Connecting with nature
There is a short survey on Talk London asking what you think about London’s network of rivers, canals, docks, reservoirs, lakes and green and natural spaces. It will take about 10 minutes to complete and it will close on Sunday 16 February 2025.
You can sign up with Talk London here for opportunities to make input to GLA activities and discussions.
Chief Planner’s newsletter to LPAs December 2024
Joanna Averley, the DHCLG Chief Planner, issued another newsletter on 19th December 2024 to local authorities requiring them to update their brownfield land register for 2024 by 31st December.
It seeks their views on a Development and Nature Recovery Working Paper, proposing developers pay into a ‘Nature Restoration Fund’. Also LPAs are asked to complete an online survey on a Green Infrastructure (GI) Framework. There is an explanation of the Government’s approach by the lawyer Nicola Gooch here.
An updated Criteria Document for improving planning performance for speed [more…]
Permitted development homes could be uninhabitable
Insurer Zurich UK has warned that office-to-residential conversions introduced in 2013 must be done properly or they will be uninhabitable for the future. Housing does not need to meet building regulations where there is a ‘material change of use’. The report details the serious problems found. 89,500 homes have been developed from commercial buildings and the lifting of a size cap on office-to-residential conversions in March led to applications increasing by 20% in England in a year.
Chief Planner’s newsletter to LPAs November 2024
Joanna Averley, the DHCLG Chief Planner, has issued another newsletter to local authorities. It covers new regulations arising from the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 relating to Compulsory Purchase that allow ‘hope value’ to be removed from the assessment of compulsory purchase compensation. It announces interim planning guidance on how to consider the targets of the Environment Act 2021 for fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) in planning decisions. Also, an interactive tool Local Authority Climate Service (LACS) is introduced to provide insights into the weather and [more…]
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West London Orbital overground
TfL is making plans for a new rail service on existing, underused rail lines in west London - this would ...
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 ...
Presentation slides: Will the London Plan deliver the housing and places London needs?
The slides from last week's London Forum/GLA event on the draft London Plan have been added to its event page.
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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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Planning, Environment and Transport committee meeting
📅 Thu 8th October | 14:00 - 16:00
🚩 Room B1 70 Cowcross St, EC1M 6EJ (map)
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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://…