The London Plan: heavy on policy, light on vision.
Last week’s consultation event “Towards a new London Plan” - jointly organised by the London Forum and The London Society and held at the UCL School of Planning - was an opportunity to participate in the roll out of the polices that will inform London’s built environment.
The event was well attended by Architects, planners, urban designers, academics, etc. eager to dig into the nitty gritty of it all. Given the Mayor’s announcement the previous week that the GLA would consider releasing portions of London’s Greenbelt to accelerate housing development, the topic naturally took centre stage.
Jules Pipe (Deputy Mayor, Planning and Regeneration) framed the greenbelt discussion as less a giveaway of flowery fields for frolicking, and more a necessity to attract new housing. He presented the London Plan’s driving emphasis to develop first and foremost along routes with existing transport links, then sweat the assets in density terms, before considering releasing greenbelt land.
Housing and economic development are the burning issues that shape this version of the London Plan. Following the Government’s pledge to build 1.5 million homes in the coming 10 years means that London’s share of delivery is 880,000 new homes within the same period, or 88,000 homes per year.
The London Plan takes aims at identifying where to densify but ignores the stark reality that investing in affordable housing remains economically unattractive to investors. The Plan misses opportunities to set policy which would entice developers prepared to reconsider rate of return on capital invested.
The London Plan, as one would image, is an outline of policies informed by data aimed at defining development objectives, housing targets, transport improvements, goals for social improvement, inclusion and a better city for all. It speaks to the needs of London and attempts to cover a myriad of topics within the public, and private realm.
But here lies its weakness. It reads as an insular document written by policy makers to be read by those who will decipher policy. It proclaims to want to change the ills of the Planning process yet reinforces Planning’s binary approach to issues. Missing is the notion of vision, not simply policy, but vision which will enable a better, more just London.
Make no mistake, the intent of the London Plan is a good one. It builds on the Mayor’s Good Growth by Design principles and those developed by the GLA to assist in London’s post Covid economic recovery. However, policy alone cannot excite the general public. Policy is best reinforced through vision which will help guide us to meeting the 88,000 new homes target annually.
When asked by Leanne Tritton (London Society Chair) what tools the GLA were considering to help communicate the Plan to Londoners from outside the built environment realm, the lack of a response was quite telling. For a document claiming to represent all of London it is lacking the investment of thinking power through graphics which illustrate cohesively the ideas of improving, protecting and making London better.
The London Plan needs to encompass vision to accompany Londoners on the journey of engagement. Without vison, it’s just words…
Photography: Greater London Authority 2025