Accessible London: Achieving an Inclusive Environment SPG

The London Plan is a statutory strategy required by the Greater London Authority Act 1999. It is prepared by the Mayor of London and provides a spatial development strategy setting out an economic, environmental, transport and social framework for the development of London.

The Mayor also publishes Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) for London which provides additional details on policies set out in the London Plan. A range of Best Practice Guidance (BPG’s) documents are also published.

Accessible London: Achieving an Inclusive Environment is a piece of Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG). The 2014 Edition was published in draft form for consultation in April 2014, and the final version was published on 28 October 2014.

Accessible London is part of the London Plan Implementation Framework and relates to the implementation of policies for inclusive design in the London Plan, in particular, policy 7.2: An Inclusive Environment and policy 7.1 Building London’s neighbourhoods and communities.

Ultimately, it will form part of the Shaping Neighbourhoods Portfolio that is likely to have 5 parts:

• Social Infrastructure.
• Lifetime Neighbourhoods and Neighbourhood Planning.
• Character and Context.
• Children and Young People’s Play and Informal Recreation.
• Accessible London.

In the foreword to Accessible London, the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson states, 'The purpose of this SPG is to help anyone developing in London today to use the lessons learnt from the Games (the 2012 Olympics). It provides guidance on the easiest and most cost effective way to achieve these goals. It provides guidance on what measures developers can include in their building designs and operations to achieve the highest standards of access and inclusion.'

Accessible London does not introduce new policy, but provides guidance on implementing inclusive design principles to create a city in which its diverse residents, visitors and workers can participate in and contribute to whilst enjoying a high quality of life. In promoting this goal, it places particular emphasis on the access needs of disabled and older people.

The GLA state that Accessible London:

• Provides guidance on the policies contained in the London Plan regarding the creation and promotion of an accessible and inclusive environment.
• Gives local planning authorities advice on how to incorporate and implement these policies.
• Explains the principles of inclusive design and how these principles should be applied in London.
• Gives designers ideas on where to find good technical advice and guidance.
• Provides disabled people, older people and others who experience barriers in the built environment with an understanding of what to expect from planning in London.
• Identifies legislation and national planning policy guidance relevant to the promotion of an inclusive environment.
• Provides signposts to other relevant London Plan SPG documents and Implementation Guides which impact on the delivery of an inclusive environment.

It provides specific guidance on implementation in relation to:

• Lifetime neighbourhoods.
• Public realm, amenity and play space.
• Transport, parking and walking.
• Accessible housing.
• Shopping and town centres.
• Access to social infrastructure.
• Public toilets
• Education.
• Accessible visitor facilities.
• Arts, culture and entertainment.
• Sport.
• Historic environment.

[edit] Find out more

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• Accessibility in the built environment.
• Access consultant.
• Access and inclusion in the built environment: policy and guidance.
• Affordable housing and viability SPG.
• Built Environment Professional Education BEPE.
• Central activities zone supplementary planning guidance.
• Changing lifestyles.
• Draft London Housing Strategy (blog November 2013).
• GLA Housing Design SPG.
• Equality Act.
• London View Management Framework.
• Smart cities.
• Supplementary planning guidance for London SPG.
• The London Plan.