The GLA has just released the three recent reports by the Outer London Commission. They cover relations with surrounding regions, speeding up housing delivery and means of accommodating growth (of jobs as well as homes). The reports (and many contributory documents) can be downloaded at https://www.london.gov.uk/about-us/organisations-we-work/outer-london-commission-olc/olc-and-full-review-london-plan

Also released is research ‘Older Londoners and the London Plan. Looking to 2050″ referenced in the recently published Housing SPG at https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/planning/london-plan/london-plan-full-review/full-review-evidence-base

Jennifer Peters (GLA) writes “Older Londoners are the fastest growing population group in London  and already contribute around £9bn pa to economic activity in the capital. To ensure future London Plan policies are responsive to the needs of older Londoners the GLA commissioned this “thinkpiece” from Three Dragons, Celandine Strategic Housing and Mead Solutions Ltd to explore how this could be achieved as part of the forthcoming Review of the London Plan. The report contains a detailed analysis of local plan policies specifically affecting older people across all London Boroughs and includes a series of case studies showing how, through relatively small changes to the planning system, life could be better for older Londoners than it is today.”

“The GLA has published the London Industrial Land Supply and Economy Study 2015 by consultants AECOM in association with Cushman & Wakefield, We Made That and Maddison Graphics. The document and appendices can be downloaded via the following link under “Economy, employment, offices and industry”:
https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/planning/london-plan/london-plan-technical-and-research-reports
This study assesses the supply of industrial land in London in 2015. It looks at how much industrial land has been released over the period 2010-2015 as well as potential future release of land in the planning pipeline. The study analyses employment and business in designated industrial sites and assesses trends in industrial land supply in the inner south east of England and compares these with trends in London. The study also considers the potential economic and congestion impacts of a reduced supply of industrial land in the capital.” Just Space was notified by Gerard Burgess of GLA on 18 March 2016

The GLA has published the 12^th annual monitoring report for the London Plan. It has lots of useful information, including that 96.6ha of industrial land was released in planning approvals in 2014/15, almost three times the benchmark of 36.7ha.

https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/amr12.pdf

Thanks to Tom Chance for letting us know.  We’ll post more comments and evaluation later. Please send us your reactions or add them as comments below.

The draft Economic Evidence Base for the next London Plan has been published by GLA Economics today 22 February 2016. A download of 18MB or of individual chapters is available at https://www.london.gov.uk/business-and-economy-publications/draft-economic-evidence-base-2016 and comments are welcomed – though no deadline is given.

Just Space has had a number of meetings with the GLA Economics team about the scope and content of the document and will be reporting at the April 28 Conference.

After workshop discussion at the April conference and in other settings, Just Space submitted its observations to the GLA Economics team in May 2016.

Londoners demand a Social Compact with the next Mayor at launch of ideas for a Community-led London Plan

On 4 February a conference of London community groups and resident/business campaigns launched their demands for a genuinely sustainable London at City Hall, publishing a tabloid which is both a manifesto and an agenda for a more open, more democratic, debate on London’s future. Download here. | Next conference 28 April.

The conference organized by Just Space was attended by 200 people who called for the new Mayor to sign up to a method of genuine involvement in London’s policy-making from an early stage: London’s community groups and organisations working in partnership with City Hall.

Many different perspectives were heard from people involved with estate demolition, private renters, food growing, alternative energy and the loss of employment land – but the common thread was a fundamental lack of trust in the systems that currently govern planning and development and which are not delivering for Londoners.

The Just Space network’s demands and ideas for debate are set out in a tabloid paper Towards a community-led Plan for London which will be used to lobby Mayoral candidates.

The paper calls for a city in which Londoners on normal wages can afford to live and where existing communities (who are also the voters) can sustain themselves, not be priced out or bulldozed. Participants  are all for treasuring and expanding the stock of non-profit housing, improving security and controlling rents for private tenants.

They want an economy which is much more diverse, able to sustain the intricate economies which make London unique and serve all its diverse communities – not just corporate giants and big brands – and stop property speculation from destroying industries, workshops and affordable offices.

They want a plan which pays real attention to the environment – making a big contribution to cutting global warming, addressing London’s illegal air pollution as a health emergency and greening the whole economy.

They want citizens and enterprises to be in from the start in forming the strategy of the next London Plan and demanding that candidates for Mayor and the Assembly commit themselves to this new process.

Just Space is a network of community, voluntary sector and activist groups, some local and some London-wide, influencing plan making and planning policy to ensure public debate on crucial issues of social justice and economic and environmental sustainability. About 50 groups, many themselves federations, have taken part n preparing for today’s debates and will be continuing the work, to produce a Community-led London Plan for the new Mayor in May.

Working groups of Just Space organisations are working through the Autumn to expand the short Vision statement of September into a substantial document for a conference in February and to influence the Mayoral and Assembly campaigns. More about the process here.

Traditional markets in the UK find themselves at a crossroads; on one hand pushed out by changing retail trends and urban redevelopment, on the other championed as desirable, vibrant spaces which are the key to reviving town centres. Regeneration plans threaten what many traders and customers see as a unique and necessary public space in the heart of our towns and cities. (more…)

Press release for 12 October 2015

The Just Space network of community groups and London-wide organisations working to influence London’s strategic planning document, The London Plan, today issues a set of ‘key demands’ which will form the basis of more detailed Community Visions for the next London Plan

The key demands cover a range of issues:
· Fundamentals and Process issues: challenges some assumptions; calls for a proper programme of community engagement in developing the next London Plan.

· Sustainable Development: highlights the need to better integrate environmental, social and economic goals as London has not been developing sustainably – climate change and air pollution targets are not being met, issues of equity and inequality need addressing, and a diverse range of economic activity is needed.

· Environment, Social inclusion and Economy: green space, habitat, water and food issues; helping marginalised communities; developing a more egalitarian and more sustainable economy.

· Transport and Housing that are genuinely affordable: more is needed on reducing the need for people to have to travel unnecessarily, fostering walking and cycling and avoiding new road-building; delivering adequate social rented housing to reverse the “affordable housing con” and deal well with demolition versus refurbishment issues.

Download the Community Visions statement as PDF JSVisions2015

Just Space Co-ordinator, Richard Lee said:

“People from across London have come together to produce these key demands as part of Just Space network’s work to develop a Community Vision for the next London Plan.”

“Groups will be working on these ideas, elaborating them and proposing policies, in the remainder of 2015.”

“While the Mayor’s staff are preparing their new version of London’s strategic planning document that will affect the lives of all Londoners, Just Space groups have seized the initiative and are putting forward ideas of what local people want to see included.”

“For too long London’s planning system has failed to deliver for Londoners on issues such as air pollution and inequalities, has not developed a rounded economy, and has failed to tackle the affordable housing crisis – local people are demanding a better future for London and all Londoners.”

“One bit of good news, however, is that —this time— Londoners can contribute before the Plan hardens into a formal draft, and City Hall says it is listening. In the past citizens could only comment or object to the Mayor’s draft”

Development of the Community Visions: The Just Space network held a community conference in July 2015 to start the Community Visions work:
http://justspace.org.uk/2015/07/31/community-visions/.
The final Community Visions document will be completed for a conference on 4th February 2016 where Mayoral candidates, current Assembly Members and candidates, as well as GLA staff will be invited to respond.

Work in progress on the Next London Plan is here.

Just Space has now submitted responses to the questions posed by the planning Inspector for debate on 21st and 22 October. Both on parking and on the weakening of housing standards —especially scrapping “Lifetime homes” and weakening disability access— Just Space organisations will be submitting very critical evidence

The Inspector’s “List of Matters” (=questions) and the Just Space responses are here.

The hearings are public though, for some reason, they are being held in Committee Room 5 of City Hall, much smaller than the usual debating Chamber. Expect a queue of wheelchairs.