Tall building proposed at Hogarth roundabout
The Old Chiswick Protection Society (OCPS), a London Forum member, is urging societies and anyone concerned about the future of Chiswick’s historic landscape to submit final objections to the Mayor on a planning application for a 10-storey residential block at 1 Burlington Lane, W4. Details were in an update on 17th September.
Submit your views to the GLA Planning Portal (P-2024-2610) here.
Historic England has formally objected to the scheme, citing harm to the setting of parks, listed buildings, conservation areas and protected views.… Read more...
Oxford Street pedestrianisation
On Sunday 21st September, Oxford Street was part closed to traffic. Themed zones featuring fashion, sport, music, food and heritage spanned Orchard Street to Oxford Circus.
The Mayor claimed it a success here but the publicity and novelty of the event were likely to result in many people attending.
TfL will consult on traffic and highways changes for pedestrianisation later in 2025.
For businesses, however, the prospect of an accelerated timeline could add to concerns about logistics and access.… Read more...
2025 Annual General Meeting
On 16th October, The London Forum held it’s 2025 AGM with two speakers, and a full house of members.
Michael Jubb, our chairman, made opening comments, and introduced the speakers: our patron, Prof. Tony Travers, and guest speaker, Leanne Tritton, chair of The London Society. Each talk was followed by a substantial Question & Answer session addressing prescient topics in depth.
We’ve annotated our AGM event page with photos and recordings of the talks and Q&A sessions, so that you can listen again, or review them if you didn’t manage to attend.… Read more...
![Nationally Significant Infrastructure People/Process [ Graphic: HMG ]](https://i0.wp.com/www.londonforum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Nationally-Significant-Infrastructure.jpg?resize=320%2C202&ssl=1)
Reducing infrastructure delays
The Government has issued a news story here on “backing the builders not the blockers”, explaining it will work with the judiciary to cut the amount of time it takes for a judicial review to move through the court system for nationally critical infrastructure projects.
HM Treasury and MHCLG are concerned the delays stunt economic growth by holding back development due to lack of utilities.
Social housing
Past updates under the tag ‘Housing Delivery‘ cover lack of funding for social housing. That subject was covered by our Patron Tony Travers of the LSE and Leanne Tritton of The London Society in talks at our AGM, reported separately.
The lawyer Simon Ricketts examines stalling of building here and proposals from the APPG for London on speeding house building are here.
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
The progress of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill has been slow and just before the Report Stage of the Bill in the House of Lords, the Government put forward amendments to the Bill. One could prevent councils refusing planning permission and another would limit when Natural England should be involved in planning decisions. Richard Harwood KC has commented on some of the proposed amendments.
Reforming Licensing
The government invites views and evidence here UNTIL NOON ON 6TH NOVEMBER 2025 to inform the development of a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system for alcohol sales. It is to build on the Licensing Taskforce recommendations and the government’s response and to support the Government’s commitment to reduce regulatory burdens by 25% by the end of this Parliament. Responses should be made online.
Chief Planner’s update
On 7th October Joanna Averley, the MHCLG Chief Planner issued an update letter to planners in local authorities on 2025 Housing Design Awards, New Towns (two in London), consultation on infrastructure planning reforms and flood risk assessment. MHCLG has published its response to the compulsory purchase consultation.
London Forum members should consider the content of the letter and review implications with their Council.
Haringey Social Work
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO) reported 1,100 unread emails in Haringey Council’s social work inbox “including 500 police reports”.
Lucia das Neves, the council’s health, social care and wellbeing Cabinet Member said: “We recognise the seriousness of the findings and fully accept that mistakes were made, for which we apologise.”
The death of Baby P in 2007 saw the council heavily criticised over safeguarding failures.
Construction Adviser appointed
A new interim Chief Construction Adviser, Thouria Istephan, was appointed by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 30th September 2025.
MHCLG states that “Thouria will play a central role helping to shape the future of the built environment sector, ensuring that safety, delivery and accountability are central to decision-making, with residents’ voices at heart.”
Details are here.
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Local Audit Reform
How to petition Parliament
Old Kent Road development – update
Will the next London Plan rise to the city’s real challenges?
This article was first published in Housing Today.
Ben Derbyshire reflects on Sadiq Khan’s latest policies to boost housebuilding in the capital.
You could be forgiven for thinking, following Sadiq Khan’s volte face on building in the green belt, that Londoners would be all over this issue like a rash. Far from it, if the mood among members of the London Society and the London Forum of Amenity and Civic Societies at a meeting convened on 13 May is anything to go by.… Read more...
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How Effective is Planning Enforcement?
📆 Mon 29th June | 18:30 - 20:30
🚩 77 Cowcross Street, EC1M 6EL (map)
How can we make it work better? Planning enforcement is important. Unless it’s done effectively, the integrity of the whole planning system is put at risk. But it’s one of the most frustrating issues for civic societies and local community groups. We’ll discuss this and related issues at this Open Meeting on 29th June. Please book here ( https://www.londonforum.org.uk/events/how-effective-is-planning-enforcement#booking ) Cases typically include: Large developments that grossly fail to meet planning conditions or even submitted drawings and plans; Illegal demolitions; Unauthorised residential alterations and extensions; Additional floors…