209 CHAPTER SEVEN LONDON’S LIVING PLACES AND spaces THE LONDON PLAN 2011 LONDON’S LIVING PLACES AND SPACES 7.1 This chapter sets out policies on a range Place shaping of issues about the places and spaces in which Londoners live, work and visit that POLICY 7.1 are integral to delivery of the Mayor’s vision BUILDING LONDON’S and objectives set out in Chapter 1, but in NEIGHBOURHOODS AND particular those that London should be: COMMUNITIES • A city of diverse, strong, secure Strategic and accessible neighbourhoods to A In their neighbourhoods, people should which Londoners feel attached, which have a good quality environment in an provide all of its residents, workers, active and supportive local community visitors and students – whatever their with the best possible access to services, origin, background, age or status – with infrastructure and public transport to wider opportunities to realise and express their London. Their neighbourhoods should potential and a high quality environment for also provide a character that is easy to individuals to enjoy, live together and thrive. understand and relate to. • A city that delights the senses and takes care over its buildings and streets, Planning decisions having the best of modern architecture B Development should be designed so while also making the most of London’s that the layout, tenure, and mix of uses built heritage, and which makes the most interface with surrounding land and of and extends its wealth of open and improve people’s access to social and green spaces, natural environment and community infrastructure (including waterways, realising their potential for green spaces), the Blue Ribbon Network, improving Londoners’ health, welfare and local shops, employment opportunities, development. commercial services and public transport. 7.2 This chapter focuses on a broad range of C Development should enable people to policy areas that impact directly on how live healthy, active lives; should maximize people perceive and use the places they live the opportunity for community diversity, in, work in and visit. The quality and function inclusion and cohesion; and should of neighbourhoods and places, access, contribute to people’s sense of place, heritage, local character, landscapes, inclusive safety and security. Places of work and design, safety, security and resilience, green leisure, streets, neighbourhoods, parks and infrastructure, biodiversity, air quality, open spaces should be designed to meet soundscapes and the Blue Ribbon Network all the needs of the community at all stages contribute towards making London a special of people’s lives, and should meet the place and improve quality of life. principles of lifetime neighbourhoods. 7.3 Achieving this requires wide-ranging policies D The design of new buildings and the and actions and therefore goes beyond the spaces they create should help reinforce themes of this chapter. It also requires action or enhance the character, legibility, on issues outside the scope of the London permeability and accessibility of the Plan and will be addressed in other mayoral neighbourhood. strategies and programmes, for example action on crime and anti-social behaviour. 211 E The policies in this chapter provide the their neighbourhoods, enables everyone to context within which the targets set out in participate in, and contribute to, the life of other chapters of this Plan should be met. the community. Lifetime neighbourhoods3, where access to public transport, basic LDF preparation amenities, local shops, cultural facilities, F Boroughs should prepare plans to ensure places to meet and relax, and green and infrastructure and services will be delivered open spaces are within easy reach of to meet the needs of existing and new homes, and where facilities such as public development. Cross-borough and/or sub- toilets and seating are consciously planned regional working is encouraged, where into proposals at the outset, help to build appropriate. cohesive, successful and sustainable communities. The Mayor will assist boroughs G Boroughs should work with their local and other agencies in developing lifetime communities to set goals for their neighbourhoods by providing advice and neighbourhoods and strategies for guidance in updated supplementary guidance achieving them. on ‘Accessible London: achieving an inclusive environment’, and through the Mayor’s 7.4 People should be able to live and work in Housing SPG and Shaping Neighbourhoods a safe, healthy, supportive and inclusive SPG. This guidance will also include neighbourhood with which they are proud information and other resources to support to identify1. They should have easy access neighbourhood planning. to services and facilities that are relevant to them and should be able to navigate their 7.6 Boroughs should be clear about their way easily around their neighbourhood expectations for their communities and through high quality spaces, while having their neighbourhoods. They should work good access to the wider city. They should with local communities to prepare and have access to a network of open and green communicate strategies for meeting those spaces that meets their recreational needs expectations, ensuring communities are and a natural and built environment that engaged in shaping and delivering their reinforces a strong, unique local history and local strategies and encouraging a sense of character. belonging to their neighbourhood. Local strategies and neighbourhood plans should 7.5 Against the background of a rising number take into account the current and future of both younger and older Londoners population profile and the building types over the Plan period, increasing the of each neighbourhood as they influence opportunities everyone has to access and the character of the local area (Policy participate in their communities will help all 7.4). Identification and realisation of Londoners to enjoy and feel secure in their neighbourhood development goals should neighbourhoods2. This can be achieved by not be limited to planning policy; positive extending the inclusive design principles change can also come through management embedded in The Lifetime Homes standards practices and investment and maintenance (see Policy 3.8) to the neighbourhood decisions. Engagement in cross-borough level. Ensuring that families with small and/or sub-regional working is encouraged, children, older people and disabled people where appropriate (See Policy 3.16). can move around, enjoy and feel secure in THE LONDON PLAN 2011 LONDON’S LIVING PLACES AND SPACES POLICY 7.2 whether relevant best practice standards AN INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT such as British Standard BS 8300:2009 have been complied with, and how Strategic inclusion will be maintained and managed. A The Mayor will require all new development in London to achieve the highest standards LDF preparation of accessible and inclusive design and D Boroughs should develop detailed supports the principles of inclusive design policies and proposals in consultation which seek to ensure that developments: with user groups that ensure the physical environment can meet the highest a can be used safely, easily and with standards of accessibility and inclusion dignity by all regardless of disability, and that the principles of inclusive design age, gender, ethnicity or economic are adopted at the earliest stages of the circumstances development process including when b are convenient and welcoming with no drawing up masterplans, area planning disabling barriers, so everyone can use frameworks and development briefs. them independently without undue effort, separation or special treatment 7.7 This policy seeks to achieve the highest c are flexible and responsive taking standards of accessible4 and inclusive design5, account of what different people say in all new developments in London. Inclusive they need and want, so people can use design is a process to ensure the diverse them in different ways needs of all Londoners are integrated into d are realistic, offering more than one development proposals from the outset6. This solution to help balance everyone’s is key to ensuring that the built environment needs, recognising that one solution is safe, accessible and convenient and enables may not work for all. everyone to access jobs, opportunities and B The Mayor will assist boroughs and other facilities. It is fundamental to improving agencies in implementing accessible the quality of life for all Londoners, and and inclusive design in all development particularly for disabled and older people proposals by updating the advice and who, despite progress in building a more guidance in the Supplementary Planning accessible city in the last decade, still Guidance ‘Accessible London: Achieving experience considerable barriers to living an inclusive environment’; by continuing independent and dignified lives as a result of to contribute to the development of the way the built environment is designed, national technical access standards and built and managed. by supporting training and professional development programmes. 7.8 In their design and access statements, applicants for planning permission should Planning decisions demonstrate their commitment to achieving C Design and access statements submitted high quality inclusive design, how their with development proposals should explain proposals ensure an accessible environment, how, following engagement with relevant how they have engaged with users (including user groups, the principles of inclusive for example