A-Z of Planning and Culture

This guide is for the people and organisations shaping London's future: councils, developers, planners, community groups and cultural bodies.

It provides examples of good practice, where culture is being included in developments and gives information about what developers, planners and community groups can already do, using existing frameworks, such as Section 106 agreements and turning venues into Assets of Community Value.

Developers now realise the huge economic value to new developments that an anchor or cluster of cultural activity and facilities can bring to ever changing and growing areas of the city, making London's new places vibrant dynamic neighbourhoods, such as an expanded and relocated college and new cultural businesses at the heart of the Elephant & Castle shopping centre regeneration.

Yet there are mounting concerns about London losing artist studios, music venues, pubs, theatres and other cultural spaces. The capital is set to lose 3,500 artist studios in the next five years, a third of the capital's creative workspace, whilst a third of grassroots live music venues have disappeared since 2007.

The urgent need for housing and the impact of commercial and business redevelopment, combined with other factors such as local planning issues, licensing rules and rising business rates are contributing to the loss of creative workspaces and cultural venues that are a key part of London's attractiveness as a place to live, work and visit.

Download the report below

Download A-Z of Planning and Culture