Planning & development
The GLA forecasts that by 2026 there will be up to 1.2 million more people and 900,000 more jobs in the capital. London needs homes, offices and other developments to support this growth and remain an attractive location for global business.
London First’s planning objectives:
- ensure the planning system supports development and regeneration in London
- influence national and regional policies, representing business’ views to ensure policy-makers recognise the complexity of development in London
- celebrate the role of planning in maintaining London’s world city status, to promote planning as a career choice and ensure departments are properly resourced
London First, working with experts in planning and development from its membership, is at the heart of the planning debate. London First works to improve planning policy and decision making. We do not get involved in individual planning applications.
The London Plan
The London Plan - the Mayor’s spatial development strategy first published in 2004, sets out planning policy to 2026. London First will continue to represent business priorities and concerns in the new Mayor's forthcoming reviews: firstly to enable development contributions to Crossrail, followed by a wider review of policy. We will also represent members in the changes to supplementary guidance most critically on housing, renewable energy and strategic views.
London First submissions
Cutting the Capital's Carbon Footprint – Delivering Decentralised Energy
London business is committed to addressing climate change and supports the need to generate more of London’s energy from decentralised sources. We believe that the target of 25% decentralised energy by 2025, set out in the Mayor’s Climate Change Action Plan, whilst challenging, can be achieved through collaboration between the Mayor, boroughs and business.
To assess how this can be done, London First commissioned a report from members Buro Happold, overseen by an expert steering group, chaired by Neil Pennell, Project Engineering Director of Land Securities. The report sets out how switching a quarter of London’s energy generation to local area combined heat and power plants could save 3.5 m tonnes of carbon emissions annually, improve energy security and help address fuel poverty.
Executive summary
Full research report
With the support of a working group of members established with Isabel Dedring (The Mayor's Environment Advisor), substantial progress has been made on implementing the recommendations of that report.
The report recommended decentralised energy be planned on a district scale and connect to the existing stock. Consensus has been reached on this principle, most recently with the promotion of decentralised energy networks in the Draft Replacement London Plan.
It recommended a new 'integrator' body within LDA help to plan and deliver this new infrastructure. A dedicated DE team has been established. In addition £16m has been allocated over the next four years to identify and bring forward schemes, with a possible further £64m coming on stream from Europe.
It recommended Boroughs undertake energy masterplans. A heat mapping and masterplanning exercise has begun, driven and funded by the LDA and the boroughs, and supported by creation of a London Heat Map. The map has the ability to gather new information from those seeking to invest in, develop or identify heat networks. It locates demand, both existing schemes and those in the pipeline, and crucially the long-term public sector heat loads (government estates, hospitals, schools etc) that, when assembled, can act as 'anchors' to new networks and help secure stable, long term returns.
And it recommended a PPP approach for delivery, the public sector unlocking and de-risking schemes to help attract the private investment required to build this new energy infrastructure. The prospectus published by the Mayor describes the regulatory, policy and funding context for investment, setting out the opportunity and a pipeline of potential projects. It can be found here - Powering ahead: Delivering low carbon energy for London.
Community Infrastructure Levy
London First was part of the industry coalition which in 2007 put forward proposals for a planning charge to replace the Government's Planning Gain Supplement. We are in regular dialogue with Government on the proposals for the Community Infrastructure Levy to ensure they support not frustrate development and improve infrastructure delivery.
London First Response to the Community Infrastructure Levy
Housing
London consistently builds too few homes. The Government’s plans to devolve increased responsibility for housing strategy and delivery to the Mayor, as part of wider revisions to the Greater London Authority (GLA) Bill, are welcomed by London First as a vital step in providing for the economic and social needs of a growing city. The target of 30,500 new homes per year (compared to 24,000 currently being built) will not be achieved unless Mayoral involvement is strategic and light touch. London First and expert members are working with the GLA on the preparation of the draft Housing Strategy and on achieving a step change in housing delivery.
London First response to Mayor’s Towards a Housing Strategy
Promoting planning best practice
The annual London Planning Awards are organised by London First to celebrate the achievements of planners in London
We also look at practical ways to improve the operation of the planning system in London. With the Government Office for London and London Councils we have commissioned Arup to undertake a study of the extent of elected councillors’ involvement in planning decisions, and the levels of training that are currently available - in order to define and disseminate best practice for London. The research is sponsored by London First members Argent, British Land and London Communications Agency.
Councillor Involvement in Planning in London The benefits of greater councillor involvement are considered to be greater certainty in decision making and clearer decision making. Many boroughs are seeking to increase the role of councillors in planning decisions and would welcome clearer guidance as to what is appropriate. Concern remains about propriety and the extent to which, and when, councillors can be involved. ‘Connecting Councillors with Strategic Planning Applications: A Good Practice Guide for London’ has been produced as a key recommendation of the research. The guidance brings together existing borough good practice for involving councillors in all stages of the planning process.
Government Office for London, London Councils and London First have undertaken joint research looking at existing arrangements for councillor involvement in all stages of the planning process, and their training.
More information can be obtained at www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/councillorsandplanning
Link to research
Link to guidance
Link to press release
