Campaigns

Londonforum has focused its campaigning recently on two issues: the Mayor of London's powers over planning applications, and the threatened expansion of Heathrow

Expansion of Heathrow

Londonforum is opposing Heathrow expansion plans, and highlighting the full extent of their impact on Londoners.

Our voice has been added to the very many people (including the Mayor of London) who have expressed opposition to the plans to build a Third Runway at Heathrow and end alternation between the two existing runways. Our submission in February to the Department for Transport set out the reasons for our opposition: much wider exposure to noise, increased emissions of greenhouse gases, increased emissions of health-related pollutants, concerns over safety and the weakness of the economic case.

We have been briefing our member societies on the implications of what is proposed and advising them on making their own submissions - especially as there were regrettable gaps in the geographical coverage of the Government's consultation exercise. We particularly wanted to draw the effect of these proposals to member societies in many areas of London which have not been significantly affected up to now by noise from aircraft using Heathrow.

Although the consultation period has ended, there is still time to bring more pressure to bear against these proposals. You can lobby your MP, repeating in your own words arguments used in the Londonforum submission, and drawing attention to any specific implications in terms of increased overflying of your area.
To sign a petition, and get information about a major rally/march/carnival on May 31, go to www.stopheathrowexpansion.org.uk

Environmental and community groups are also fighting proposals for a 50% increase in flights from London City Airport. Visit the blog at londoncityairportfighttheflights.blogspot.com/

Mayor's powers over planning applications

Should the Mayor of London be able to give developers planning permission? Londonforum has pressed for safeguards.

We have been very concerned at the way the Mayor has intervened on some major planning applications, particularly for tall buildings, in order to support a developer against the local planning authority (see newsforum, spring 2006). When he sought powers to take over responsibility for deciding certain categories of planning application, Londonforum was strongly opposed. When it became clear the Government wanted to give him such powers, our submission to the Department for Communities and Local Government in November 2006 expressed our severe reservations, but also focused on establishing safeguards.

When the Bill for the Greater London Authority Act 2007 was before Parliament Londonforum drew the attention of members of both Houses to the problems inherent in giving the Mayor power to decide planning applications. We returned to the charge in a further submission when a draft Order and Circular were published early in 2008. We welcomed the draft Circular as a clear statement on how strategic planning in London should be undertaken, but again expressed our strong reservations about the new discretionary power to take over certain 'strategic' planning applications. We were concerned that the draft Order offered too great a scope for defining applications as 'strategic' and no provision, other than judicial review, for appealing against a decision by the Mayor to take over a planning application.

The Order has now been made and came into effect on April 8; and an explanatory memorandum has been published. Some safeguards have been incorporated, for example a right for the public to attend a hearing (albeit only at seven days notice) and make oral representations before the Mayor takes a decision. A Londonforum open meeting on April 2 discussed the new powers in detail - you can read a report of that.

The campaign has not ended, however. As well as monitoring individual cases, Londonforum will be keeping a close watch on the overall use of the new powers by the Mayor (whoever that may be following the election on May 1), how the procedures evolve, and whether amenity and civic societies should press for modifications or further safeguards.