Consultation details
Publication Type: Draft for consultation
Consultation Start Date: Wednesday 3 May 2023
End date: Monday 24 July 2023
What is the Development Viability London Plan Guidance and why do we need it?
One of the Mayor’s key objectives is to provide more of the homes that London needs, including affordable homes, for a fairer and more inclusive city.
Before the Mayor came to office, the level of affordable housing provided in new developments had reduced significantly. In response, he took steps to ensure that more affordable homes are provided for Londoners. This included introducing the threshold approach to planning applications and new requirements for viability testing, which are set out in the policy of the London Plan. This has embedded the requirement for affordable housing into land values and sped up the planning process in London, helping to deliver more affordable homes.
However, there is still a very high level of need for more affordable homes across the capital. The draft Development Viability LPG builds upon policy of the London Plan and provides a further step towards ensuring that developments assessed through the planning system maximises affordable housing delivery, setting out how viability assessment should be carried out where a planning application follows the Viability Tested Route. It is relevant to all planning applications where an applicant, a planning authority, or the Mayor needs to rely on viability information and should be taken account of by planning authorities where area-wide viability testing is being carried out.
How has the guidance been prepared?
This guidance has been prepared by the Greater London Authority (GLA) in consultation with representatives of London’s local planning authorities, community groups and the development industry. It has been prepared in accordance with the Public Sector Equality Duty and an Equality Impact Assessment has been produced.
What next?
Public consultation on the guidance will close on 24 July 2023. All feedback will be reviewed and a consultation summary document will be published. A final version of the guidance will be published later in 2023.
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