The GLA is required to do a whole series of impact studies as they prepare the draft London Plan – to alert them to bad impacts and highlight scope for improvements. They are also required to consult the public about the scope of the studies they plan to do. The consultation about this draft Scoping Report could have been done months or a year ago but finally it is happening now.
The consultation was badly announced just before christmas and with very short notice for responses. We protested strongly and the GLA has extended the consultation until 13 February.
All responses must be made in writing to londonplan@london.gov.uk and Just Space will be compiling a collective response. Individuals and groups are also encouraged to respond.
The Just Space response will be coordinated by Michael Edwards, Jed Holloway and others. Please get in touch if you want to contribute. A first reaction by Jed Holloway is here to download. A later composite draft response is added here 9 February. Do use any or all of it in your own.
The Draft Scoping Study for the Integrated Impact Assessment can be found at https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/planning/london-plan/towards-new-london-plan-consultation
The Integrated Impact Assessment (IIA) covers requirements relating to Sustainability Appraisal (SA)/Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA), Health Impact Assessment (HIA), and Community Safety Assessment (CSA). It proceeds by defining the objectives against which the plan should be judged, then sub-objectives and detailed questions. It should deal with alternatives.
Our previous experience in 2019 was shocking. The Panel of Inspectors at the Examination in Public were persuaded by us that the draft IIA was of such inadequacy that the London Plan team were required to produce additional appraisals of the impact each and every policy in the draft plan would have on each of the groups protected in the Equality Act. Links to back story in our post of 5 January.
(Page amended 26 January to add the download link to Jed Holloway’s text)
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