Contesting land or property
If you believe land or property is not needed and could be put to better economic use, then you can raise a challenge by submitting a Right to Contest application.
The application process has two strands:
- Strand 1: land owned by a central Government department and their arms length bodies
- Strand 2: land owned by a local authority or certain other public bodies
You’ll need to contact the relevant organisation when submitting the form. Details are on the application form.
Extra Council Tax
The Government has allowed some Councils in London to impose larger council tax increases after reducing their share of government funding.
Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, Wandsworth, Westminster and the City of London will be allowed to raise rates by more than 5% for two years without local people having to approve.
The tables setting out the allocations to each council are accessible via this link.
Local Government Finance
A report sets out details of the final Local Government settlement for 2026 to 2027 requiring approval by the House of Commons early in 2026.
In this multi-year settlement, the first for a decade, the Government will set allocations for financial years 2027-28 and 2028-29.
Local Authorities and other interested parties have been responding to a consultation which has full details.
New Resource Pages
There are many public sources of articles, reports and publications that could be important to London Forum’s members to help awareness of policy changes and activity of Government and GLA departments. The information could be useful for the way societies work with their local authority and their MP.
To help you, we’ve created a Resources website menu with links to useful research resources on the Internet, as well as to relevant London Forum material, including the Find Your Local Society page with its new map, and the [more…]
Hounslow Council Leader responds to criticism about finances
On 11th November 2025, London Forum published an update containing criticisms by LB Hounslow Councillors of the cost of the Council’s ‘Lampton Group’ and the loans made to it.
In the Chiswick Calendar online magazine, the local authority’s Leader, Shantanu Rajawat, has responded to those criticisms over Hounslow’s finances, as here. He explains how Hounslow’s finances are in “remarkably good shape”.
![A4 cyclepath [photo: OGWRA]](https://www.londonforum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/A4-cyclepath-OGWRA-320x202.jpg)
A4 cycle lane needs repair
A London Forum member society in Osterley has asked people to sign their petition, as below.
While there is major investment in Cycle Superhighway 9, the neglected A4 cycle path from Cranford to Chiswick remains hazardous and poorly maintained, prompting urgent calls for resurfacing, regular cleaning, safer junctions, and improved infrastructure to ensure it meets the safety standards of West London’s cycling network.
Please send this link to anyone who cycles on the A4 cycle path, or would like to do so. https://www.owgra.org.uk/petition-a4-cyclepath
Planning changes for London and for Local Plans
Government Chief Planner, Joanna Averley, issued another update on producing Local Plans, and next steps regarding planning measures for London.
The Local Plan changes, as set out in the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023, are explained here. There is guidance for LPAs and a statement by Mathew Pennycook MP.
There are two consultations for London, one on temporary relief from CIL and another on removal of elements of LPG guidance that can constrain density.
London Forum’s members should respond to those and send a copy to [more…]
Household Projections and Housing Targets
The latest projections from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) show that between 2022 and 2032, the number of households in England is expected to grow from 23.5 million to 25.9 million, an increase of 10.3%. That is equivalent to an average of 242,000 additional households per year. Nearly two-thirds of that increase will come from households headed by someone over 65 years old. Rates of increase will be much lower for households headed by someone under retirement age.
An ageing population and a decline in the birth rate [more…]
![New London Architecture [NLA]](https://i0.wp.com/www.londonforum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot-from-2025-11-21-21-46-00.png?resize=303%2C154&ssl=1)
NLA Award Winners
The NLA Awards 2025, honour the people, places and projects that show in their developments high quality design, positive social impact and environmental responsibility. The details are here.
The City of London won the planning team award and LB Lambeth was the borough of the year. Schemes for Neasden Town Centre, Canning Town, Eden Dock and Brent Cross Town won awards.
Comments on the awards by London Forum’s members are welcome here.
Pathways to Planning
Joanna Averley, MHCLG Chief Planner, announced a programme to get graduate planners or surveyors into local authorities. Applications are now open. All graduates hired receive an educational bursary of £10,000 to help fund their part-time study while they work. Local authorities with high housing delivery and local plan requirements will be considered for salary bursaries of £40,000 when requesting a graduate planner.
A YouTube video about the scheme was issued.
Didn’t find what you’re looking for? Try a new search:
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.
...
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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Member News
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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://…