ADD2764 New London Architecture – Principal Partner Funding

1.1.    New London Architecture (NLA) has worked with the GLA for several years, and this decision extends the arrangement previously secured by Assistant Director Decision (ADD) 2236. NLA convenes and curates a unique forum that brings London’s architecture planning and development professionals together with communities, developers and investors; and promotes ways of making London a better place for all. It does so through an annual programme of conferences and workshops, think tanks, site visits, exhibitions, awards, and publications. This programme promotes London as a hub of creative talent; and a leading international centre of creativity, development and growth. This helps to deliver the Mayor’s priorities to stimulate regeneration, and create new homes and jobs.
1.2.    As part of our principal sponsorship, GLA officers have helped shape, and participated in, NLA programme activities focused on housing, planning, design, place-making, tall buildings, infrastructure and culture. 
1.3.    The cost to the GLA for principal sponsorship has increased over time, due to NLA extending and broadening the range of services, and opportunities for participation, and inflation. 
1.4.    This decision seeks approval, from the Head of Regeneration and Growth Strategies, of the GLA’s agreement to be a principal sponsor to NLA for 2024-25 at a cost of £38,500. This will enable the GLA to continue taking a prominent role in NLA’s work; and to maintain access to the full range of benefits associated with this high-level partnership. 
1.5.    NLA provides a unique forum for the GLA to engage with other professionals in the planning, housing, architecture and regeneration fields. This includes promoting major initiatives to key stakeholders. It enables the GLA to participate in critical debate on issues affecting the future of London – including housing, public realm, tall buildings, and the densification needed to accommodate growth. The promotion of the GLA’s work via the NLA channels (including its programme of activities) is seen to have a uniquely valuable and strategic impact that cannot be replicated by another supplier. Additionally, the range of benefits supplied through principal sponsorship of NLA cannot be obtained from another single organisation. NLA helps to deliver the Mayor’s priorities for new housing and economic development in areas of the city.
1.6.    The higher level of principal partner is deemed good value for money, as it enables the range of benefits to be more widely used across the GLA.
 

2.1.    Sponsorship of NLA contributes to two key Mayoral priorities: building more homes for Londoners; and securing jobs and growth for the capital. NLA events are used to promote major programmes such as New London Plan policies and Opportunity Areas. These stimulate regeneration and create new jobs and homes. This work supports unlocking the potential of the Opportunity Areas, London’s reservoirs of brownfield land. NLA events also support the development and implementation of the London Plan. The New London Awards recognise the best in planning, architecture and development in London; and encourage high standards of design and public realm. It also provides support to the Mayor’s Good Growth by Design programme, where NLA is identified as an Advocate Organisation.
2.2.    Highlights from the previous 12 months sponsorship include:

•    The Mayor’s Prize at NLA Awards 2024, celebrating architecture that centres the needs to children and young people. Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and the Fire Service presented the award to De Matos Ryan Architects at the Young V&A. The GLA table included invitees who have dedicated their professional lives’ to children and young people’s needs in the built environment, alongside young people who were perusing a career in the sector.
•    Strong representation from the GLA on the NLA’s Sounding Boards, Committees and Expert Panels, including representation across the New London Sounding Board, NextGen Committee, Opportunity London Steering Group, Diverse Leaders Steering Group and 12 of 15 Expert Panels. 
2.3.    Continued sponsorship of NLA gives the GLA an opportunity to make a significant contribution to the following GLA objectives:
•    build London’s profile as an international centre for excellence in the fields of architecture, planning and development, by promoting the talent, output and success of these sectors; and help to create opportunities for these sectors to win business from domestic and overseas clients
•    facilitate innovation, cross-fertilisation and testing of ideas, best practice and professional services through networking and learning opportunities
•    spotlight, celebrate and communicate the talents and achievements of London professionals, thereby enhancing London’s global reputation as a leader in these fields
•    provide a platform for those in the architecture and planning sector to showcase the best of their work to a targeted local and international audience
•    bring together architects and built-environment professionals to engage with setting the future agenda for London, through debate and engagement in the issues currently affecting the city – these include housing, public realm, tall buildings, and the densification needed to accommodate growth
•    work with the sector to develop and deliver opportunities that contribute towards the aims and objectives of the GLA’s equality, diversity and inclusion agenda
•    work with the principal sponsors, including the GLA, to facilitate high-quality events across the capital; and give high prominence to the sponsors on the NLA website and all relevant publicity materials.
2.4.    Specific deliverables related to 25-26 include, but are not limited to:
•    continuing delivery of the NLA Award, Mayor’s Prize and GLA table
•    facilitating GLA representation at NLA Sounding Boards and Expert Panels
•    ensuring ongoing NLA commitment as Good Growth by Design Advocate Organisation
•    enabling ongoing opportunities for GLA officers to attend and speak at NLA events
 

3.1.    Under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 (the Equality Act), as public authorities, the Mayor and the GLA must have due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, and victimisation; and to advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations, between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. Protected characteristics under the Equality Act comprise age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, and marriage or civil partnership status (the duty in respect of this last characteristic is to eliminate unlawful discrimination only).
3.2.    Through the proposed contribution to NLA, the GLA will require the recipient to evaluate the potential impacts of its work on those with a protected characteristic; and ensure that any activity minimises disadvantages to all those with a protected characteristic within society.
3.3.    Those that may share a protected characteristic should be encouraged and supported to engage fully, as appropriate. As a condition of funding, NLA will be required to meet the Public Sector Equality Duty and demonstrate this through regular reporting of progress.
3.4.    The agreement with NLA will support initiatives to help diversify the sector; and raise the profile of individuals from, and organisations of, underrepresented groups.
3.5.    This decision is not expected to have any negative impact on persons with a protected characteristic under the Equality Act.
3.6.    Further measures to ensure GLA and NLA obligations under the Equality Act are met through this commission will be detailed in the funding agreement.
 

4.1    A key risk associated with principal sponsorship of NLA is that GLA officers do not fully engage with and access the full range of benefits that comes with this package of support which is available. However, the key units within Good Growth, and Housing and Land, have established and utilise existing active engagement with NLA to coordinate requests to access the benefits. They work closely with NLA to ensure Mayoral priorities are fully represented within NLA’s programme, and promote NLA activities and offers within GLA staff channels and networks.

5.1    Approval is being sought for expenditure for up to £38,500 with New London Architecture to provide the GLA with a range of key services and functions within the built-environment sector as detailed within this report, with the funding to be governed via a funding agreement between the GLA and New London Architecture.
5.2    The cost of this initiative will be funded from the programme budget held within the Coordination & Programme Unit and approved as part of the 2025-26 GLA budget. 
5.3    All expenditure will be incurred by the 31 March 2026. All appropriate budget adjustments will be made. 
 

6.1.    The project will be delivered according to the following timetable: