Mayor’s London Plan affects all in the city

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has published his London Plan for 2019 to 2041, an ambitious and integrated economic, environmental, transport and social framework for the next 20 to 25 years, says LSCA President Malcolm Bacchus.

January 2018

The Mayor of London has now published his London Plan for 2019 to 2041. Technically, it is an update to the previous mayor’s plans but, in practice, it is a complete re-write.

It sets out what is described as an integrated economic, environmental, transport and social framework for the next 20 to 25 years. Each of the London boroughs must work within this plan, but can strengthen local policies to meet local requirements and, over the next two years, each borough will be updating its current plans according.

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The plan is divided into chapters on development, design, housing, social infrastructure, the London economy, heritage and culture, the natural environment, sustainable infrastructure, transport and funding.

When the London Society of Chartered Accountants polled its members, housing and transport were seen to be the major areas of concern in terms of future growth of the London economy. It will come as no surprise therefore that much of the plan is devoted to these areas.

Some of this has already been previewed in earlier consultation documents and I have previously written for London Accountant on the transport elements.

The housing plan is detailed and sets out ambitious (that’s the mayor’s wording) targets for housing in every London borough with, roughly, a doubling of the current rate of housebuilding with half of these to be “genuinely affordable”. More controversial proposals include continuing to protect the green belt and allowing new development in previously protected back-garden areas.

For business development, the mayor seeks to develop Opportunity Areas around the new transport links. So, for example, around Heathrow, Stratford and Romford with Crossrail; around Wimbledon and Lee Valley with Crossrail 2; and around Wembley and Harrow with HS2. In central London, Euston and Tech City are highlighted as areas where economic growth should prosper.

The mayor recognises that there is a shortage of affordable business accommodation for smaller businesses and that there is a need for diversifying the London economy though specialist areas where it already has a reputation such as architecture, the arts, life sciences and digital technology.

Detailed elements of the economic plan do not form part of this Plan but will come in the mayor’s Economic Development Strategy, due out in early 2018; equally the Strategic Plan can only cover a few elements of the skills gap and we expect more on that later.

Nevertheless, there is a lot to think about here and the effects will impact on every Londoner in many different ways. The full plan can be found here with instructions on how to comment upon it online or in writing.

Consultations are open up to 3 March and I would urge everybody who is interested in the future of London to do so.

The LSCA is looking at ways we can represent members on these issues as they relate to our, and our clients’, businesses. If you would like to be involved contact me at president.london@icaew.com or watch this space.

Malcolm Bacchus is President of the London Society of Chartered Accountants

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