News

There is a video of a conversation Steve Quartermain, who was the Government’s Chief Planner, had with Alice Lester, Operational Director Regeneration, Growth and Employment at Brent Council.

An analysis of twenty developments across London has found Build-to-Rent homes could help more Londoners find affordable, high-quality accommodation.

Historic England (HE) has published an updated Tall Buildings Advice Note intended as a useful guide for all those involved with the planning and design of tall buildings.
HE publishes monthly planning bulletins which can be seen here. They provide details on recent and forthcoming developments in the world of planning from a heritage perspective. Notification of new editions can be requested by contacting governmentadvice@HistoricEngland.org.uk

The High Streets Task Force has published a report on ‘The Medium and Longer Term Viability of the High Street (post COVID-19)’. It follows their earlier report on creating resilient and revitalised high streets.

London Forum Insights issue 7 contained an article by Helen Warner on retrofitting homes.
The London Tenants Federation has made available a recording and presentation slides from a webinar it held on replacing gas boilers in homes which you can see here.
The APPG for London’s Planning and Built Environment held an event on retrofitting of London’s existing built fabric and a recording is here.

The government’s chief planner, Joanna Averley, in her latest newsletter to local authorities gives details on the Levelling Up White Paper, environmental screening of Neighbourhood Plans, permitted development rights for markets and movable structures, the bio-diversity net gain consultation and its implementation, fire safety matters for consideration at the application stage for relevant high-rise residential buildings, plus information about a new organisation called Active Travel England to support local authorities.

There were two consultations in January 2022 by the GLA on issues to be taken into account in the preparation of the next London Plan and on the annual monitoring report (AMR) of key performance indicators for the current London Plan version introduced in March 2021. London Forum’s responses to those are in its web site ‘What We’ve Said‘ section.
Guidance documents to support the implementation of specific policies in the London Plan have been published or draft versions of some of them are being consulted upon in February 2022.… Read more...

The Government has published a Levelling Up White Paper. There is a comprehensive briefing on the LUWP by the Local Government Association and the RTPI has produced its comments on it. There is an article with the view of the Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, Darren Rodwell, that “Michael Gove must recognise that London needs ‘levelling up’ too”. Paul Smith, an Associate at Cratus, also published comments on the LUWP.
In addition to those, London Forum has extracted comments made by its President Ben Derbyshire, Clive Betts MP LUHC Committee Chair and the leaders of other organisations here.

The London Society published a report on this subject.

The lawyer Simon Ricketts, Partner at Town Legal LLP, has written an article on this subject, following a clear judgment from The Hon. Mr Justice Holgate of the High Court as to how decision makers should approach applications for prior approval for the upward extension of buildings under the General Permitted Development Order: CAB Housing Limited v Secretary of State (3 February 2022). Civic and amenity societies should consider the conclusions extracted in the article.
Barnet Council has had several successes in refusing upward extensions which they considered would cause harm.… Read more...