London Plan explained: planning policy across Greater London

 

The London Plan is the Mayor of London’s Spatial Development Strategy for Greater London. It is not just guidance from City Hall. The adopted Plan forms part of the statutory development plan, so its policies can directly affect whether planning permission is granted.

As at 24 August 2026, the operative strategy is the London Plan 2021. A replacement Draft London Plan 2026 is in statutory consultation, but it has not replaced the adopted Plan.

For a planning application in London you will normally need to read the London Plan alongside the relevant borough Local Plan, any made Neighbourhood Plan and the current NPPF.

 

What is the London Plan?

 

The Greater London Authority planning system has a strategic tier above the borough plans. The Mayor prepares the Spatial Development Strategy for Greater London and that strategy is known as the London Plan.

The current Plan was adopted in March 2021 and remains the planning framework for the capital. City Hall describes it as setting policies and proposals for London’s development through 2041.

This is why London works differently from most of England. The new national Spatial Development Strategy system is still being rolled out elsewhere, while London has had a statutory SDS for many years.

 

Which London Plan is in force in 2026?

 

The London Plan 2021 remains the adopted plan. The Draft London Plan 2026 is an emerging plan. The draft was published for statutory consultation on 16 July 2026 and consultation closes at 5pm on 15 October 2026.

City Hall currently shows the Examination in Public in 2027 and adoption in early 2028. Its detailed programme targets formal publication in March 2028. Those dates are a programme, not a guarantee, so the status should always be checked when you are dealing with a live application or appeal.

Until a replacement is adopted, do not cite the Draft London Plan 2026 as though it were already the operative development plan.

 

How much weight does the Draft London Plan 2026 carry?

 

The draft can be a material consideration, but emerging policy does not automatically carry the same weight as adopted policy. The August 2026 NPPF policy DM4 says weight may be given according to the stage reached, the extent of unresolved objections and the degree of compliance with the Framework’s plan-making policies.

At the current consultation stage, individual draft policies may therefore matter, but you should still identify the adopted 2021 policy first and then explain what the emerging policy adds or changes.

This distinction is especially important in a Planning Statement. Label adopted and emerging policies clearly rather than mixing them together.

 

How does the London Plan affect a planning application?

 

Because the adopted London Plan forms part of the development plan, it can be directly relevant to a planning decision anywhere in Greater London. A borough cannot treat the Plan as optional strategic background.

The policies can affect matters such as:

• housing supply, affordable housing and housing mix
• design, site capacity and tall buildings
• transport, parking and sustainable travel
• Green Belt, Metropolitan Open Land and green infrastructure
• heritage, town centres and the Central Activities Zone
• industrial land, employment and economic development
• energy, carbon, waste, water and climate resilience

Which policies matter depends on the proposal. A small householder application may engage only a few London-wide policies, while a large housing, commercial or mixed-use scheme can engage a substantial part of the Plan.

 

How does it fit with a borough Local Plan?

 

The London Plan provides the strategic framework and borough Local Plans add the detailed local policies, allocations and place-specific requirements. Borough plans are required to be in general conformity with the operative Spatial Development Strategy.

That does not mean the London Plan automatically wins every apparent policy tension. You need to identify the development plan policies that actually apply, read them together and then use the statutory decision-making framework explained on our Development Plan page.

If you are checking a site, do not stop after searching the borough plan. A London-wide policy can be relevant even where the local policy looks more detailed.

 

What is changing in the Draft London Plan 2026?

 

The 2026 draft is a major rewrite rather than a light update. It looks across roughly the next 20 years and is substantially more streamlined than the 2021 Plan.

Housing is one of the biggest issues. The draft records a government-assessed London housing need of 84,884 homes a year, but sets a ten-year delivery target of around 558,000 homes from 2027/28 to 2036/37, distributed between London’s plan-making authorities. It also asks authorities to plan for longer-term capacity of at least 850,000 homes up to 2047.

