Creating spaces that enable people to thrive and businesses to succeed
The built environment is the backbone of the city – and planning for its future is vital to maintaining London’s competitive edge.
We’re driving a vision for a more affordable, greener, digitally enabled capital. Delivery means addressing major barriers across housing, planning, infrastructure, and commercial property.
What we do
We tackle the key challenges in London’s built environment to support economic growth, boost the capital’s attractiveness and improve quality of life. Our work includes:
Championing affordable housing to ensure people can live and work in the capital, and businesses can access the talent they need.
Pushing for planning reform and funding to speed up delivery, unblock development, and promote and support growth.
Supporting land use flexibility to unlock space for homes and commercial growth.
Shaping London’s future workspace to ensure the capital meets modern business needs.
Engaging with leaders and run expert forums to influence policy and develop practical solutions.
Addressing policy and systemic challenges
Building more homes: We’re calling for urgent action to deliver at or above London’s 88,000 new homes target every year, across all tenures – from affordable homes, build to rent and purpose built student accommodation.
Shaping planning policy: We’re engaging closely with the Government’s ambitious planning reform programme and the review of the London Plan, the spatial development strategy for Greater London – ensuring it supports the right type of development in the right places, including commercial space, high-quality offices, and industrial capacity.
Accelerating delivery: We’re advocating for improvements to the Building Safety Regulator’s gateway process and have published a Planning Performance Agreement template to speed up decision-making.
New Towns – With the Government confirming two new towns at Thamesmead and Crews Hill, we’re committed to helping to turn these schemes into reality by championing the infrastructure, funding, and powers essential for their successful delivery.
Ensuring the City Hall Developer delivers: We’re working with the Greater London Authority to move its new City Hall Developer Investment Fund from the drawing board to delivery, unlocking land for new homes.
Tackling temporary accommodation and homelessness: We’re exploring how institutional investment can help address London’s homelessness challenge and support more private capital into affordable housing.
We bring together key stakeholders through specialist forums that drive policy and deliver practical change:
Planning and Development Advisory Forum – shaping strategic planning policy and development practice.
Planner Officers Society – connecting planning professionals to share insights and intelligence on the core planning and design issues across London.
GLA Housing and Planning roundtable – working directly with the Greater London Authority on housing delivery and planning challenges and engaging with key political and business figures shaping the built environment sector.
West End Streets Steering Group (WESt) – promoting the funding and delivery of high-quality public realm improvements in one of the UK’s most important commercial, retail, and tourist locations.
Central London Business Improvement District Forum – networking, engaging and sharing best practice at our quarterly London BIDs forum, bringing it together with key stakeholders including the GLA, London Councils, Metropolitan Police and TfL to share best practice on issues ranging from tackling crime, a safe and vibrant night-time economy, and transport.
Industry and Logistics Sounding Board – connecting our members with senior public and private sector stakeholders, including from the GLA and London Boroughs to shape London Plan policy on industrial land and champion London’s leadership in the sector.
Recent Achievements
Pressed for measures to kickstart housebuilding in the capital: Advocated for a more ambitious Affordable Homes Programme, a long-term rent settlement, and reforms to the Building Safety Regulator.
Secured government support for the City Hall Developer: Achieved through sustained advocacy to help unlock land for new homes.
Set out a bold vision for the built environment’s post-pandemic future: Launched in May 2023 and developed after a year of deliberations with 20 senior businesses and chaired by Francis Salway, the Place Commission – supported by Deloitte’s research – explored the capital’s urban evolution through people, spaces, sustainability and innovation, aiming for a more affordable, digitally enabled and greener city.
Want to help shape the spaces where Londoners live, work, and thrive?
Explore how BusinessLDN is driving change across housing, planning, and commercial development – and discover how membership connects you to the people and policies shaping the capital’s future. Find out more here.
