Planning and regeneration leads from 14 London councils have written to housing secretary Robert Jenrick to fight “unworkable” proposals in the government’s planning reform.
Leaders from Brent, Camden, Croydon, Greenwich, Hammersmith & Fulham, Haringey, Islington, Lambeth, Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Southwark, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest said they are “deeply concerned” by the proposals.
The letter said: “Many are simply unworkable whilst others represent an unacceptable threat to local democracy and the delivery of affordable housing for communities.”
The leaders said the move from individual planning applications “threatens the role of communities” and a one-size-fits-all approach “presents a city-wide threat to democracy”.
“London-wide, such a system questions the approach of the London Plan and even the role of the mayor of London in city-wide planning,” they wrote.
The group “strongly opposes” the proposed national infrastructure levy, which they said would provide fewer affordable homes and community assets.
They added that proposed changes to developer contributions “will curtail the ability of local authorities to secure equitable levels of affordable housing, social rent homes and other community infrastructure needed to mitigate the impacts of any new development”.
Zoning proposals are said to be “too blunt a tool to enable strategic development” and the country needs a system that increases development.
They added: “We agree with the government’s statement of intent that our planning system should be more ‘efficient, effective and equitable’ for the community it serves. Regrettably, the majority of these proposals do not enable that vision, they threaten it.”
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