The London Plan is the statutory spatial development strategy for the Greater London area in the United Kingdom that is written by the Mayor of London and published by the Greater London Authority. It is updated from time to time.[2]
The London Plan
Author
Language
English
Subject
Statutory planning document of Greater London
Publisher
Publication date
March 2021[1]
Publication place
England and United Kingdom
Media type
Digital (online and PDF)
The regional planning document was first published in final form on 10 February 2004. In addition to minor alterations, it was substantially revised and republished in February 2008 and July 2011. In October 2013, minor alterations were made to the plan to comply with the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes in national policy.[3]
The London Plan of March 2016 was published, and amended in January 2017 (for typsetting corrections), with a formal end-date of 2036.
In March 2021 a new London Plan was adopted by the Greater London Authority, planning for the next 20–25 years.
The plan replaced the previous strategic planning guidance, or Regional Planning Guidance (RPG), for London issued by the Secretary of State and known as RPG3.[4] It is a requirement of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 that the document is produced and that it deals only with matters that are of strategic importance to Greater London. The Act also requires that the London Plan includes in its scope:
The plan is a spatial development strategy for the Greater London area and has six objectives.
The original 2004 objectives were:
- To accommodate London's growth within its boundaries without encroaching on open spaces
- To make London a better city for people to live in
- To make London a more prosperous city with strong and diverse economic growth
- To promote social inclusion and tackle deprivation and discrimination
- To improve London's accessibility
- To make London a more attractive, well-designed and green city
— London Plan, 2004
The objectives were updated in 2008 following the Greater London Authority Act 2007:
- To accommodate London's growth within its boundaries without encroaching on open spaces
- To make London a healthier and better city for people to live in
- To make London a more prosperous city with strong and diverse long term economic growth
- To promote social inclusion and tackle deprivation and discrimination
- To improve London's accessibility
- To make London an exemplary world city in mitigating and adapting to climate change and a more attractive, well-designed and green city
— London Plan, 2008
The objectives as adopted by the 2011 and 2016 revisions, are to ensure that London is:
- a city that meets the challenges of economic and population growth
- an internationally competitive and successful city
- a city of diverse, strong, secure and accessible neighbourhoods
- a city that delights the senses
- a city that becomes a world leader in improving the environment
- a city where it is easy, safe and convenient for everyone to access jobs, opportunities and facilities
— London Plan, 2011 and 2016
The objectives as adopted of the 2021 London plan, are to ensure that London is:
- Making the Best Use of Land: To promote the efficient use of land and to meet the needs of a growing population within the finite boundaries of the city.
- Building Strong and Inclusive Communities: To foster social integration, community engagement, and to ensure that all Londoners have access to quality services and amenities.
- Creating a Healthy City: To improve the health and well-being of Londoners by addressing environmental and health inequalities.
- Delivering the Homes Londoners Need: To increase the supply of affordable housing and to cater to the diverse housing needs of the city’s residents.
- Growing a Good Economy: To create opportunities for all Londoners and to ensure that the city’s economy is robust, diverse, and inclusive.
- Increasing Efficiency and Resilience: To make London more resilient to the challenges of climate change and to increase the efficiency of the city’s infrastructure.
— London Plan, 2021 [5]
The 2021 plan had chapters:
Chapter
Title
Summary
1
Planning London’s Future - Good Growth
Focuses on building inclusive communities, making efficient use of land, fostering a healthy city, providing necessary homes, growing the economy, and increasing resilience.
2
Spatial Development Patterns
Opportunity areas, Strategic Development, Growth Locations, The Central Activities Zone, Town Centres, Sutton Link, and Local Regeneration,
3
Design
London’s Character, Sustainable Infrastructure, Site Capacity Optimisation, Inclusive Design, and various design policies including tall buildings and public realm.
4
Housing
Increase Housing Supply, Affordable Housing, Specialised Accommodations (elderlySpecialised Accommodations & Student).
5
Social Infrastructure
Social Infrastructure, including healthcare and social care facilities, education, play areas, sports facilities, public toilets, and burial space.
6
Economy
Office Space, Business Space, Affordable Workspace, Industrial Locations, Sector Growth, Retail, and skills development.
7
Heritage and Culture
Heritage Conservation, World Heritage Sites, strategic views, culture and creative industries, the night-time economy, and protecting public houses.
