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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.
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.
Planning Resources Are Stretched Thin
According to research by the Home Builders Federation (HBF) nine in ten local authority planning departments in England and Wales are understaffed, delaying planning decisions and threatening the Government’s target of 1.5 million new homes.
HBF’s Planning on Empty report is based on a Freedom of Information survey of councils across England and Wales examining staffing levels, vacancies, staff turnover and the use of agency workers during the 2025/26 financial year.
What is the situation in your Council? Responses are welcome
Planning agreements for medium-sized sites
The Government has launched a consultation on a set of standard planning agreements for medium-sized housing sites. The proposals are intended to help streamline the negotiation of Section 106 agreements, provide greater certainty for local planning authorities and developers, and reduce the time and resources spent negotiating standard provisions.
Details are on page 3 of the latest newsletter to local authorities by Joanna Averley, MHCLG’s Chief Planner.
The Government thinks Section 106 agreements can secure affordable housing, despite the cross-subsidy model not achieving its aims recently.
Mayor challenges Heathrow expansion
In a letter to the House of Commons Transport Committee the Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, claims the government’s case for increasing Heathrow Airport’s capacity relies heavily on outdated evidence from 2015.
The Mayor and TfL have accused the government of relying on the 2015 report from the Airports Commission, which recommended a new runway be built, and have pointed out that the revised environmental tests do not provide sufficient reassurance that an expanded Heathrow can be delivered without serious environmental impacts.
Also see our response to the [more…]
AI for decision making
This week’s edition of LDN has useful information on the use of AI in decision making, the never-ending story of HS2 in London and a roundup of London’s politics and planning news.
London Forum suggests that member societies sign up to receive LDN weekly newsletters and to use their information in communications with members.
If you find the LDN updates useful, they welcome donations.
Response to Heathrow Expansion Consultation
The London Forum has submitted a highly critical response to the Government’s consultation on Heathrow expansion policy – link below.
The economic appraisal which forms part of the consultation shows that the relevant costs taken together, including environmental costs, greatly exceed the expected benefits. We cover many other issues in our response; but for that reason alone, we cannot support the draft policy statement.
You only have until 1st September to respond – our previous article has some useful guidance.
Accelerating housebuilding
The Minister of State for Housing and Planning, Rt Hon Matthew Pennycook MP, wrote to mayors and leaders of local authorities about the government’s next phase of reforms to accelerate growth and housebuilding.
On 17 August 2026, the government published its response to the public consultation on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and announced wider measures to create a faster, more certain planning system.
The government has also published the recent Housing Delivery Test (HDT) results.
Relevant Planning Practice Guidance will be updated.
Chief Planning Officer’s newsletter
The latest newsletter by Chief Planner of MHCLG, Joanna Averley, was published to local authorities’ planning officers on 18th August 2026.
It draws attention to
- the publication of the new National Planning Policy Framework, including the main changes following consultation as well as the government’s response to the consultation;
- reforms to the statutory consultee system, including changes to the roles and requirements of statutory consultees;
- publication of the 2024 and 2025 Housing Delivery Test results, alongside an updated Rule Book;
- new digital planning tools and guidance, including the rollout of [more…]
Planning in London, Issue 138, Jul-Sep 2026
Issue 138 of Planning in London, the journal of the London Planning and Development Forum, has been published, covering the period July-September 2026.
Contents:
- Housing, devolution & new towns — Burnham’s growth agenda, National Housing Bank.
- London’s office squeeze — shortage of prime workspace & economic impact.
- Olympia unveiled — Spparc & Heatherwick’s £1.3bn regeneration in Hammersmith.
- £9bn in unspent developer contributions — why S106 & CIL funds are stuck in council accounts.
- Planning policy & appeals — City Plan 2040 stalled, station-led development & rising appeal rates.
- High streets [more…]
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Development viability issues
The Housing and Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook MP acknowledged in a speech the ...
More information for members
We have made available three additional links to information in our website Resources facility in the 'Other' section.
They are ...
![School [Freepik]](https://i0.wp.com/www.londonforum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/School.jpg?fit=150%2C94&ssl=1)
School closures
London Councils, representing local authorities in the capital, produced a report 'Finding the Balance' on falling education class numbers and ...
Key policies in the NPPF
The following is a blog recently written by the lawyer Simon Ricketts which is intended to help developers to get a planning application approved. It is helpful for London Forum's members to understand parts of the new NPPF and for considering its ...
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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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