Labour's Planning Reform: A View from London

This article examines the English planning reform agenda of the Labour government elected in 2024. It frames London's outer boroughs as a critical lens through which to assess it. Drawing on the findings of the cross-party Suburban Taskforce (2020–2022), the article has particular regard to the proposed reconfiguration of planning committees, the introduction of a ‘grey belt’ designation and new models of environmental mitigation. In a context of ambitious targets for housing delivery and a continued commitment to economic growth, the analysis centres on the London experience and how those reforms would serve to reposition the forces of development and environmental protection; centralisation and local accountability; and strategic vision and lived experience. It shows how the reforms prioritise procedural efficiency and technocratic control at the expense of democratic accountability and local responsiveness. The article argues for a fundamental transformation of the planning process—one that embeds sustained community involvement and recognises the specific character of places while retaining the flexibility needed to respond to local conditions. It asserts that the reforms, as drafted, risk amplifying existing inequalities when what is required is cross-boundary coordination and meaningful community engagement. Getting there, it is suggested, will require better recognition of the ‘blended’ nature of landscapes at the urban fringes, where most people in London and in England live today.