![Sewage in the Thames {Photo: Chiswick Calendar]](https://i0.wp.com/www.londonforum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Sewage-in-the-river-Thames.jpg?resize=756%2C505&ssl=1)
Rebuilding trust in the water sector
The Independent Water Commission published its report with 88 recommendations on restoring public and investor confidence in the water sector in England and Wales.
There is a 67 page summary of their report.
The key areas for reform include:
- Establishing a cross-sector strategy for water covering the water industry, agriculture, land-use, energy, transport, and housing development
- Modernising the legislative framework
- Establishing a new regulatory framework (including the abolition of Ofwat)
- Changing the way water demands are managed
- Strengthening the governance of companies, including the introduction of a new regime for senior accountability and changes to company licence conditions
- Improving the management of the sector’s critical infrastructure – namely, the underground pipes and other assets that underpin water and wastewater services.
Draft London Plan response – linked policy by policy
The GLA’s consultation on the draft London Plan 2026 closed on 15 October 2026, London Forum submitted a 39-page response. This is the short version: the main points, then in Our Comments policy by policy, a one or two-line summary of key comments on each, with links to the GLA’s original text, and to our full response. 
Why the draft Plan falls short
We agree strongly that the Government’s 85,000-a-year target for new homes is [more…]
Planning in London, Issue 139, Oct-Dec 2026
Issue 139 of Planning in London (Oct-Dec 2026), the journal of the London Planning and Development Forum, has been published.
Contents:
- The draft London Plan — 558,000 homes, Green Belt, densities, tall buildings
- The new NPPF — pro-development presumptions, station-led growth & viability
- Less say for councillors and communities? — the new scheme of delegation & front-loaded appeals
- Housing at a low ebb — record-low approvals, the Mayor’s City Hall Developer, and ideas for getting London building, including contributions by Dame Kate Barker (Spatial strategy) & Nicholas Boys [more…]
Community engagement in growth
London Forum’s President, Ben Derbyshire, has written an article on his conclusions from the work of the Historic Places Panel.
He wrote that, as he comes to the end of his term as chair of that panel, it is an apposite moment for him to share the panel’s views on the Prime Minister’s call for “growth in every postcode.”
Ben will be talking about this subject at the AGM on 28th October
You can read the full article here.
![EV charger [photo: unsplash]](https://i0.wp.com/www.londonforum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/EV-charger-unsplash.jpg?resize=1280%2C853&ssl=1)
Home electric vehicle charging
On 21 October 2026 the GPDO (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2026 will extend Part 2, Classes D and E, to any part of the curtilage of a house or block of flats to allow an electric charging socket on the front wall.
Where a footway lies between the charger and the car, the cable must cross under it through an authorised cross-pavement channel. A new Part 9, Class F lets highway authorities install those channels but that requires planning permission.
Many boroughs have already fitted electric vehicle charging points into street lighting columns.
Development viability issues
Housing Community Summit, Liverpool, 9 September 2026
The Housing and Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook MP acknowledged in a speech the tough viability conditions for development, with margins squeezed by reduced interest cover and higher materials costs. He argued the government has nonetheless delivered on its earlier commitments. He cited the £39bn ten-year Social and Affordable Homes Programme SAHP (for at least 60% Social Rent), a ten-year rent settlement at CPI+1% with rent convergence, and £2.5bn of low-interest loans. He also mentioned restored Right to Buy discounts with full receipt retention, ahead of reforms in the Social Housing Bill.… Read more...
More information for members
We have made available three additional links to information in our website Resources facility in the ‘Other’ section.
They are to blogs by healthcare and urban planning advocate, Clare Delmar and to Urban Design Learning for their guides on design codes, design reviews and best practice, together with videos of site visits and recommendations on green infrastructure. We also added a link to Westminster’s ‘Weather Ready Homes’ advice.
There are now several retrofit resources on the page, including more than one from Historic England, and two regularly mentioned member-curated resources: from ESSA and the Bedford Park Society.
![School [Freepik]](https://i0.wp.com/www.londonforum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/School.jpg?resize=1000%2C624&ssl=1)
School closures
London Councils, representing local authorities in the capital, produced a report ‘Finding the Balance’ on falling education class numbers and the effect on school budgets.
They call for more consistency in school closure process and powers to manage surplus school buildings.
The news site MyLondon has published a similar article.
It explains that the funding allocated for each individual school is directly tied to the number of students it has enrolled so many individual schools are facing a funding crisis.
Community funding
The Government has announced the next wave of the Common Ground Award for community organisations across England which provides up to £2.5m for projects, groups and organisations bringing people together, transforming their community and strengthening relationships in their area by creating and developing welcome local spaces.
Projects will receive cash to improve the spaces and equipment people rely on to meet, mix and feel part of their community.
Here is the link to apply for the Common Ground Award for 2026-27.
Planning Practice Guidance
MHCLG has revised and updated planning practice guidance to support the 2026 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and to make it accessible.
The categories of guidance are listed with links here.
The NPPF sets out the government’s planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied in planning and decision making. The most recent published version of this can be accessed at National Planning Policy Framework.
Didn’t find what you’re looking for? Try a new search:
![Sewage in the Thames {Photo: Chiswick Calendar]](https://i0.wp.com/www.londonforum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Sewage-in-the-river-Thames.jpg?fit=150%2C100&ssl=1)
Rebuilding trust in the water sector
The Independent Water Commission published its report with 88 recommendations on restoring public and investor confidence in the water sector ...
Planning in London, Issue 139, Oct-Dec 2026
Issue 139 of Planning in London (Oct-Dec 2026), the journal of the London Planning and Development Forum, has been published.
...
Community engagement in growth
London Forum's President, Ben Derbyshire, has written an article on his conclusions from the work of the Historic Places Panel.
...
Draft London Plan response – linked policy by policy
The GLA’s consultation on the draft London Plan 2026 closed on 15 October 2026, London Forum submitted a 39-page response. This is the short version: the main points, then in Our Comments policy by policy, a one or two-line summary of key ...
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Annual General Meeting 2026
📆 Wed 28th October | 18:30 - 20:30
🚩 77 Cowcross Street, EC1M 6EL (map)
Wednesday 28 October 6.30pm at The Gallery, 77 Cowcross Street, EC1M 6EL Notice is hereby given to member societies of the 2026 AGM of the London Forum of Amenity and Civic Societies. Doors open for networking, drinks and nibbles from 6.00pm. Please book your place(s) using the booking facility ( https://www.londonforum.org.uk/events/agm-2026#booking ). Agenda Welcome and Introduction Approval of the Minutes of the AGM of 16 October 2025, available here ( https://www.londonforum.org.uk/agm-papers/ ) Chair’s Report – Chair Michael Jubb Financial Report – Treasurer Ali Dezyanian Approval of the Annual Report and Accounts for 2025-2026, available here ( https://…
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