1.        PURPOSE OF REPORT AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

2.        INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

2.1     The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is producing a new London Plan to replace the current London Plan.

2.2     On 24^th October the Mayor of London published ‘A City for All Londoners’ which is the first step towards the creation of a new London Plan. The document sets out his vision for London and outlines the capital’s top challenges and opportunities across priority policy areas, as well as the changes that the Mayor wants to deliver over the next four years.

2.3     The publication is broad and high level, however it sets out the direction for London, which the Mayor of London will expand upon in detailed strategies within the coming months and years, including:

·         Land use and growth (the London Plan)

·         Transport

·         Housing

·         Economic development

·         The environment

·         Policing and crime

·         Culture and health inequalities

2.4     The publication outlines population projections that suggest that London’s population could grow by 70,000 per year to reach 10.5 million by 2041, with an average increase of almost 44,000 households each year.  In terms of housing need, the document outlines that London will need to build at least 50,000 homes per year between now and 2041. Some 270,000 homes within London have planning permission, with 70,000 of those approved within the last year. However only around half of London’s 50,000 annual housing need was delivered last year.

2.5     The Mayor’s potential strategy aims to firstly meet housing need within London’s boundaries as much as possible through higher densities in town centres, intensification around new and existing transport hubs and developing ‘opportunity areas’ on brownfield sites capable of delivering 2,500 homes per site. The Mayor also restates his intention within the document to protect London’s Green Belt from development.

2.6     Although the consultation was aimed at London authorities and stakeholders, Maidstone Borough Council has submitted a response and this is provided as Appendix A. Given the high level nature of the document and limited detail provided, Maidstone Borough Council’s response seeks to focus on key concerns associated with the Duty to Cooperate and ensuring London continues to plan to meet all of its housing need within the boundaries of London.

2.7     In preparation of the publication of the Full Review of the London Plan, a working group (Strategic Spatial Planning Officer Liaison Group) of officers has been established by the Greater London Authority to discuss future cross-boundary work on strategic planning for London and the wider South East. The 2017 meeting schedule has yet to be announced.

2.8     The anticipated programme for the preparation of the Full Review of the London Plan is:

·         Draft London Plan consultation – Autumn 2017

·         Examination in Public (EiP) – Summer 2018

·         Publish final London Plan – Autumn 2019

3.        AVAILABLE OPTIONS

3.1     This report is intended as an update only and as such, the only option proposed is to note the content of the report.

4.        PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

4.1     As set out in 3.1, above, the Committee is recommended to note the contents of this report.

5.       NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION

5.1     Officers will continue to liaise with the Mayor of London in regard to the full review of the London Plan through the Strategic Spatial Planning Liaison Group.

5.2     The Draft London Plan consultation is scheduled for Autumn 2017, at which time officers will update Committee prior to a formal response being issued.

6.       CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS

7.        REPORT APPENDICES

The following documents are to be published with this report and form part of the report:

·         Appendix A: Maidstone Borough Council response to A City for All Londoners

8.        BACKGROUND PAPERS

None