Following the publication of the Draft New London Plan, BusinessLDN hosted the first briefing held by any organisation with the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Regeneration and Lucinda Turner, Assistant Director of Planning and Regeneration at the Greater London Authority, on the proposals, kindly hosted by Turley.
The session gave members an early opportunity to hear directly from City Hall’s planning team and explore the implications of the draft Plan for the capital.
Our Director of Planning and Development, Sarah Bevan, chaired the discussion before a full room of members from across London’s built environment, planning, property, infrastructure, housing and business communities. The breadth of organisations represented underlined the importance of the Draft New London Plan and the significant role it will play in how London will grow and evolve over coming years.
As London’s spatial development strategy, the London Plan sets the framework for how and where homes, jobs and infrastructure are delivered across the capital. Its influence extends far beyond individual planning applications, shaping local planning policy across London’s boroughs and helping to guide the city’s economic success.
Opening the discussion, Jules reflected on his position as the first Deputy Mayor for Planning to oversee the preparation of two London Plans. Drawing on his experience of both processes, he outlined lessons learned from implementing the current Plan and how these have informed the draft now out for consultation.
Turning to the differences between the two Plans, Jules noted that London has changed significantly since the current Plan was prepared in 2017. The new draft, he argued, must respond to a different economic and national policy context while looking ahead to the city’s longer-term needs.
Jules also emphasised the importance of bringing viability and deliverability to the forefront of the planning debate. Alongside discussions about policy ambition, he argued there must be greater focus on the practical question of what it will cost to deliver the homes, infrastructure and places London needs. His comments reinforced a desire to move the conversation beyond what the capital wants to achieve and towards a more realistic assessment of how those ambitions can be delivered in practice.
Lucinda presented a summary of the draft Plan’s key proposed changes, including its streamlined structure, refreshed approach to Opportunity Areas, Green Belt release and other measures intended to support economic activity and place-making across the capital whilst ensuring that all Londoners benefit from good growth.
Following the presentation, members had the opportunity to put questions directly to City Hall’s planning team during an extended Q&A session. The discussion explored engagement with boroughs during the consultation period, the relationship between the Draft New London Plan and the Mayor’s Emergency Measures for Housebuilding, the future of the CAZ and maintaining a healthy supply of commercial space, and the timetable for examination and adoption.
The publication of the Draft New London Plan marks the beginning of an important new phase for London’s planning framework. The consultation runs until 15 October 2026, ahead of an Examination in Public in 2027 and the anticipated publication of the final Plan in 2028.
BusinessLDN has been closely engaged throughout the review process and it is encouraging to see a number of our key asks reflected in the draft Plan that we have consistently championed through our policy work, including the role of Opportunity Areas, greater flexibility over repurposing surplus commercial space and a more streamlined and strategic plan.
We look forward to continuing to work with members and City Hall throughout the consultation period as our response develops, ensuring that London’s businesses continue to play a central role in shaping the capital’s future growth.