Planning for London

The Greater London Authority (GLA) launched its first consultation on a new London Plan on Friday 9^th May 2025, to replace the current version (which was adopted in 2021). It is intended to come into force in 2027 and run to 2050 (although it is very likely that there will be replacements before then).

The London Plan forms part of the “Development Plan” across Greater London, alongside the Borough’s local plans, against which planning applications should be assessed (unless there are grounds for departure). As such, when adopted it will be a key planning document for development in the Capital, particularly for larger and more strategic proposals. The headlines from the consultation are:

• It seeks to fall in line with the Government’s revised standard method need figure of 87,992 net additional homes across London per annum, up significantly from the current 52,000 target, and – as has been widely remarked – a very long way from current delivery (reported as being around 38,000 a year). Each local authority will be provided with their targets later in the year, albeit apparently the targets will reflect where the homes can be physically built, rather than necessarily where the need arises.
• Although – as in the NPPF – the “brownfield first” principle is retained, this London Plan will be the first to be informed by a London-wide Green Belt review – a matter that hit many headlines when the consultation was launched. This will look for poor quality green belt land close to transport links, and include strategic development of over 10,000 homes and also, potentially, industrial development. The work on this is underway and will be completed in the Autumn – it is apparently yet to be decided whether the document will be made public or not (although it is difficult to see how such a politically sensitive document could not be subject to public scrutiny at some point).
• In another change, it will distinguish between Metropolitan Open Land (MOL) and green belt, and will seemingly protect most MOL from the green belt review. This divergence in approach is a departure from the long-standing principle that MOL should be considered in the same policy terms as green belt. In this new plan, it appears MOL will have more protection than green belt (although, an exception may be made to non-public MOL, such as golf courses, which may be assessed for release).
• It recognises the vital role data centres and other digital infrastructure play in London’s economy, and seeks better co-ordination between the various responsible bodies in order to deliver this.
• It seeks a strategic review of the approach to industrial land and development, noting that much of the designated industrial land in the Capital is not actually in industrial use. Designations will be reviewed, including:
  * Selective release for other uses;
  * Encouraging light industrial development in town centres; and
  * Potentially – releasing sites from the Green Belt for industrial use.

Reforming the planning system to promote economic growth has been touted as one of the Labour Government’s key initiatives, and – given that the Mayor and Central Government are both of the same party – the new London Plan can be expected to follow national changes to the planning system. In this respect – at least so far – it does, particularly in relation to housing delivery (and reviews to Green Belt boundaries to enable this), and a focus on meeting the needs of a modern economy.

The process is at an early stage, and the plan will inevitably evolve before it is adopted. However, the focus on delivering housing and economic growth could bring significant opportunities for developers, housebuilders and landowners, particularly those who have sites in the Green Belt proposed for release. 

The consultation is open until 22^nd June 2025. If you would like to discuss the potential opportunities arising from the proposed changes or would like to have your say in the consultation process, please get in touch with a member of our planning team in London.