As the outgoing Chair of Planning in the City of London, I’ve experienced firsthand how real estate and economic growth go hand in hand.
I didn’t come from a property background, so for me the equation needed to be simple: If there are more jobs and more emerging sectors and greater innovation, then people need more places to work, live and play.
The mantra I repeated to anyone who listened, was that ‘Planning must be an enabler of growth, not an obstacle to progress’.
One area that has become more inflamed in recent years is the constant friction between heritage lobby groups and economic development, regardless of the wider consequences on London’s growth, its need for housing and opportunities for jobs.
The new London Plan must be more than a policy document; it must be a launchpad for the capital’s next chapter. It should empower investors, developers, and communities to deliver projects that are bold, sustainable, and future-ready. Nowhere is this more critical than in the Central Activity Zone (CAZ)—London’s commercial heart and our global calling card.
The CAZ isn’t just a business district. It’s where culture, commerce, heritage, homes and innovation collide. But to keep it thriving, we must strike a better balance between preservation and progress.
Too often, heritage objections stall projects that could bring jobs, homes, and vibrancy to the city. We must protect what makes London special, but not at the cost of its future evolution.
One way I believe we can better reflect London’s needs in the CAZ is by adopting a weighting system that evaluates development proposals across multiple factors like sustainability, heritage, housing, economic impact, design, wellbeing etc. and gives greater emphasis to those that drive growth in the CAZ.
This isn’t about sidelining heritage; it’s about context. A thriving city respects its past while building for the future.
Every day, I walk through Bank Junction and see ‘instagrammers’ clicking photos of our skyline—stone rubbing shoulders with steel. That contrast is London’s magic. Let’s have more of it and encourage creativity and design excellence, whilst we are at it, without the worry of how the heritage lobby will judge us.
Urban densification in the City isn’t just smart, it’s sustainable. Thanks to the Southeast region’s web of transport links, the average City worker’s carbon impact is eight times lower than the national average. That alone makes the case for intensifying development in the CAZ.
If we get the new London Plan right and if we give the CAZ the tools to grow, we’ll keep London ahead of global competitors like New York, Paris, Tokyo and Singapore. We’ll attract the best talent, the best businesses, delivering the best opportunities and jobs for all Londoners.
Let’s not miss this opportunity. Let’s write the next chapter of London’s success story through the London Plan.
Shravan Joshi MBE is Vice Chair of the City of London Corporation Planning and Transportation Committee
