Planning
What is the Mayor's role in planning?
The Mayor has taken over responsibility for strategic planning in London
from the Secretary of State.
The main responsibilities of the Mayor are to:
- produce a spatial
development strategy - the London Plan. This planning strategy covers the type of development
and land use that the Mayor wants to see in London. It replaces the current strategic planning guidance (RPG3)
issued by the Secretary of State.
- ensure that, as they are revised, London boroughs'
unitary development plans (UDPs) conform generally with The London Plan.
- be consulted on planning applications of strategic
importance, with the power to refuse planning permission on strategic
grounds.
- monitor and collect information on the implementation
of The London Plan.
- represent London's planning interests in the wider Southeast.
What is the London Plan?
The London Plan is a wide-ranging strategic plan for London's
development that puts planning issues into context with other areas of
responsibility for the Mayor, including economic development, social development
and the environment. It also takes into account European, national
and regional planning policies. It sets the guidelines for how London should grow and change, and
is crucial to the integrated development of the capital.
What is the Mayor's role in the boroughs'
unitary development plans (UDPs)?
The boroughs continue to be responsible for preparing Unitary Development
Plans (UDPs) for their own areas, but must ensure they conform broadly
to the Mayor's London Plan.
The Mayor reviews the borough's UDPs during the public consultation process.
His response is reported to the London Assembly's Planning Committee and
once the committee's comments have been taken into consideration, the
response is sent to the borough.
What is the Mayor's role in planning applications?
The boroughs continue to be responsible for dealing with all planning
applications in their area. However, the Mayor must be consulted on planning
applications that are considered of potential strategic importance. He
can comment on and support these applications or, if he considers it necessary
on strategic planning grounds, he can direct the borough to refuse planning
permission. The Mayor is not able to direct approval of applications. See the Mayor's
Planning Decisions section of this website.
What is the role of the Secretary of State?
The Secretary of State sets national planning policy. The London Plan
must fit within the framework of national planning policies and the Secretary
of State has the power to make amendments to The London Plan to protect
national or broader regional interests. He also sets out the criteria
regarding which planning applications should be referred to the Mayor.
Further information and reading
Statutory Instrument 2000 No 1491 The
Town and Country Planning (London Spatial Development Strategy) Regulations
2000, ISBN 0 11 099358 6.
Statutory Instrument 2000 No 1493 The
Town and Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2000, ISBN 0 11
099360 8.
Strategic Planning
in London - GOL Circular 1/2000, ISBN 0 11 753550 8.
The three documents above were published by The Stationery Office, now
the Office of Public Sector Information.
The London Planning Advisory Committee (LPAC)
carried out a number of research projects on subjects that the Mayor might
wish to consider when drawing up the SDS. The functions of LPAC have transferred
to the GLA.
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