If he wins he will follow on from Tory Boris Johnson, who stands down next year after two terms in office.
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Mr Goldsmith has been an ardent environmental campaigner, against Heathrow expansion and, crucially for east London, willing to continue the fight against London City Airport’s plans to expand.
It was never really in doubt, but party favourite Zac Goldsmith has now been confirmed as the Conservative Party’s mayoral candidate. He also wants to protect and enhance London’s green areas.
If elected, the environmentalist is expected to step down from the Commons, triggering a by-election.
Goldsmith said he wanted to build on Johnson’s legacy, but warned that there were ” increasing pressures on our city” because of its financial success.
He said the number one issue for Londoners is the housing crisis, and said he wants to build 50,000 new homes a year “just to narrow the gap between supply and demand”.
Khan said he welcomed Goldsmith’s nomination and looked forward to “a positive and friendly debate about the big issues facing Londoners”.
The son of the late industrialist, Sir James Goldsmith, Zac shares his strong euroscepticism. “He’s fearless. He will make a brilliant mayor”. The result placed him far ahead of his nearest rival Syed Kamall, a Conservative member of the European Parliament, who took 1,488 votes.
Mr Goldsmith was elected with 70% of the vote following an online primary and will face-off with Labour’s choice Sadiq Khan in the 2016 mayoral election.
Deputy mayor for policing Stephen Greenhalgh was in third place with 864 votes and London Assembly member Andrew Boff came in fourth with 372 votes. I’ve been here all my life and I worry about the future.
So now we know.
“It’s going to be a huge challenge”, Goldsmith said.
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“I would like to see as part of the reform package control over our borders so we can have a fairer and more global immigration policy than we have today”, he added.