The draft also introduces a new spatial strategy, including Brownfield First Opportunity Areas and proposed Green Belt sustainable locations, alongside revised approaches to housing, affordable housing, design, tall buildings, transport, economic growth, industrial land, energy and climate resilience.

These are proposals at present. They should not be described as settled London Plan policy until the plan-making process is complete.

 

What is London Plan Guidance?

 

The Mayor also publishes London Plan Guidance, usually shortened to LPG. This gives more detail on how particular London Plan policies should be implemented.

LPG is not itself the London Plan and City Hall states that it has no specific statutory weight. It can, however, be a material planning consideration. Guidance cannot create or change a London Plan policy, so start with the policy itself and then use the relevant guidance to understand its implementation.

Also check whether the guidance you are reading is adopted or still in draft. The status can affect how much reliance should be placed on it.

 

When does the Mayor become involved in an application?

 

Most planning applications in London are determined by the relevant local planning authority without direct Mayoral intervention. Applications of potential strategic importance can, however, have to be referred to the Mayor.

The referral rules contain several different thresholds and categories. Existing applications of potential strategic importance can include large housing schemes, tall buildings and development affecting Green Belt or Metropolitan Open Land.

There is also a new residential route from 11 May 2026. Category 3J covers proposals for 50 or more homes where the application is not already referable under another category. The borough must notify the Mayor when it receives an application in this category. The Mayor does not have to respond at that stage, but if the borough is minded to refuse it must notify him again and he has 21 days to decide whether to take over the application.

For applications already referable under the other categories, the existing Stage 1 and Stage 2 process continues. At Stage 1 the Mayor has six weeks to provide initial comments. At Stage 2 he normally has 14 days to allow the borough decision to stand, direct refusal or take over the application for Mayoral determination.

 

What happens if the London Plan conflicts with your proposal?

 

A policy conflict does not mean that the words “London Plan” end the assessment. You need to identify the precise policy, decide whether it is relevant to the development proposed, read it with the rest of the development plan and consider any material considerations.

If permission is refused because the authority considers the proposal contrary to London Plan policy, there may be a right of appeal depending on the application and decision route. Our Planning Appeals section explains the main appeal routes and deadlines.

If you are submitting a new application, the planning fee depends on the application type and proposal. See our current planning application fees guide rather than relying on an old fee figure.

 

A practical London Plan check for your site

 

• Confirm the site is within Greater London and identify the correct local planning authority
• Use the adopted London Plan 2021 as the operative London-wide plan
• Read the borough Local Plan and any made Neighbourhood Plan alongside it
• Check the Draft London Plan 2026 separately as emerging policy
• For an emerging policy, consider its stage, unresolved objections and consistency with the current NPPF
• Check whether London Plan Guidance exists for the policy you are relying on
• For larger or strategically important development, check the current Mayoral referral rules
• State clearly in any Planning Statement which policies are adopted and which are emerging

 

Where to go next

 

For the wider policy structure, read our guides to the Development Plan, Spatial Development Strategies, Local Plans and the NPPF.

For housing issues, continue with Local Housing Need, five-year housing land supply and the Housing Delivery Test.

 

London Plan legislation and official sources

 

The London planning system is changing, so check the current adopted plan and the status of the replacement draft rather than relying on an older summary.

• Greater London Authority Act 1999, section 334: statutory basis for the Mayor’s Spatial Development Strategy
• London Plan Guidance: adopted and draft guidance supporting the current London Plan
• London Plan 2021: the current adopted Spatial Development Strategy
• Draft London Plan 2026 consultation: current consultation and timetable
• Mayor of London referral process: current arrangements for referable planning applications, including Category 3J
• Mayor of London planning powers: Stage 1 and Stage 2 referral timings and options
• National Planning Policy Framework: current national policy, including policy DM4 on emerging development plans

Other Planning Policy Sections

 

London Plan Page Updated: 30th August 2026