News from Government: What’s Not New

17th May 2021

The Queen’s speech on the 11th May confirmed that progress has been made with the Government’s White Paper and the next phase of the process is likely to be rolled out this year. It promises major reform of the planning system and is likely to result in the reassessment of Local Plans nationally, particularly in relation to housing numbers. You can read more about the White Paper in our article ‘Planning for the Future’.

In the meantime, Labour’s Sadiq Khan has been re-elected as the Mayor of London, beating Conservative challenger Shaun Bailey. Khan now has a mandate to deliver the aims of his recently adopted London Plan, so expect a “business as usual” approach to planning in London at least for the initial phase of the new Mayoral term.

The new Plan is designed to implement a number of manifesto commitments made by the Mayor when he was elected in 2016, including:

• making London a zero-carbon city by 2050;
• a long-term target to achieve 50 per cent of all new dwellings as affordable homes;
• supporting a modal shift so 80 per cent of journeys are by walking, cycling or public transport by 2041;
• protecting London’s Green Belt.

Read in more detail about the Plan’s drawn out adoption process and its key objectives in our article ‘London Plan Adopted at Last’.

There will be a requirement towards the end of the mayorship for him to review the London Plan. Given that housing delivery was such a sticking point to get it over the line, it will be interesting to see if he doubles down on any of the affordable housing or environmental policies that he has introduced.

For further advice about the changes and how they may affect your planning project, please contact Bell Cornwell’s London office.

Geoff Megarity, Senior Planner