Mayoral development orders added to Infrastructure Bill

The provisions, added to the bill by MPs following discussion at meetings of the Public Bill Committee this week, would give effect to a new draft section of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 on mayoral development orders (MDOs).

The draft section would give the mayor of London the power to make an MDO granting planning permission for development at sites in London specified within the order. The mayor would be able to attach conditions to any permission; requiring the consent, agreement or approval of the mayor or a relevant local planning authority to a matter specified in any condition.

Under the proposed provisions, an MDO would only be able to be made in response to an application to the mayor by each council within the area of the relevant site. Local planning authorities would need to give their approval to an MDO in order for it to be made. Any consultation on an MDO would also require the consent of the affected local authorities.

Speaking at a meeting of the Public Bill Committee on Tuesday, communities minister Stephen Williams said that the proposals were intended to "closely model existing local development orders" used by local authorities outside the capital.

Asked about the amount of affordable housing that would be delivered using MDOs and whether they would be used to bring forward mixed-use development as well as housing, the minister said: "It would be up to the London borough to say what the planning brief for that site should be on deliverables and outcomes, such as how many housing units there are and whether it is a mixed development. It would be up to the London boroughs, which have their own policies on the proportion of affordable housing."

"This is not something that the government are seeking to impose on London", said Williams. "It is something that we believe will enable collaboration between the 32 London boroughs and the mayor, in particular on cross-border situations. It is a reform that may speed up the planning process and provide ready-made sites so that a developer can come along and deliver the vision for that site as formulated by the London borough with the help of the Greater London Authority."

The Infrastructure Bill is due to have its report stage and third reading on 26 January.