The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has published a draft of a new London Plan. The London Plan is the statutory planning framework – first published in 2004 – used to guide development across the capital. The document is intended to cover the next 20 years and will go through a public consultation before being finalised.
The consultation on the draft plan runs from 16 July to 15 October 2026, a period of 13 weeks. After the consultation closes, the draft will go through an independent public examination. Final adoption of the plan is expected in early 2028.
The draft plan is approximately half the length of the current London Plan, which was adopted in 2021. This reflects an effort to align more closely with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), reducing the amount of additional detail required except in specific areas, such as fire safety, where a London-specific approach is retained.
The draft plan sets out a framework aimed at delivering up to 558,000 new homes by 2037. Reaching this figure would depend on additional support from national government, including investment in transport infrastructure. The plan also proposes changes to the affordable housing threshold system that determines eligibility for the “Fast-Track” planning approval route:
- From 2028, the threshold would return to 35% for more than a third of London boroughs.
- Other boroughs would have varying thresholds based on evidence of local development viability.
- The Mayor’s overall strategic target for affordable housing remains 50%; individual planning applications can still propose a higher percentage.
- Boroughs can move to higher thresholds if they can demonstrate improved viability evidence.
Green Belt and Brownfield land
Brownfield land remains the stated priority for new development. Evidence prepared for the plan concludes Brownfield land alone cannot meet London’s long-term housing needs. The draft plan therefore proposes that limited areas of Green Belt land may be considered for release, subject to conditions including:
- delivery of a substantial proportion of affordable housing
- proximity to public transport
- improved public access to green space
- a biodiversity net gain; support from appropriate infrastructure
- a landscape-led design approach
- enhanced access to nature
Decisions on releasing specific Green Belt sites would be made by individual boroughs through their local plan processes, not directly by the Mayor.
Industrial land and economic clusters
The draft plan allocates land for data centres and for sectors including artificial intelligence and life sciences. It also proposes freeing up some industrial land in highly accessible locations for housing, while aiming to protect industrial, logistics and freight capacity elsewhere. The plan references continued support for the Central Activities Zone and for designated Strategic Economic Clusters across London.
Town centres and cultural venues
The draft plan includes provisions intended to support high streets, independent businesses, music venues, theatres and other cultural spaces, and references licensing policy relevant to nightlife activity.
Climate and building design
The draft plan includes measures relating to climate resilience, including encouraging passive design features — such as shading, natural ventilation and building orientation — to reduce overheating in new buildings. Air conditioning is not banned under the plan and can still be installed alongside these design measures.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “London’s success depends on how well we plan for growth and the choices we make about the kind of city we want to be. This new draft London Plan is a blueprint for how we can continue to build a fairer, greener and more prosperous London for everyone over the next 20 years.
There are two key objectives that underpin this new plan: to build as many affordable homes for Londoners as possible in the years ahead, and to boost economic growth by creating the conditions for businesses to grow and thrive across the capital, including the industries of the future, like AI and life sciences.
Over the last 10 years, we have built a record number of homes, but it’s a difficult time for housebuilding now due to a combination of high interest rates, the rising cost of construction materials, the legacy of the pandemic and the lasting impact of Brexit. The new plan is about doing everything possible to meet the challenges we face on housing, as well as ensuring we deliver good growth, protect London’s nightlife, revitalise local highstreets, and support the industries that will be crucial to London’s future economic success. This is how we can ensure our city remains the best place in the world to live, work and invest for decades to come.”
