London View Management Framework 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) are also published.
Supplementary Planning Guidance is provided where the level of guidance required is to detailed for inclusion in the development plan, or if a rapid policy response to is needed to an emerging issue. It provides support for statutory development plans, but carries less weight than them when planning matters are considered and cannot create new policies.
The London View Management Framework (LVMF) is a piece of Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) published in support of policies 7.11 and 7.12 of the ‘London Plan’.
The London View Management Framework is intended to help preserve London's character and built heritage by setting out policy for managing the impact of developments on key panoramas, river prospects and townscape views. Guidance is targeted at boroughs, consultees and applicants for planning permission. It was published in March 2012 following a period of consultation.
The London View Management Framework is available to download in three parts:
- LVMF SPG March 2012 pt1.
- LVMF SPG March 2012 pt2.
- LVMF SPG March 2012 pt3.
Developments should seek to make a positive contribution to designated views, giving consideration to their impact on the foreground, middle ground and background of views.
The process of making a planning application for a development that might affect a designated view includes:
- Undertaking a scoping study in consultation with the local authority to assess whether the development impacts on designated views and agreeing assessment points from which that impact might be evaluated.
- Preparing a description of the view.
- Preparing a description of the impact on the view, including a description of the development, its location, setting, height, scale, design, external appearance and its relationship to important buildings and landmarks.
If an application does not conform with the principles and guidance set out in the LVMF, it should be refused.
The designated views are:
London Panoramas:
- Alexandra Palace.
- Parliament Hill.
- Kenwood.
- Primrose Hill.
- Greenwich Park.
- Blackheath Point.
- The Mall to Buckingham Palace.
- Westminster Pier to St Paul’s Cathedral.
- King Henry VIII’s Mound, Richmond to St Paul’s Cathedral.
River Prospects:
- Tower Bridge.
- London Bridge.
- Southwark Bridge.
- Millennium Bridge and Thames Side at Tate Modern.
- Blackfriars Bridge.
- Waterloo Bridge.
- The South Bank.
- Golden Jubilee/Hungerford Footbridges.
- Westminster Bridge.
- Lambeth Bridge.
- Victoria Embankment between Waterloo and Westminster Bridges.
- Jubilee Gardens and Thames Side in front of County Hall.
- Albert Embankment between Westminster and Lambeth Bridges
- Along Thames path near St Thomas’ Hospital
- Bridge over the Serpentine to Westminster.
- Island Gardens, Isle of Dogs to Royal Naval College.
- The Queen’s Walk to Tower of London.
- St James’s Park to Horse Guards Road.
- Parliament Square to Palace of Westminster.
In addition, The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has issued directions in relation to 13 Protected Vistas.
Contents |
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Accessible London.
- BREEAM Visual comfort View out.
- Conservation area.
- Designated sites.
- Design and access statement.
- GLA Housing Design SPG.
- Listed building.
- London plan.
- Non-statutory consultees.
- Planning permission.
- Rights of way.
- Right to light.
- Site of Special Scientific Interest.
- Statutory consultees.
- Supplementary Planning Guidance.
- The London Plan.
- Tree preservation order.
[edit] =
[edit] =
Featured articles
Check out some of the best features and news from Designing Buildings as well as key stories from around the web.
Changing expectations around competence and compliance
New information sheet from CIAT.
Grenfell investigation files passed to CPS
Angela Rayner apologises on behalf of the British state.
Electrical contractors need to understand the practical implications.
The real barrier to getting more value from digital technology.
Your guide to The Construction Reset at UKCW Birmingham.
Accommodating the Victorian and Edwardian working woman. Book review.
Rethinking passive fire protection in design
PFP demands the same level of design rigour as structure or services.
38% of Gen Zs feel safe when a fire door is wedged open.
Stunning images from around the world
Shortlist for CIOB’s Art of Building photography competition.
Guidance for conversion of traditional pre-1919 stone buildings.
Industrial heritage in the Ruhr
A marked difference to the fate of industrial landscapes in the UK.
Communities will be able to build their own clean energy.

















