Mayor's London Plan

Mayor's London Plan
Name	Mayor's London Plan
Jurisdiction	Greater London
Adopted	2004 (original), revised 2011, 2016, 2021
Authority	Greater London Authority

Mayor's London Plan The Mayor's London Plan is a statutory strategic spatial plan for Greater London prepared under powers in the Greater London Authority Act 1999 and administered by the Mayor of London and the London Assembly. It establishes a framework for land use, transport, housing, environment, and economic development that interacts with borough local plans, infrastructure providers, and public bodies including Transport for London, the Homes and Communities Agency, and Historic England. The Plan has been revised across successive mayoral administrations including Ken Livingstone, Boris Johnson, Sadiq Khan, and has influenced projects such as Crossrail, Thames Tideway Tunnel, and the redevelopment of King's Cross.

History and development

The Plan originated from the creation of the Greater London Authority following the London Assembly and Mayoralty referendum, 1998 and the passage of the Greater London Authority Act 1999, with the first consolidated document published under Ken Livingstone in 2004 and a major revision under Boris Johnson in 2011. Subsequent modifications were guided by statutory procedures set out in the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and influenced by national policy instruments like the National Planning Policy Framework and interventions by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (now Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities). Key stages involved public consultations, examinations in public, and interactions with the London boroughs such as City of Westminster, Camden, Islington, Southwark, Lambeth, and Hackney.

Objectives and scope

The Plan sets strategic objectives aligning with commitments on climate mitigation championed at forums such as the United Nations Climate Change Conference and urban resilience initiatives including the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment. Its scope covers spatial development, strategic infrastructure, economic development across Opportunity Areas like Canary Wharf, Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation, and Stratford City, and cultural stewardship involving bodies such as the British Museum, Tate Modern, Royal Opera House, National Portrait Gallery, and the Royal Parks. It coordinates with transport entities like Network Rail, Heathrow Airport Holdings, Gatwick Airport Limited, and energy networks managed by National Grid plc and water infrastructure projects led by Thames Water.

Spatial strategy and planning policies

The spatial strategy promotes intensification in Opportunity Areas and town centres including Croydon, Brent Cross, Lewisham, and Woolwich, while protecting strategic views such as those managed by the London View Management Framework and landmarks like St Paul's Cathedral, Tower of London, Houses of Parliament, and Greenwich Observatory. Policy instruments reference heritage designations administered by Historic England, conservation areas within Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and Green Belt protections adjacent to Hertfordshire, Essex, and Surrey. Strategic transport corridors link hubs including King's Cross St Pancras, Victoria station, Liverpool Street station, and Euston railway station.

Housing and affordability

The Plan sets targets for housing delivery interacting with the London Housing Strategy, targeting supply across tenures including affordable housing providers such as Peabody Trust, L&Q (housing association), Clarion Housing Group, and private developers like British Land, Canary Wharf Group, and Berkeley Group. It references funding mechanisms involving the Greater London Authority housing funds, the Affordable Homes Programme, and partnerships with organisations such as the Homes England and London Legacy Development Corporation. Policies address density, build-to-rent schemes, and measures to counteract speculative investment linked to international capital from markets including City of London, with impacts discussed in research by London School of Economics, University College London, and King's College London.

Transport and environment

The Plan integrates transport objectives from Transport for London and strategic projects including Crossrail 1, Crossrail 2 (proposed), Thameslink Programme, and proposals for Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and Ultra Low Emission Zone expansion. Environmental policies aim at air quality improvements in areas designated under the Air Quality Strategy for England, reductions in greenhouse gases consistent with the Climate Change Act 2008, and urban greening via initiatives with Greater London National Park City advocates and partnerships with bodies such as Natural England and the Environment Agency. It addresses flood risk zones mapped by the Thames Estuary 2100 plan and nature recovery involving London Wildlife Trust and RSPB.

Implementation, monitoring and governance

Implementation relies on statutory plans produced by the London boroughs, growth corporations like the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation, and delivery agencies such as Transport for London and Homes England. Monitoring uses indicators tracked by the Greater London Authority and scrutiny by the London Assembly Planning Committee, with legislative oversight from the UK Parliament and periodical examinations by the Planning Inspectorate. Governance arrangements involve memoranda of understanding with authorities including Metropolitan Police Service for safety and NHS England for health impact assessments.

Criticism and public response

The Plan has attracted critique from a range of stakeholders: borough councils such as Lewisham London Borough Council and Barking and Dagenham London Borough Council over housing allocations, campaigns by groups like Save Britain's Heritage and Situationists (local activists), trade unions including the GMB (trade union) over construction standards, and environmental NGOs such as Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace on climate ambition. Academic critiques from University College London, London School of Economics, and commentators in outlets like the Financial Times, The Guardian, and The Times have debated its effectiveness in addressing affordability, congestion, and heritage preservation. Public inquiries and mayoral elections have periodically reshaped policy emphasis, evidenced in debates involving Greater London Authority elections and local referenda in places including Haringey and Richmond upon Thames.

Category:Planning documents of London