ADD2867 New London Architecture – principal partner funding

1.1.    New London Architecture (NLA) has worked with the GLA for several years. This decision extends the arrangement previously secured by Assistant Director Decision 2764. NLA convenes and curates a unique forum that: 

•    brings London’s architecture planning and development professionals together with communities, developers and investors
•    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. 

1.2.    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.

1.3.    As part of our principal sponsorship, GLA officers have helped shape, and participated in, NLA programme activities. These have focused on:

•    housing
•    planning
•    design
•    place-making
•    tall buildings
•    infrastructure
•    culture.

1.4.    The cost to the GLA for principal sponsorship has increased over time. This is due to NLA extending and broadening the range of services and opportunities for participation and inflation. 

1.5.    This decision seeks approval, from the Head of City and Place, of the GLA’s agreement to be a principal sponsor to NLA for 2026-27, at a cost of £32,000. With this agreement, the GLA can keep playing a prominent role in NLA’s work; and maintain access to the full range of benefits associated with this high-level partnership. 

1.6.    NLA provides a unique forum for the GLA to engage with other professionals in the planning, housing, architecture and regeneration fields. Promoting the GLA’s work via NLA channels is seen to have a uniquely valuable and strategic impact – one that cannot be replicated by another supplier. What’s more, the range of benefits that come from principal sponsorship of NLA cannot be obtained from another single organisation. 

1.7.    The level of principal partner is deemed good value for money – it means the range of benefits can be used more widely across the GLA. For example, GLA staff have sat on 12 out of 15 expert panels. 
 

2.1.    Sponsorship of NLA contributes to three key Mayoral priorities: 

•    making best use of land
•    building more homes for Londoners
•    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 helps to unlock the potential of Opportunity Areas (London’s reservoirs of brownfield land). NLA events also support the development and implementation of the London Plan. The NLA’s New London Awards recognise the best in planning, architecture and development in London; and encourage high standards of design and public realm. NLA also supports 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 – celebrating good placemaking at density; and highlighting the Mayor’s commitment to building a city that works for everyone
•    strong representation from the GLA on the NLA’s Boards, Committees and Panels, including representation across: 

o    the New London Sounding Board
o    the NextGen Committee
o    the Opportunity London Steering Group
o    the Diverse Leaders Steering Group
o    12 out 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 targeted local and international audiences
•    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 2026-27 include, but are not limited to:

•    continuing delivery of the NLA Awards and the Mayor’s Prize
•    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, including the London Real Estate Forum, London’s premier real estate event.
 

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, or access, the full range of benefits that comes with this package of support. However, the key units within Good Growth, and Housing and Land, have established and use 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.

4.2.    There are no conflicts of interest arising from those involved in the drafting and clearance of this decision form.
 

5.1.    This decision seeks approval to spend up to £32,000, with NLA, to provide the GLA with a range of key services and functions in the built-environment sector. The funding will be governed via a funding agreement between the GLA and NLA.

5.2.    The proposed spending is financed by GLA resources, as agreed in the budget for this financial year. The budget is held in the Coordination and Programme Unit.

5.3.    All spend will be incurred by 31 March 2027. All appropriate budget adjustments will be made. 
 

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