Policy 2.9 Inner London

Strategic

A The Mayor will, and boroughs and other stakeholders should, work to realise the potential of inner London in ways that sustain and enhance its recent economic and demographic growth while also improving its distinct environment, neighbourhoods and public realm, supporting and sustaining existing and new communities, addressing its unique concentrations of deprivation, ensuring the availability of appropriate workspaces for the area’s changing economy and improving quality of life and health for those living, working, studying or visiting there.

LDF preparation

B Within LDFs boroughs with all or part of their area falling within inner London (see Map 2.2) should develop more detailed policies and proposals taking into account the above principles.

2.38 The part of inner London outside the central area of CAZ and Canary Wharf (see Map 2.2) contains both what is probably the country’s largest concentration of deprived communities (see Map 2.5) and some of the most challenging environments in London, and places that have experienced remarkable growth and development. Since 1984, best estimates suggest that employee jobs in this area have grown by 207,000 (substantially more than in outer London) with a projected increase to 2036 of 225,700^[1]. Similarly, even though its total population is 60 per cent of outer London, its level and rate of population growth have been significantly greater. With a projected increase of 590,000, it is expected to account for 31 per cent of London’s population growth to 2036. This part of London is also increasingly the home of new and emerging sectors of the economy with particular clustering and accommodation requirements (see Policy 4.10).

2.39 This pattern of growth is far from uniform, with areas of marked affluence sometimes next door to highly deprived communities, as well as many, more mixed neighbourhoods. Inner London also has a very varied ethnic composition, high housing densities including many high rise estates, relatively constrained access to open space, often outdated social infrastructure and low public sector educational attainment. While this variety gives inner London part of its distinct character, it also poses distinct challenges, socially, environmentally and economically.

2.40 This combination of challenges and opportunities, and the scale and pace of change in inner London justifies a distinctive planning policy approach. Overall, the objective should be to encourage growth, but to manage it in ways that help improve quality of life and opportunities for both existing and new residents and maximise the opportunities for their involvement, thereby making a contribution to tackling London’s problems of inequality and exclusion. As with outer London, a ‘one size fits all’ approach to addressing these is not appropriate. Initiatives must be sensitively tailored to local circumstances, with strategic support to underpin them. The proximity of the CAZ will provide opportunities for development and regeneration, particularly through ensuring best use of transport infrastructure and training, skills and other labour market initiatives.

2.41 Policies in this Plan may need to be adapted or implemented in ways that suit local circumstances and the character of inner London’s wide range of places. In housing terms, the particular polarisation of the market in some parts means that there is a particular need not just to increase overall housing output but to ensure that this is affordable, especially to families (Policy 3.8). Social exclusion is a key issue and it is essential that new provision creates more mixed and balanced communities (Policy 3.9) and neighbourhoods (Policy 7.1), especially through estate renewal (Policy 3.14). Where relevant these policies can be supported by the neighbourhood renewal processes outlined in the London Housing Strategy and by the priority for investment highlighted by regeneration areas (Policy 2.14) which underscores the importance the Mayor attaches to community engagement in the regeneration process and the role of adequate social infrastructure, especially tackling health and educational inequalities (Policies 3.1, 3.2, 3.16, 3.17, 3.18 and 3.19). While the density of housing varies widely across inner London, generally higher levels of public transport accessibility can open up scope for higher density development, but it is essential that this is constructed to the highest standard and makes a positive contribution to quality of life here (Policies 3.4–3.5) and to place-shaping, strong lifetime neighbourhoods, local character and quality of the urban realm (Policies 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6 and 7.7).

2.42 The economic opportunities open to inner Londoners are very varied, with relatively easy physical access to those of the CAZ (even though it may be relatively slow, with non-stopping trains passing by), as well as openings generated by more local growth. However, there are other barriers to accessing these opportunities for some residents, especially the need for skills and training.The Mayor will work with and through the London Enterprise Partnership to ensure particular support for those who have greatest difficulty gaining access to the active labour market, as well as for career progression to take better advantage of the opportunities provided by growth in the wider London economy. Rejuvenation of inner London’s town centres (Policies 2.15, 4.7 and 4.8) will be central to opening up these opportunities and complemented by better physical access to those of CAZ and the opportunity and intensification areas (Policy 2.13). Loss of industrial capacity must be weighed very carefully against the scope it can provide for relatively affordable workspace, not least in terms of the locational advantages it has in providing services for CAZ (Policy 4.4).

2.43 Some parts of inner London have exceptionally high quality environments, but too many others suffer from a legacy of ill-conceived and sometimes poorly managed development which has received inadequate subsequent investment, especially in the public realm. This Plan provides clear guidance on how this should be addressed through its support for an inclusive environment (Policy 7.2), greater security through design (Policy 7.3), respect for the positive contributions made by local character (Policy 7.4), public realm (Policy 7.5), and architecture (Policy 7.6). The Mayor’s vision is to transform London’s public spaces and create beautifully designed places for everyone throughout the capital and in his manifesto London’s Great Outdoors, he sets out his commitment to champion the improvement of better roads and streets and green public spaces to create places that are fit for a great world city. In some areas, the Plan’s policies on tall buildings (Policy 7.7) will be particularly relevant and in others those on the contributions conservation can make to regeneration (Policy 7.9) and the role of the Blue Ribbon Network in enhancing the townscape (Policies 7.28, 7.29 and 7.30). Of more general importance in the higher density environment of Inner London is the heavy emphasis the Plan places on improving the quality of, and access to, open space (Policy 7.18) and play space (Policy3.6). Coupled with the mixed use character of parts of the area this also offers particular opportunities for developing district energy infrastructure (see Policies 5.5–5.6).

^[1] GLA Economics (figures exclude self-employment)