City Plan for London approved

As it aims to deliver more than 22,000 homes, Westminster City Council has approved its chosen development blueprint, the City Plan 2019-2040.

The plan is designed so that they can create:

• more affordable homes;
• the "right environment" for business success;
• more open, and more green spaces.

At the full council meeting on 13 November 2019, they approved the plan, which targets to achieve the delivery figures of:

• 1,495 new homes every year for 10 years, and more than 22,000 up to 2040;
• 1,850 new and affordable homes by 2023;
• 6 in 10 affordable homes as intermediate housing;
• business floor space for 63,000 new jobs; and
• a clearer policy on tall buildings, one that rules them out across most of the city - any new developments that occur should look to match the surrounding skyline.

The deputy leader and cabinet member for place shaping and planning, Richard Beddoe, said "our new city plan will pave the way to more homes, business growth and a greener city - striking a balance between conversation and the need to support more housing and jobs in the heart of the capital". He believes it will cement their position as one of the world's best and most exciting places both to live, work and visit.

"The city plan has been developed as a result of sustained and meaningful dialogue with a large number of local resident groups, councillors, businesses and relevant regional and national bodies as well as other agencies".

After two rounds of consultation, including the regulation 19 stage, the council added that it is confident in their current draft plan, seeing it as both sound and true. The draft plan is now submitted to the housing secretary for consideration, and then can be adopted as policy.