Transcript Title of slideshow here - Regional Studies Association

Towards the new London
planning
RSA Research Network
21 September 2012
Why we plan for London
London's growing..
By 2031 there could be:
•1.2 million more Londoners (to 8.82m)
•0.8 million more households
•0.7 million more jobs
•4 million more trips per day (2023)
And need for
•34,900 more homes
•1,3-2.2 m sq ft of office space in central London
alone
•1.3 – 2.2 m sq ft of comparison retail space
•40,000 more hotel bedrooms
Updated projections
Most recent projections:
•Population:
2011 Census: 8.17m
2016: 8.5m (LP8.1m)
2021: 8.8m (8.32m)
2026: 9m (8.57m)
2031: 9.1m/10m ONS (LP 8.8m)
•Employment
2031: 4.7m (LP 5.45m)
We have been here before..
•1921: Population 7.4 million
•1939: Population 8.6 million (previous
peak)
•Growth of about 1.2 million
London 1914
London 1939
How was this growth met?
1921-1938
•Middlesex grew by 805,325
•Wembley by 552% (100,600); Hayes and
Harlington by 386% (35,000); RuislipNorthwood by 348% (32,000)
"[Here]..the continued overflowing growth of London has been
most marked, and houses in their thousands have been built
for people whose occupations were not in the neighbourhood,
but in the central area and who preferred the daily discomforts
of straphanging to the excessive rents and overcrowding of
London itself..In the Suburban Ring is found the "average man"
of the LCC housing estates who travels 16 miles a day and
spends £12 a year on getting to and from his work" - Greater
London Plan (1944)
And in planning..
• Green belt: LCC 1935, Green Belt
(London and Home Counties) Act 1938
• Barlow Commission: report 1940
• County of London Plan: 1943
• Greater London Plan: 1944
The current climate
"About half of NAMA’s portfolio was
located in London which has so far
performed very well from Aug 2009 to Dec
2010 but has been more subdued over the
past year. Supply shortages and money
chasing a relatively stable investment have
maintained prices and there might even be
a short term fillip from this year’s Olympics.
Beyond London and the English south
east, there is evidence of prices waning
amidst sluggish economic growth and
stunted lending"
Namawinelake (14/9/2012)
Delivery
•Developers are developing
•"Non-developer developers" aren't
•But it may not really matter
•Banks aren't lending - and when they do:
•at low level
•at high rates
•expect high levels of profit
•Good old fashioned NIMBYism an issue
•Constant fiddling with the system ditto
A new London Planning
System?
Are signs of a distinctive London
system
• Still formal recognition of strategic level
• National Planning Policy Framework:
•Everywhere in London has an up-to-date
plan
•More room for local approaches
•Growing sense of a "London sector"
•Always keep a-hold of nurse...
• Development is still happening - so can
test new approaches
Governance changes
•Mayoral call-in of strategic applications
(2008)
•Devolution of housing investment role
(2011)
•Localism Act 2011:
• Abolition of London Development Agency
• transfer of land and development to Mayor's
direct control
• Mayoral development corporations
•GLA shifting from strategy to delivery
National planning agenda
•NPPF
•encouraging sustainable development
•identifying and seeking to meet need
•emphasis on local circumstances
•Government housing and growth agenda
•Duty to cooperate
•within London - and beyond
•Community Infrastructure Levy
•Neighbourhood planning
How is the Mayor responding?
• By being clear about priorities for the system:
•2020 Vision
•London Planning Statement
• By keeping the London Plan up-to-date:
•"London expression of NPPF"
•Based on sound evidence (eg offices, housing)
•Implementation Plan and infrastructure
• By producing guidance
•Eg on neighbourhood planning:
•Lifetime neighbourhoods
•Understanding Place
•Neighbourhood planning, including conformity
How is the Mayor responding?
•Finding London solutions for London
issues
•Mayor's response to Government's growth
statement: Boris, not PINS
•"Barriers to Delivery"
•Prioritised/focussed approach to opportunity
areas
•Tackling detailed problem areas:
•viability
•hazardous installations
•Cross-boundary cooperation...
Neighbourhood planning - a
digression
• London has:
•15 DCLG "front runners"
•an unknown number of other NP projects
•range from:
• Norland (K and C) - conservation-led
• Hackbridge (Sutton) - community-led, borough-facilitated
• NPs must have regard to strategic policies in
development plan
•housing policies are likely to be covered by this
• LP and guidance intended as a localism
resource
• Currently thinking about conformity
Planning beyond London
• Inter-Regional Forum
•"Not as effective as it could have been"
•75% of its membership no longer exists
• London Plan sets out issues needing
cross-boundary work
• Mayoral commission looking at funding
infrastructure for the SE
• Duty to cooperate
• About to consult on an organic approach
Conclusions
•Localism in London:
•complex
•has Londonwide aspect
•has strengthened the Mayoralty
•There is room for innovation
•There has already been a quiet revolution
•You can have good planning in bad times
•Increasingly, there is a London planning
system
•If we don't shape it, Government may
Questions?