-Hatfield district.

I named this the City of St Albans rather than the London Borough of Hemel Hempstead and St Albans because St Albans is a city and other cities in London like Westminster use a similar naming scheme. Below is a picture of the proposed borough which also shows the boundaries of the previous two boroughs I proposed. I estimate the population of this potential borough to be 190,000.

Towns and Villages included in the Borough:

St Albans,  Hemel Hempstead, Kings Langley, Bedmond, How Wood, Park Street, Chipperfield

Notable things about the area:

Hemel Hempstead's Magic Roundabout.
Hemel Hempstead was voted the ugliest town in Britain.
The Buncefield fire took place in Hemel Hempstead in 2005 and was the largest peacetime explosion in Europe.
St Albans Cathedral.
The Clock Tower and the remains of the roman wall in St Albans.
St Albans is often voted one of the best places to live in the country.

London Borough of Harlow and Epping Forest/London Borough of Broxbourne and Loughton

My second proposed borough includes the new town of Harlow, large parts of the Epping Forest district (both in Essex) as well as most of the Broxbourne district in Hertfordshire as well as small bits of East Hertfordshire. Like with the previous district the borders are motorway aligned. Below are two potential boundaries for this area one includes a rural slice and the other doesn't. I could exclude more rural areas but I felt I should include all that is in the M25. I estimate the population of this district will be 270,000.

Towns and villages included in the Borough:

Loughton, Chigwell, Abridge, Theydon Bois, Cheshunt, Hoddesdon, Waltham Abbey, Epping, Harlow, Sawbridgeworth

Notable things about the area:

Epping Forest.
Is on the Herts/Essex border.
Close to but excludes Stanstead airport.
The new town of Harlow has good examples of Brutalist architecture.
Other areas, like Epping, retain a quaint charm.
Waltham Cross is home to the world's largest printing plant (according to Wikipedia)
Lee Valley Park.
The Loughton Incinerator Thefts took place in Loughton this inspired two (admittedly terrible) films.

UPDATE: London Borough of Broxbourne and Loughton

After some thinking I decided that Harlow was only part of London's urban area because of narrow ribbon development and hence was undeserving of becoming part of a new London Borough so now I propose a different Borough which includes the areas which are most connected to London. The new boundaries are shown below. I estimate this borough's population to be 160,000.

 

Towns and Villages included in the Borough:

Loughton, Chigwell, Abridge, Theydon Bois, Cheshunt, Hoddesdon, Waltham Abbey, Waltham Cross

Notable things about the area:

Epping Forest.
Is on the Herts/Essex border.
Waltham Cross is home to the world's largest printing plant (according to Wikipedia)
Lee Valley Park.
The Loughton Incinerator Thefts took place in Loughton this inspired two (admittedly terrible) films.

London Borough of Watford

My first proposed borough is centred around the town of Watford currently in Hertfordshire. The boundaries of this borough is basically the three Hertfordshire districts of Watford, Three Rivers and Hertsmere. Pictured below is the actual potential borders. Note the alignment to motorways in many places as well as going outside the M25 in places to encompass the towns of Potters Bar and Chorleywood. I estimate this borough would have a population of 280,000.

Towns and villages included in the Borough:

Watford, Borehamwood, Elstree, Bushey, Radlett, Shenley, South Oxhey, Rickmansworth, Maple Cross, Denham Green, Chorleywood, Potters Bar

Notable things about the area:

Borehamwood and Elstree are the site of a number of famous film studios collectively known as Elstree studios.
A number of the smaller towns have large percentages of their populations being Jewish. In particular Radlett is almost 30% Jewish and the most Jewish built-up area in the country.
The Three Rivers district was the second most peaceful local authority according to this.
Watford FC.
The Warner Bros. Studio Tour - London is in Watford.

Introduction

The last time London had significant boundary changes was in 1965 that was almost 50 years ago now. In this blog I will attempt to make the case for further boundary change and talk about potential areas to be annexed to the capital and potential future London Boroughs.

I will be making the case that all areas inside the  M25 should join the capital as should most of what is in the Greater London Built-up Area which is pictured below.
Note that when I estimate populations of potential boroughs I am using data from here on Built-up areas as well as data on Local Authorities which can be got using this.
Also note that when London Boroughs I propose involve districts getting split the parts outside my proposed boroughs get annexed to adjacent districts.

 

What I plan to do first is talk about each potential London Borough what towns it contains as well as important sites with in it. After going through all the potential boroughs I will attempt to make the case for border reform. I may also afterwards discuss border reforms for other cities in Great Britain.