8
Green Infrastructure and Natural Environment
Green infrastructure, the Green Belt, open spaces, urban greening, biodiversity, trees, food growing, and geodiversity.
9
Sustainable Infrastructure
Air Quality, Minimising Emissions, energy infrastructure, heat risk management, water infrastructure, digital connectivity, waste management, and waterways protection.
10
Transport
Sutton Link, Strategic Transport, Healthy Streets and Active Travel, Transport Infrastructure, Sustainable Transport Funding
11
Funding the London Plan
Plan Implementation, Financial Obligations, Investment Coordination, Resource Allocation
12
Monitoring
Performance Tracking, Policy Impact Assessment, Adaptive Strategies, Reporting and Transparency
Annex 1
Town Centre Network
Classifies London’s larger town centres into five categories: International, Metropolitan, Major and District centres, as well as CAZ retail clusters.
Annex 2
Inner and Outer London Boroughs
Map of CAZ, Inner, and Outer London
Annex 3
Glossary
Opportunity Areas in the London Plan 2021 are designated for significant development, aimed at supporting new housing, commercial ventures, and infrastructure improvements. These areas are linked to existing or planned public transport enhancements and are expected to support a minimum of 5,000 new jobs or 2,500 homes, or a combination thereof. Boroughs use these figures as starting points for policy development and refine them through further assessment. Overlapping with Strategic Areas for Regeneration, Opportunity Areas are intended to support city-wide inclusive growth. The Mayor’s role includes ensuring these areas reach their full potential, advocating for investment, and overseeing development that respects the area’s character. Opportunity Area Planning Frameworks guide the initial stages of development, emphasising job creation, housing, transport, and service access, with a collaborative approach involving local communities and stakeholders. [6]
For the purposes of the plan, London is divided into five sub-regions. From 2004 to 2008 the sub-regions were initially the same as the Learning and Skills Council areas established in 1999.[7] Within this scheme there was a separate Central sub-region and four others around it. The London part of the Thames Gateway zone was entirely contained within the East London sub-region. The 2004–08 sub-regions each had a Sub-Regional Development Framework.[8]
The sub-regions were revised in February 2008 as part of the Further Alterations to the London Plan. These sub-regions each radiated from the centre to combine inner and outer London boroughs.[9] The 2008–11 sub-regions, each had its own Sub Regional Implementation Framework.[10]
In 2011 the sub-regions were revised again. A smaller Central sub-region was reintroduced, the South sub-region was reintroduced, and all boroughs in the Thames Gateway were returned to the East sub-region.[11] The 2011 sub-regions are maintained in the 2016 London Plan.[12]
Throughout these revisions has been a separately defined Central Activities Zone which includes areas with a very high concentration of metropolitan activities.
The London Plan identifies 201 activity centres in the city. All activity centres are categorised into:
Smaller local and neighbourhood centres are also referred to in the plan but are not listed.
International centres (2)
Metropolitan centres (14)
Bromley, Canary Wharf, Croydon, Ealing, Harrow, Hounslow, Ilford, Kingston, Romford, Shepherd's Bush, Stratford, Sutton, Uxbridge, Wood Green
Major centres (36)
Angel, Barking, Bexleyheath, Brixton, Camden Town, Canada Water, Catford, Chiswick, Clapham Junction, Dalston, East Ham, Edgware, Elephant and Castle/Walworth Road, Eltham, Enfield Town, Fulham, Hackney Central, Hammersmith, Kensington High Street, Kilburn, King's Road (East), Lewisham, Nag's Head, Orpington, Peckham, Putney, Queensway/Westbourne Grove, Richmond, Southall, Streatham, Tooting, Walthamstow, Wandsworth, Wembley, Wimbledon, Woolwich
District centres (149)
