![Thermal leakage [Grosvenor]](https://i0.wp.com/www.londonforum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Grosvenor-heat-leakage-e1770820351445.jpg?resize=452%2C491&ssl=1)
Barriers to historic building retrofit
A New Grosvenor report warns that England’s three million listed buildings and conservation area homes are being trapped in cold, costly decline by an outdated planning system
Local authorities spend the equivalent of 4,000 working days a year approving low-risk energy efficiency works that are almost always consented anyway
Retrofitting listed properties and buildings in conservation areas in England and Wales could deliver around 30% of the annual emissions reductions needed to meet the UK’s Sixth Carbon Budget.
Our new Resources page has some useful retrofit [more…]
Statutory Consultees – consultation response
London Forum has responded as here to this consultation.
It is to be hoped important statutory consultees will be retained and that those consulted will respond quickly and fully to enable changes or prompt decisions within the time allowed. It is important they all receive funding sufficient to meet their statutory obligations.
TfL’s as a consultee is of critical importance.
If Historic England’s role is to be reduced, it must be ensured that LPAs are adequately resourced to fill the gap.
![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?resize=320%2C202&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 (LPAs) must consult about specialist issues when they receive relevant planning applications, from the Environment Agency and National Highways to Historic England.
Their role is very important, but there is widespread agreement that the system is not working well, causing needless duplication of effort and delays in making decisions. Hence the Government issued in November a [more…]
ESSA Introduction & Retrofit Guides
Our new member ESSA (The Edwardes Square Scarsdale and Abingdon Association) has written an introduction to their work in the attached pdf document.
We’ve added links to their professionally produced and comprehensive retrofitting guides on the new Resources page. Their guides focus separately on typical Victorian, mansion block and modern buildings in London. We’ve also posted links to the Bedford Park Society’s timely Energy Guide which addresses some of the same areas (mentioned in member news last month), and while on the topic of keeping this week’s [more…]
Green spaces protection
The Government wants to understand and identify the needs of dedicated, local community groups which champion and care for a parks and other open spaces and waterways.
If London Forum members carry out any of that work or know of local amenity groups that do so, there is an invitation to complete a green space survey which has been commissioned by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
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…]
Statutory Consultee reform
The Government has issued a consultation until 13th January 2026 on reform of the statutory consultee system.
This consultation covers the following proposals:
- removing statutory consultee status from certain bodies
- reviewing the scope of what statutory consultees advise on
- improving performance management across existing statutory consultee bodies in the planning system
The value of UK’s UNESCO sites
Britain’s World Heritage UNESCO-designated sites cover 14% of the UK’s land area.
A study described here will pioneer new methodologies to understand their value not just in economic terms, but the wider value of local partnerships and collaboration. It should help communities defend the four World Heritage Sites in London by demonstrating their outstanding universal value for use in considering planning applications and other potential causes of harm.
A.R.S Progetti, leading the study, has worked across governance, cultural heritage, education, urban planning, and environmental management.
Part pedestrianisation of Oxford Street
City Hall has appointed Hawkins Brown and East as lead architects for a plan to pedestrianise part of Oxford Street. Publica, the urban design practice, and landscape practices Aspect Studio and J&L Gibbons also have roles on the project.
East will work on the first phase which would pedestrianise an almost mile-long stretch of road between Orchard Street in the west, across Oxford Circus and through to Great Portland Street in the east. Further details of this part of the scheme will be in a public consultation later this year.
Hawkins [more…]
Tall building proposed at Hogarth roundabout
The Old Chiswick Protection Society (OCPS), a London Forum member, is urging societies and anyone concerned about the future of Chiswick’s historic landscape to submit final objections to the Mayor on a planning application for a 10-storey residential block at 1 Burlington Lane, W4. Details were in an update on 17th September.
Submit your views to the GLA Planning Portal (P-2024-2610) here.
Historic England has formally objected to the scheme, citing harm to the setting of parks, listed buildings, conservation areas and protected views. Richmond and [more…]
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Parks and Climate Change
The Heritage Fund worked with Historic England to better understand how the climate crisis is affecting the UK’s natural heritage ...
Ongoing District Line service problems
East Putney, Southfields, Wimbledon Park and Wimbledon stations together see over 29 million entries and exits a year but there ...
Tackling high street decline
High streets that have been hollowed out by the unchecked spread of vape stores, betting shops, and rogue businesses that ...
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Most Popular This Week
Member News
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Will the London Plan deliver the housing and places London needs?
📆 Mon 14th September | 18:30 - 20:30
🚩 77 Cowcross Street, EC1M 6EL (map)
A last chance to shape the London Plan — join us next Monday. The draft London Plan proposes that 50% of all new homes be affordable. With competition for homes, industrial and other uses, some housing will be built in what is now Green Belt land. This is an important subject covering proposals for housing development in London for the next 20 years. Book now ( https://www.londonforum.org.uk/events/will-the-london-plan-deliver-the-housing-and-places-london-needs/#booking ) for this Open Meeting on Monday 14th September. We’ve invited the London Plan team to talk about: The amount of housing required to meet…
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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)