London Plan alterations survive London Assembly challenge

The draft further alterations to the 2011 London Plan (FALP) identify a need for at least 49,000 new homes per year (hpy) in Greater London over 20 years and up to 62,000 hpy in the initial years of the plan. However, targets totalling only 42,389 hpy are allocated to the individual London Boroughs in the FALP.

Planning inspector Anthony Thickett recommended in a report last November that the FALP be adopted, in order to avoid the retention of existing housing targets of only 32,210 hpy. The inspector said that a full review of the London Plan should immediately follow the adoption of the FALP, to explore options for meeting the shortfall in allocations against the capital's identified need. Thickett admitted in his report that it was "not easy to see ... where London boroughs would find additional sources of supply".

The FALP were laid before the London Assembly on 15 January and were considered at a plenary meeting of the London Assembly last Friday. The UK Labour party's London Assembly planning spokesperson, Nicky Gavron, moved a motion at the meeting to reject the plan, arguing that it would lock the capital into "a deepening housing crisis". Members voted in favour of rejecting the plan by 14 votes to eight, meaning that the motion was not carried by the two thirds required to reject a draft strategy.

The London Assembly has the power to reject draft strategies within 21 days of their publication. The 21-day period during which the FALP can be rejected ends on 17 February.