Planning matters

As we reported in this blog earlier in the year, the GLA has recently published a raft of London Plan Guidance (LPG) documents. These LPGs were published to provide guidance to the application of the London Plan policies. At the start of the year, eight LPGs were out for consultation and nine others were expected to come down the line during 2022. Lichfields provided a Bibliography of the new London Plan Guidance at the time (the original can be viewed below). We also undertook a detailed look at the suite of Design and Characterisation documents published in February in our blog 'A test of Character'.

As the year now comes to an end, we have again reviewed the status of the newly adopted and emerging LPGs, keeping you abreast of the documents that will be in play in the new year and key dates for your 2023 diaries:

2023 will see at least eight new LPGs adopted. Many are anticipated early in the new year, with several others to follow. All of these documents and the guidance within them will need to be considered and addressed in emerging developments and assessed within planning applications.

It is important to ensure that these guidance documents are considered early in the design development process and they are evidenced and addressed in pre-application discussions and applications. As our previous blog noted, there is considerable new guidance to take on board on top of the already-lengthy London Plan.

Lichfields continues to monitor the progress of these documents, ensuring we are able to advise on and respond effectively to the new requirements for all of our London projects. Keep an eye on our future blogs for further updates…

 

 

February has seen the GLA publish a further suite of guidance documents in support of the London Plan.

You would be forgiven for having a sense of deja vu as in the past 18 months, the GLA has published no less than fifteen London Plan Guidance (LPG) documents for consultation. Nine of these LPGs have been published since the publication of the London Plan in March 2021. For a development plan which was already stretched to 526 pages (including annexes) that is a lot of additional guidance to take on board.

And that is not the end, it is understood that there are a further nine LPG documents which will be consulted on during this year. The tables below provide a list of these LPG and their current status.

Keeping up with the guidance documents is important for those working in the London development market and bringing forward planning applications. The detail contained within some of the LPGs are changing the requirements for planning applications and expanding the list of documents which applicants need to submit. Circular Economy Statements, fire safety and urban greening factors are issues which Officers are looking at in considerable detail. An applicant’s ability to respond effectively to these requirements is key to the progression of schemes through pre-application discussions, validation and determination. 

Some of the LPGs are targeted at developers and applicants whereas others are to support Local Planning Authorities in the preparation of their Local Plans and development management. Inevitably these documents will have an impact on the viability and feasibility of future schemes which will need to be carefully considered.

My blog - A test of character: London’s new design guidance - takes a detailed look at the suite of Design and Characterisation Guidance documents which were published in February and out for consultation until 27^th March 2022.

Following the current consultation, we expect a further nine documents to be published before the end of the year.

Looking ahead, we will provide updates on the publication of future guidance and prepare blogs on each of the LPGs to help you navigate your way through the process.