Inclusive design should lead next iteration of London Plan

The London Assembly’s planning and regeneration committee is calling on the London mayor to make sure that the next iteration of the London Plan considers the needs of all of the capital’s communities. The committee has collected insights and recommendations from a range of stakeholders and is now calling on the mayor to include fresh measures in the London Plan that address the needs of London’s diverse communities and promote a city that prioritises the safety and wellbeing of all Londoners. Recommendations include having policies that make explicit reference to the importance of creating gender-diverse spaces, guidance on inclusive design for developers, local authorities and planning authorities to follow throughout the design process, and a training programme for building control officers to ensure they are aware of how developments can comply with London Plan policies on improving accessibility for disabled people. Chair of the committee Sakina Sheikh said: “The London Plan plays a pivotal role in making London accessible and safe. From the relationship between design and crime, to the impact of planning decisions on disabled people, our work highlighted a number of key areas that could be improved in future iterations of the London Plan. “We heard of some fantastic work being done to make London a more inclusive, accessible city. However, we also heard of the challenges many communities still face today,” she added. “Our recommendations will not solve every challenge, but they will go some way to ensuring a more joined up approach to design and planning, and putting Londoners at the heart of how the city is designed in the future.” The London Plan sets out a framework for how London will develop over the next 20-25 years. Policies in the London Plan should inform decisions on planning applications across the capital.