Consultation on Heathrow expansion
A Draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement (HENPS) consultation has been published with a deadline for responses by 1st September 2026.
London Forum has prepared a briefing note for its members and asks you to feed your views back to us on the consultation questions in it by 7th August if possible; so that the London Forum can submit comments to the government before the deadline.
We also very much encourage you in parallel to respond directly to the government, both as a society and as individuals.
AI tool to halve planning decision times
A new AI facility is being tested in Barnet and Camden boroughs to speed up decision times.
The facility assesses applications, summarises key information and provides planning officers with an initial assessment they can consider.
The aim is to halve decision times to four weeks on the 70% of all applications which are submitted by householders.
A second AI tool helps planning officers convert decades-old planning documents and maps, sometimes with handwritten notes, into readily usable data in minutes
Please see the Government’s announcement, the Extract tool details are here, video demo below… Read more...
![Cross-Keys [Photo: Hammersmith Society/Collins]](https://i0.wp.com/www.londonforum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Cross-Keys-Hammersmith.jpg?resize=1280%2C1020&ssl=1)
Garden Annexe, Caravan, or Mobile Home?
Tim Catchpole of the Mortlake and East Sheen Society writes…
Our Society has had a recent experience which we would like to share with other London Forum members who may or may not have had a similar experience.
As a rule we do not normally make comments on planning applications for any development that is not visible from the public realm. However, the application in question was for planning permission for the ‘construction of a granny annex ancillary to the main house.’… Read more...
Social Housing Bill
The Social Housing Bill has passed through stages in the House of Lords, where the latest version is available, and will be considered next by MPs.
The Government published details of the Bill, updated to 15th June 2026, stating that “The Social Housing Bill will protect much-needed social housing stock, give affordable housing providers the clarity and confidence they need to build more social homes, and better protect tenants.”
Biodiversity Net Gain applies to NSIP schemes
Since May 2026, Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) has applied in England to nationally significant infrastructure projects, as well as housing and smaller developments. This means those implementing major road, rail and energy schemes now have a legal obligation to leave biodiversity in a measurably better state than before construction started. Further BNG changes are being considered by Government for July 2026.
It gives community organisations a better basis for making representations to planning authorities on development proposals.… Read more...
Chief Planner’s newsletter June 2026
Joanna Averley’s latest newsletter to local authorities’ planning officers covers:-
Policy and Guidance Updates
- New Plan-Making System Update
- Compulsory Purchase
- National Scheme of Delegation for Planning Decisions
- Department for Transport: forthcoming cost recovery regulations
- Active Travel England: new statutory role in local plans and supplementary plans
- Historic England Good Practice Guide on archaeology and solar farms
- Neighbourhood Planning Guidance and Toolkits
Funding Opportunities, Research and Events
- Demolition or retrofit?
- NSIP Innovation and Capacity Fund
- Update on Planning recruitment
- MHCLG Planning Skills and Capacity Survey
The thicket of detailed standards thwarting housebuilding in London is not the answer
Ben Derbyshire asks whether it is time to rethink the section 106 system and regulatory framework for housebuilding in London in this Housing Today article
London delivered less than 6% of its target for 88,000 new homes in 2025. Some of the issues impacting delivery are completely beyond local control – interest rates, supply chain inflation, global economic uncertainty and so on.
But increasingly there are sources saying the regulatory burden on new home building is even more significant.
New decision taking on applications
Reforming judicial review for infrastructure
A Policy Paper has been published on this subject.
The Government wants to reduce delays in the delivery of nationally important infrastructure, as in the Banner review but also the Fingleton review on enabling nuclear delivery through regulatory reform.
A Government-backed indemnification scheme is proposed to give developers greater financial certainty when facing legal challenge; and the NSIP judicial review reforms will be extended to other major planning regimes, including those under the Town and Country Planning Act.
Didn’t find what you’re looking for? Try a new search:
Jubilee Park
Jubilee Park in Canary Wharf sits on top of the spectacular tube station and is surrounded by high office buildings, which ...
Chief Planning Officer’s newsletter
A newsletter by Chief Planner of MHCLG, Joanna Averley, was published to local authorities’ planning officers on 21st July 2026.
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The Role of Civic Societies in London’s Planning and Development
What role do civic societies really play in shaping London? Are they powerful defenders of local communities, or are they ...
![TBM 'Florence' [Photo: HS2 ltd]](https://i0.wp.com/www.londonforum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/HS2-Florence.jpg?fit=1501%2C1000&ssl=1)
HS2 Reset
The High Speed 2 railway has had numerous resets yet it clings on to its existence albeit in a truncated form. The latest announcement by the Secretary of State for Transport followed the publication of the Lovegrove report into what went wrong, and some interim recommendations from the on-going review of how the project should be reset that is being conducted by HS2’s CEO, Mark Wild. The Lovegrove report is useful because it finally nails the claim repeated over many years by politicians and many of those directly involved in the HS2 project, that its core aim is to increase railway capacity.… Read more...
Most Popular This Week
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Member Services Committee meeting
📅 Thu 6th August | 14:00 - 16:00
🚩 Room F3 70 Cowcross St, EC1M 6EJ (map)
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Planning, Environment and Transport committee meeting
📅 Thu 13th August | 14:00 - 16:00
🚩 Room B1 70 Cowcross St, EC1M 6EJ (map)
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Summer drinks party at Cowcross Street
📆 Mon 24th August | 18:30 - 20:30
🚩 77 Cowcross Street, EC1M 6EL (map)
The annual summer drinks party for London Forum’s members will be held at the Alan Baxter office building at Cowcross Street. Please do come along and join Trustees and committee members for drinks and nibbles on Monday 24 August from 6.30pm to 8.30pm and meet fellow activists from other member societies across London. This is a free event for a maximum of two people per society – please use the booking facility ( https://www.londonforum.org.uk/events/summer-drinks-party-at-cowcross-street-2026/#booking ) to secure your place(s). If the weather is kind we should be able to spill…