The Planning and Transportation Committee of the City of London Council met on Wednesday 30 September 2026. The committee considered the City Corporation's response to the draft London Plan 2026, which proposed amendments to ensure the plan adequately reflects the Square Mile's economic importance and growth potential. They also considered a stopping-up application for highway land at Thavies Inn House, Holborn Circus, to facilitate approved redevelopment.

City Corporation Response to the 2026 Draft London Plan Consultation

The committee considered the City Corporation's formal response to the Greater London Authority's (GLA) draft London Plan 2026. The response, detailed in the Public reports pack, highlights several key concerns and proposed amendments.

A significant point of contention is the draft London Plan's underestimation of office floor space demand for the Square Mile up to 2050. The City Corporation argues that the GLA's methodology, particularly concerning utilisation rates, leads to an underestimate, suggesting the actual requirement could be between 2.2 and 3.3 million square metres, rather than the 1.4 million square metres estimated by the GLA. This underestimation, it is argued, could constrain investment and economic growth.

The response also addresses the plan's assessment of tall building potential. While supportive of the 'Metropolitan Scale Tall Buildings' category (buildings over 100 metres), the City Corporation believes the GLA's evidence base has not fully recognised the potential within the City, specifically around the Fleet Valley cluster and the Broadgate area. They propose that Fleet Valley should be designated as a potential future Metropolitan Scale Tall Building area, allowing for local refinement and identification of further opportunities within local plans.

Housing targets were another area of discussion. The City Corporation believes the draft London Plan's housing target for the City of London is overinflated due to errors in data and unclear assumptions, particularly regarding multi-unit infill sites. They propose a revised target of approximately 481 homes over the ten-year period to 2036-37, arguing that the higher target could conflict with the priority for office-led economic growth.

Further points raised in the consultation response include:

• Concerns about the methodology for calculating employment growth and office demand, with suggestions that the GLA has underestimated the space required per employee.
• A call for greater emphasis on economic growth and employment needs within the plan, mirroring the focus on housing.
• Recommendations to refine the definition and application of the Optimisation Framework, particularly regarding its interaction with tall building policies.
• A request for further clarification on the role and delivery expectations of Broad Locations for Growth (BLGs), such as the Liverpool Street Transformational Gateway.
• Concerns about the new energy use intensity (EUI) approach and its application to non-residential uses, as well as the waste apportionment target, which represents a significant increase for the City.
• A desire for stronger policies on climate resilience, including a more robust approach to the urban greening factor to compensate for reduced biodiversity net gain requirements at a national level.
• Questions regarding the consistency of Transport for London's (TfL) plans with projected workforce increases and a call for improved public transport infrastructure, particularly in the western part of the City.
• A suggestion to incorporate suicide prevention measures into policies concerning tall buildings and the built environment.
• Concerns about the potential for the draft London Plan to weaken inclusive design standards compared to previous versions.
• A call for greater clarity on toilet provision within developments and public spaces.
• Support for the protection of safeguarded wharves, such as Walbrook Wharf, and a desire for a more coordinated London-wide approach to waste management.
• Concerns about the recycled content by value metric for circular economy performance, suggesting a shift towards embodied carbon avoided.
• A critique of the air quality policy framework, arguing it is too compliance-based and less ambitious than national guidance.
• Suggestions for improvements to cycle parking requirements, including provision for cargo bikes and clearer guidance on disabled persons' parking.

The committee discussed the City Corporation's consultation response to the London Plan. Following the discussion, the committee indicated agreement to approve the response and authorised its submission to the Mayor of London.

Stopping Up Application – Thavies Inn House, Holborn Circus

The committee considered an application to stop up areas of public highway surrounding Thavies Inn House, including parts of St. Andrew Street, New Fetter Lane, and Thavies Inn. This stopping-up is necessary to facilitate the approved redevelopment of the site, which includes the construction of a new office building.

The statutory consultation period for the application concluded with one unresolved objection from a member of the public. The objection raised concerns about the extent of the highway proposed to be stopped up, the replacement highway provision, the permissive path arrangements, and the removal of trees subject to a Tree Preservation Order (TPO).

Officers presented an assessment of the objection, concluding that the necessity test for stopping up the highway had been met, as the development requires the land for its approved footprint. They also addressed the merits test, arguing that the proposed public realm improvements, including a new pocket park and enhanced pedestrian routes, outweigh the loss of the existing highway areas. The removal of the TPO-protected trees was a matter considered and approved during the planning application process and is not a direct consequence of the stopping-up order.

The committee was informed that the applicant is required to provide 23 new trees to compensate for the loss of the two TPO-protected London plane trees, and that these are being designed as part of the Section 278 highway works.

After considering the objection and the officers' assessment, the committee agreed that the Comptroller and City Solicitor's Department could proceed to make and give notice of the stopping-up order. This decision allows the development to proceed as planned.