Optimising Site Capacity: A Design-led Approach LPG

The Optimising Site Capacity: A Design-led Approach guidance sets out how the design-led approach, set out in Policy D3 of the London Plan, should be applied. This approach is the process of setting site-specific design parameters and codes for development sites to provide clarity over the future design. It should be used to determine the most appropriate form of development on a site.

This guidance is accompanied by an Indicative Site Capacity Toolkit which can be used to calculate a site's indicative housing capacity. 

Boroughs and neighbourhood planning groups should apply this approach at the local plan making stage to clarify the design aspirations and, for residential applications, determine the indicative site capacity.

Applicants of sites should carry out this process during the preliminary design stages to determine a site’s optimum design response and to clarify their design intentions. This should be carried out at the pre-application stage and submitted as part of the design and access statement within a planning application.

This guidance has been prepared by the Greater London Authority (GLA) with input and advice from industry professionals. Public engagement on the guidance was carried out between 11 February and 27 March 2022. Details of the consultation can be found on our engagement portal.

A consultation summary report summarises feedback received, and how this informed the final guidance.

An Equality impact assessment has been prepared for the guidance.

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