Acton, Addiscombe, Angel Edmonton, Archway, Bakers Arms, Balham, Barkingside, Beckenham, Bethnal Green, Blackheath, Brent Street, Brentford, Brick Lane, Brompton Cross, Bruce Grove/Tottenham High Road, Burnt Oak, Camberwell, Canning Town, Carshalton Village, Chadwell Heath, Cheam Village, Chipping Barnet, Chrisp Street, Church End Finchley, Clapham High Street, Colindale/The Hyde, Collier Row, Coulsdon, Crayford, Cricklewood, Crouch End, Dagenham Heathway, Deptford, Downham, Dulwich – Lordship Lane, Ealing Road, Earls Court Road, Earlsfield, East Beckton, East Finchley, East Greenwich, East Sheen, Eastcote, Edgware Road/Church Street, Edmonton Green, Elm Park, Erith, Feltham High Street, Finsbury Park, Forest Gate, Forest Hill, Fulham Road, Gants Hill, Golders Green, Green Lane, Green Lanes, Green Street, Greenford, Greenwich West, Hampstead, Hanwell, Harlesden, Harold Hill, Harrow Road, Hayes, Hendon Central, Herne Hill, Highams Park, Hornchurch, Kentish Town, Kenton, King's Road (West), Kingsbury, Lavender Hill/Queenstown Road, Lee Green, Leyton, Leytonstone, Mill Hill, Mitcham, Morden, Muswell Hill, Neasden, New Addington, New Barnet, New Cross and New Cross Gate, New Malden, Norbury, North Cheam, North Chingford, North Finchley, North Harrow, Northwood, Notting Hill Gate, Palmers Green, Penge, Petts Wood, Pinner, Plumstead, Portobello, Praed Street/Paddington, Preston Road, Purley, Rainham, Rayners Lane, Roman Road (East), Roman Road (West), Rosehill, Ruislip, St John's Wood, Selsdon, Sidcup, South Chingford, South Harrow, South Kensington, South Norwood, South Woodford, Southgate, Stamford Hill, Stanmore, Stockwell, Stoke Newington, Surbiton, Swiss Cottage/Finchley Road, Sydenham, Teddington, Temple Fortune, Thamesmead, Thornton Heath, Tolworth, Twickenham, Upminster, Upper Norwood/Crystal Palace, Wallington, Wanstead, Watney Market, Wealdstone, Welling, Wembley Park, West Green Road/Seven Sisters, West Hampstead, West Norwood/Tulse Hill, West Wickham, Whetstone, Whitechapel, Whitton, Willesden Green, Wood Street, Worcester Park, Yiewsley/West Drayton
There have been a number of amendments to the London Plan which have been incorporated into the current version that was published in February 2008. Early alterations were made covering housing provision targets, waste and minerals. Further alterations to the plan covered climate change; London as a world city; The London Economy; Housing; Tackling social exclusion; Transport; London's geography, the sub-regions and inter-regions; Outer London; Liveability (including safety, security and open spaces); and the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. The mayor gained new statutory powers following the Greater London Authority Act 2007.
Following the 2008 change of mayor, a new review was initiated in July 2008 and a new London Plan published in July 2011. As of this date, modifications are made to fully comply with the National Planning Policy Framework.
In 2013, London Mayor Boris Johnson proposed early minor alterations to the London Plan that were aimed at preventing boroughs from setting rent caps or targets for affordable rented homes in their local development frameworks.[13] The alterations were approved in a vote by the London Assembly in September 2013.[14]
Alterations made since July 2011 were consolidated in the London Plan of March 2016, which re-published with typsetting corrections in January 2017.
Following the 2016 change of mayor, London Mayor Sadiq Khan outlined proposals towards creating a new London Plan.[15] A draft version was published in December 2017, with the final version formally coming into effect on 2 March 2021.[16]
Date
Document
February 2004
October 2005
Draft Alterations to the London Plan: Housing Provision Targets Waste and Minerals
December 2005
Reviewing the London Plan: Statement of Intent from the Mayor
September 2006
Draft Further Alterations to the London Plan
December 2006
Early Alterations to the London Plan on Housing provision targets, waste and minerals
February 2008
July 2008
Planning for a better London
April 2009
A new plan for London: Proposals for the Mayor's London Plan
October 2009
The London Plan: Consultation draft replacement plan
December 2009
Minor alteration to the consultation draft replacement London Plan
April 2010
Crossrail Alterations
July 2011
The London Plan 2011[a][19][20]
February 2012
Early Minor Alterations to the London Plan
October 2013
Revised Early Minor Alterations to the London Plan
March 2015
Further Alterations to the London Plan
March 2016
(typsetting corrections January 2017)
December 2017
Draft version of the updated London Plan released for consultation
August 2018
Minor changes published
March 2021
[web portal to chapter documents, per:] The Mayor published the replacement London Plan in July 2011. It is available to download by chapter below.