Data Centres under the spotlight as Draft London Plan faces scrutiny in Planning & Regeneration Committee meeting on Sep 4

Data Centres under the spotlight as Draft London Plan faces scrutiny

The London Plan is the Mayor's blueprint for how London will grow and develop over the coming decades, shaping decisions on jobs, transport, environment, housing as well as planning infrastructure across the capital. With the draft London Plan now out for public consultation, the London Assembly is undertaking a 2-week programme of scrutiny to assess whether its proposals can meet London's future needs and support communities across the city.

The Planning & Regeneration Committee is focusing on how the new draft plan will protect and improve London's infrastructure and regeneration and meet the Mayor's housing growth commitments.

The Draft London Plan introduces a new standalone data centre policy for the first time, following a direct recommendation in the Planning & Regeneration Committee report Gridlocked: how planning can ease London's electricity constraints.

It requires boroughs to identify suitable locations based on electricity and water capacity, opportunities for heat recovery, and impacts on housing, employment land and local communities.

The Plan also sets a 10-year target of 558,000 new homes, supported by a new optimisation framework designed to increase development on brownfield and well-connected sites, alongside targeted Green Belt release in some areas.

The London Assembly Planning and Regeneration Committee will tomorrow examine whether the Mayor's plans for housing growth and data centre development strike the right balance between supporting London's future economy, meeting housing need and managing pressures on infrastructure.

Members will also scrutinise the new optimisation framework, policies on tall and mid-rise buildings, and proposals to improve London's resilience to overheating and climate change.

Guests will include:

• Jules Pipe, Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and the Fire Service 

• Nina Miles, Interim Head of the London Plan, Greater London Authority (GLA)

• Elliot Kemp, Team Leader, Strategic Planning, GLA 

• Sophie Donaldson, London Plan Manager, GLA 

The meeting will take place in the Chamber at City Hall on Friday 4 September 2026 at 10am.

Notes to editors: 

1. James Small Edwards AM, Chair of the Planning & Regeneration Committee, is available for interview.
2. Find out more about the work of the Planning & Regeneration Committee.
3. Read about the agenda in full.