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The Mayor sets out plans and policies for London covering transport,
buildings and land use, economic development and regeneration,
culture, and a range of environmental issues including
biodiversity, ambient noise, waste disposal and air quality.
The Mayor has taken over responsibility for strategic planning
in London from the Secretary of State.
The main responsibilities of the Mayor are to:
- produce a Spatial Development
Strategy (known as the London Plan) for the capital: this
is a planning strategy,
which will cover the type of buildings and land use that the Mayor wants
to see developed in the capital. This strategy will
replace the current strategic planning guidance (RPG3) issued by the
Secretary of State
- ensure that, as they are revised,
London boroughs' unitary development plans (UDPs) conform
generally with The London
Plan
- be consulted on planning applications
of strategic importance, with the power to refuse planning
permission
on strategic grounds
- monitor and
collect information on the implementation of The London
Plan
- represent London's planning interests in the wider
Southeast.
The London Plan is a wide-ranging strategic plan for London's
development that puts planning issues into context with
other areas of responsibility for the Mayor, including
economic
development, social development and the environment.
It must also take into
account European, national and regional planning policies.
It will set the guidelines for how London should grow
and change and it is crucial to the integrated development
of the capital.
An interim document was produced, titled 'Towards The
London
Plan' and published in May 2001, to set out the direction
and priorities of the plan. Research has been done
into the potential
supply of affordable housing and how to speed up the
delivery of such housing, on population growth in the
capital.
'Towards the London Plan' identified the following
challenges in London:
- a growing population
- economic
pressures, including the need to support local as well
as global businesses
- the need to
increase the supply of housing
- developing
a transport infrastructure to support the growing
economy
- the need to
protect and improve the natural environment, including
the parks and waterways
- the need to promote a high quality
of life for Londoners.
The Mayor has consulted on the draft London Plan, published
in June 2002. The proposals in the draft will
be debated in public in front of an independent chair
and
panel,
who will
report back to the Mayor. This is due to start
in early 2003. The Mayor must take the report into account
before
publishing
the final version of the London Plan.
Planning
The boroughs continue to be responsible for dealing
with all planning applications in their area.
However, the
Mayor must
be consulted on planning applications that
are considered of potential strategic importance.
He can comment
on and support
these applications or, if he considers it necessary
on strategic planning grounds, he can direct
the borough to refuse planning
permission. The Mayor is not able to direct
approval of applications.
There are currently around 400 cases a year,
covering:
- large scale developments
- major
infrastructure projects
- developments
which may affect strategic policies
- developments
which may affect views of London or wharves on
the Thames
- developments which
are a departure from the borough's Unitary Development
Plan (UDP).
If the Mayor issues a direction to refuse
an application, he must set out his reasons
for
the decision and
the borough will
inform the applicant of these reasons.
Applicants have the right to appeal against
refusals to
the Secretary
of State.
To visit the Mayor of London's web site, click here. |
