What is the New London Plan?
The London Plan is a document prepared by the Mayor of London. It is the strategic,
spatial plan for Greater London, setting out the strategy and requirements for homes, jobs,
transport, and other infrastructure, as well as policies to ensure quality development. It has
two roles relating to the planning system:
- Policies in the London Plan are used to help shape and determine development
proposals for all planning applications across Greater London, and any conditions or
legal obligations that may be applied. The London Plan is part of the ‘development plan’
together with the local plan for the area and any neighbourhood plans. Planning
applications must be determined in accordance with the development plan unless
material considerations indicate otherwise. - When local authorities write their own plans, they must be in ‘general conformity’ with
the London Plan. This broadly means that the local policies can’t harm implementation
of the London Plan.
Our Submission and Why it Matters
Our submission to the “Towards a New London Plan” consultation presents a student-centred vision for planning in the capital, reflecting the voices of over 52,000 UCL students. Students form nearly 10% of London’s population, yet too often their needs are overlooked in city planning. Our response addresses this gap with practical policy recommendations across five key areas: student accommodation, transport, cost of living, sustainability, and representation.
We call for stronger and enforceable targets for affordable Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA). With average student rents in London now exceeding the maximum maintenance loan, housing affordability is a crisis. The New London Plan must retain and strengthen policies such as the 35% affordability threshold, support public-private partnerships, and stop boroughs from weakening standards that drive PBSA supply out of central London.
We also urge planning to better integrate housing and transport. As more students commute between campuses like UCL Bloomsbury and UCL East, affordable, accessible, and reliable transport becomes essential. The Plan must support PTAL-rich development, expanded student travel concessions, and investment in safe active travel infrastructure.
Our submission foregrounds the importance of sustainability and wellbeing. We advocate for expanded green space around campuses, climate-resilient housing, and cleaner air in student-dense neighbourhoods—measures that benefit not just students but all Londoners.
Finally, we argue that students must have a formal voice in shaping the London Plan. We propose mechanisms like a Higher Education Advisory Group and a London Student Assembly to ensure students are genuinely consulted on policies that impact them.
This submission matters because it places students at the heart of London’s future. If London is to remain a world-leading hub for education, it must also be a city where students can afford to live, thrive, and contribute to its growth.