A changing planning system

1.45 The Mayor intends to take a new, more consensual approach to planning for London growth, working with all the agencies and organisations (whether in the private, public or voluntary and community sectors) involved in the capital and in neighbouring regions (the East and South-East of England). This will focus more on delivery of agreed and shared objectives, less on process or structure. It will be based on a clear recognition of the need to plan for all parts of London, and all those who live, work, study or visit here and the need for engagement, involvement and consultation on all sides. It will seek to unblock the barriers to the development London needs, while ensuring this is planned for properly and supported by the infrastructure it requires to succeed.

1.46 There are other changes to planning in and for London and the UK more generally that are also addressed in the new London Plan:

• the change in the London Plan’s legal status since it was first written (see para 0.2)
• the Greater London Authority Act 2007 widened the Mayor’s powers to deal with strategic planning applications and gave him responsibility for a number of new statutory strategies. The Localism Act 2011 abolished the London Development Agency and transferred land and housing responsibilities to the Mayor. It also made changes to the procedure for the preparation of the London Plan and other mayoral strategies.
• The Government has indicated its intention to change the planning system radically, to give neighbourhoods far more ability to decide the shape of the places where people live. The Localism Act 2011 also includes provisions to move responsibility for the planning of large infrastructure projects from the Infrastructure Planning Commission to the Planning Inspectorate, introduces neighbourhood planning and gives all planning authorities a duty to co-operate in relation to planning of sustainable development. This duty requires planning authorities to work together constructively on planning for strategic matters affecting at least two planning areas, particularly sustainable development or use of land in connection with strategic infrastructure^[1].
• The Government is also moving towards new development making ‘zero carbon’ contribution.
• Implementation of the Community Infrastructure Levy to raise resources to help deliver infrastructure needed to support growth through the planning system.
• In 2012, the Government consolidated national planning guidance into a single National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
• The Localism Act also gave the Mayor power to designate Mayoral Development Corporations (MDCs) to secure regeneration of designated development areas in Greater London. He has established the first MDC – the London Legacy Development Corporation – for the area covering the Olympic Park and its immediate surroundings. This has assumed local plan-making and development management functions for its area.

^[1] Localism Act 2011, section 110