Funds for social homes
Government announced £2 billion investment to support social and affordable house building. £400 million of that was allocated to London in addition to £100 million in the budget last autumn. All projects funded will need to start by March 2027 and finish by June 2029. City Hall has been asked to allocate the funds to prioritise social rent homes.
London Councils estimates boroughs spend £4m every day on temporary accommodation. This spending has jumped 68% over [more…]
Sustaining success in parks
In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with officers, elected Councillors and communities in Islington Council and Leeds City Council, which have thriving parks services that contribute effectively to their communities.
The review outlines recommendations to both local and central government as a result of its findings.
What’s Happening to London’s Population?
An Historical Introduction
London’s population peaked in the 1930s, reaching about 8.6 million in 1939. For the next half century it fell steadily, to 6.8 million in the 1980s, before beginning to rise again, to over 9.1 million now. But the experiences of inner London (broadly, the area governed by the London County Council (LCC) from 1889 to 1963) and of outer London (broadly, the areas added to the county when the Greater London Council (GLA) was created in 1965) have differed greatly.
Inner London’s population fell rapidly by over [more…]
Consultation Responses
We’ve responded to a couple of recent MHCLG and GLA papers, the responses are posted in the ‘what we’ve said‘ archive, and linked below for your convenience:
Green Belt
Guidance on reviewing Green Belt and identifying grey belt sites has been published. It will inform determination of applications for proposals utilising grey belt land and whether development of the site would be sustainable and the effect on the remaining Green Belt. There are ‘golden rules’ both within that guidance and in other guidance here for consideration of viability.
Local Plan changes
Decisions by councils on new development will be clearer, simpler, and prepared up to four years faster, according to a planning overhaul announced by DHCLG. New changes include introducing regular assessments to help councils stay on track towards meeting their targets, greater clarity about how Local Plans should be prepared and updated, and using digital tools to increase transparency on available land for new development.
Housing Delivery Test failed in 9 boroughs
In the latest NPPF the Government changed rules on the annual Housing Delivery Test and nine London boroughs fell below achieving 75% of their target housing delivery pipeline. They are Barking (66%), Bromley (58%), Camden (53%), Greenwich (40%), Havering (61%), Kensington & Chelsea (60%), Lambeth (74%), Lewisham (32%), Newham (61%) and Richmond (60%).
Feedback is required from societies in those boroughs on the implications, what is happening on planning decisions which are now subject to a ‘presumption in favour‘ of housing and with the NPPF becoming the prime [more…]
Funds for LPAs
In the financial year 2025-26 the Government has agreed to provide Councils, as listed here, with support to manage financial pressures via its ‘Exceptional Financial Support (EFS)’ process. The cross-party group London Councils describes EFS as a “misnomer”, as increasing numbers of boroughs are relying on the emergency borrowing it facilitates and are burdened with further debts and servicing costs.
London Growth Plan
Developed by the Mayor of London and London Councils, the ‘London Growth Plan’, as detailed here, is described as a blueprint for turbocharging productivity in the capital. It aims to restore productivity growth to an average of two per cent a year over the next decade.
Night time economy
Sadiq Khan has launched a night-time economy taskforce following the departure in October 2024 of night czar Amy Lamé, after half of nightclubs closed during her eight years in the rôle. The Assembly has produced eighteen recommendations here for the night-time economy of which one is a voluntary levy on arena and stadium tickets to support grassroots music venues.
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Making Social Rent Homes viable
Noise Action Week 11th to 15th May 2026
Additional rules for Neighbourhood Forums
What’s Happening to London’s Population?
An Historical Introduction
London’s population peaked in the 1930s, reaching about 8.6 million in 1939. For the next half century it fell steadily, to 6.8 million in the 1980s, before beginning to rise [more…]
Most Popular This Week
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Member Services Committee meeting
📅 Thu 7th May | 14:00 - 16:00
🚩 Room B1 70 Cowcross St, EC1M 6EJ (map)
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Planning, Environment and Transport committee meeting
📅 Thu 11th June | 14:00 - 16:00
🚩 Room B1 70 Cowcross St, EC1M 6EJ (map)