London Local Plan Watch - Autumn 2023

In 2022, the Mayor achieved record-breaking affordable housing delivery but has since warned of the consequences of a slowdown in the context of the current economy and onerous building requirements. Housing experts are forecasting a major drop in housebuilding, driven by high interest rates and building cost inflation, and City Hall’s data is beginning to see these trends taking hold amongst developers.

However, following a busy summer of consultations for emerging Local Plans, we are starting to see a number of Boroughs make progression, especially those with significantly out-of-date plans.

Approximately half of all London Boroughs have Local Plans that were adopted in the last five years, although not all of them can demonstrate a Five-Year Housing Land Supply. Those shown in red on the accompanying graphic are early in the process of preparing new plans and may have opportunities for site submissions.

It appears that the sheer volume of housing required by the London Plan is having a profound impact on housing land supply figures, and the constraint of the Green Belt and the lack of larger scale strategic opportunities in the capital is impacting the ability to meet supply requirements. Local Planning Authorities are being forced to apply additional stages of public and internal engagement to meet the requirements ahead of submission.

A number of London Boroughs on the rural fringes are beginning to progress Local Plans past Regulation 18 Stage with the London Plan Housing Numbers driving Council’s to deliver targets. However, the Mayor is calling for a series of short and long term funding boosts for London’s affordable housing delivery to maintain the agreed figures with Government.