New NPPF consultation
The Government issued a new version of the National Planning Policy Framework with a consultation until 10th March 2026. London Forum’s members are asked to consider the local implications of the proposed planning rules and to respond to the consultation. Specific concerns or recommendations can be notified to us.
There was a long debate in Parliament on the proposed new NPPF.
The lawyer Nicola Gooch has issued an NPPF briefing with additional links and Simon Ricketts has commented on the content of the new NPPF.
Housebuilding around train stations
Housebuilding near well-connected train stations will receive a default “yes” through a new National Planning Policy Framework, to be consulted on later in 2025. Details are here.
In addition, there is a set of changes to the Planning & Regeneration Bill, which the Government says is a “Pro-growth package unshackling Britain to get building”.
As part of it, Councils must inform Government when inclined to block applications of 150 homes or more. Ministers will make the decision instead. Applications called in will not have to go to an inquiry [more…]
Consultation for next London Plan
The GLA has published an ‘Easy Read’ version here of an earlier ‘Towards a New London Plan‘. It explains the need to deliver more homes and related problems. The consultation seeks views on that and various options for land use, jobs, environment and cultural facilities. London Forum’s members should consider responding by the closing date of 2nd November 2025 to influence the content of the draft replacement London Plan due in 2026.
Homes on Green Belt
The OnLondon news channel is one to which London Forum recommends its members should subscribe. Its edition here includes a review of the progress of review of LB Enfield’s new Local Plan. It promotes the use of Green Belt land for housing and the arguments for and against that will be considered by the Inspector in the examination’s stage three in October 2025.
There are other news items of interest in the OnLondon website including an Earls Court special, details of proposals to address use of mobile phones [more…]
Response to ‘Towards a new London Plan’
We’ve formally responded to the consultation on ‘Towards a new London Plan’, which closed yesterday evening, following on from the presentation by the Deputy Mayor, Jules Pipe, at London Forum’s event on 13th May.
We used some AI tools to help summarise our answers to the long set of questions in a readable format, with the detailed summary now held in our ‘What we’ve said’ archive 
here.
A shorter summary can be found below:
Section 1: [more…]
Assembly questions for next London Plan
The London Assembly Planning and Regeneration Committee put questions on ‘Towards the next the London Plan’ on 9th June 2025 to two sets of guests.
The transcripts here and here of the discussions indicate what the Assembly may take into account in their scrutiny of London Plan Team work in preparing the 2026 draft replacement London Plan which will be consulted upon.
Comments by London Forum’s members on what was said are welcome, as there are likely to be variations across London on the points made by the [more…]
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Clarifying design codes
![Statutory consultees jigsaw - inspired by image by Markus Winkler [Unsplash] and made with AI](https://i0.wp.com/www.londonforum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Statutory_consultees.jpg?fit=1536%2C1024&ssl=1)
Statutory Consultees
Statutory consultees play an important role in the planning application process by providing expert advice on significant environmental, transport, safety, and heritage issues. There are currently 13 organisations that local planning authorities [more…]
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Densifying the suburbs
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🚩 77 Cowcross Street, EC1M 6EL (map)
The next London Plan, with its much higher housing targets, will increase the pressure for higher densities in the suburbs. It could guide high-density housing / mixed-use development to high accessibility locations. The shape of the new strategy will be a key issue for the new London Plan. We’ll discuss these and related issues at this Open Meeting on 29th January – please book here ( https://www.londonforum.org.uk/events/densifying-the-suburbs/?occurrence=2026-01-29#booking ) Issues What is the vision? What should the strategy be? (Speaker: Prof. Tony Travers), and What would be needed to…
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🚩 Room B1 70 Cowcross St, EC1M 6EJ (map)