Policy 4.11 Encouraging a connected economy

Strategic

A The Mayor and the GLA Group will, and all other strategic agencies should:

a facilitate the provision and delivery of the information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure a modern and developing economy needs, particularly to ensure: adequate and suitable network connectivity across London (including well designed and located street-based apparatus); data centre capability; suitable electrical power supplies and security and resilience; and affordable, competitive connectivity meeting the needs of small and larger enterprises and individuals

b support the use of information and communications technology to enable easy and rapid access to information and services and support ways of working that deliver wider planning, sustainability and quality of life benefits.

4.56 Successful service-based economies like London increasingly depend upon infrastructure facilitating rapid transfer of information, speedy and easy access to advice and services and a flexible approach to where work takes place and when. This can also help deliver wider planning objectives, such as reducing congestion on traffic networks at peak hours by supporting forms of home working and facilitating greater economic development in outer London. Increasingly, this will mean looking to the infrastructure needed to support ‘ubiquitous networks’ – those supporting use of a range of devices to access ICT services beyond desk-based personal computers, and the Mayor will examine the planning issues these might raise.

4.57 The Mayor wishes to ensure sufficient ICT connectivity to enable communication and data transfer within London, and between London, the rest of the UK and globally. He will work with infrastructure providers, developers and other stakeholders to support competitive choice and access to communications technology, not just in strategic business locations but more broadly for firms and residents elsewhere in inner and outer London, and to address e-exclusion, especially among disadvantaged groups and small and medium sized enterprises. In particular, he will support the development and extension of high speed connectivity. Development proposals should ensure competitive connectivity. In ensuring robust e-infrastructure capacity additional data centres (facilities housing computer and associated systems) may be required, together with reliable, sustainable and resilient electricity supplies. Data centres handling critical security and financial traffic benefit from proximity to the offices they serve, while other centres can be located close to local and sustainable sources of energy. These will be appropriate uses in preferred industrial locations and industrial business parks. Appropriately located and designed street-based apparatus will also be needed.