Planning

As the amenity society for Covent Garden, CGCA is a recognised consultee of City of Westminster, and referred to by London Borough of Camden on all planning applications in the area. We do not have the power to determine planning applications – that is the role of the relevant Local Planning Authority – but we have a strong and widely respected voice.

Our Planning Subcommittee considers all local planning applications, usually meeting once per month to discuss key ones, but communicating with each other constantly on others. We welcome input and seek feedback from those likely to be affected, preparing thorough comments for submission as appropriate. It is important that people likely to be affected make individual responses too. We also attend and make representations at hearings and inquiries.

Updates on some important current and past applications can be found by clicking here.

We host presentations from developers and work with applicants an early stage where possible. We seek to minimise negative impact while encouraging sensitive and sustainable development. Significant issues for the community include the servicing of major developments, and we try to negotiate acceptable management servicing plans upon which our councils can make planning permission conditional.

We monitor planning breaches in our area and press the local authorities to take enforcement action. This may include obliging the offending party to meet with residents in order to reach a solution.

To see details of planning applications and decisions, to comment on an application or to report breaches of planning regulations see here for Camden, and see here for Westminster.

Please let us know if you have concerns about a planning application which may affect you. We urge residents to inform themselves of applications near them, and to discuss these with their neighbours. Then contact us, as our volunteers may not always get to you as soon as you could get to us! And in any case those who live near to something know best what the impact is likely to be.

The most reliable way to keep informed is to sign up for Camden planning alerts here and to subscribe to Westminster proximity searches after registering an account with Westminster here.

Our News & Events page may carry information about upcoming public exhibitions for larger planning consultations etc.

Meetings

Please note that planning subcommittee meetings are generally open to appointed committee members only. If you have comments or concerns about an application, please contact the CGCA at Planning@CoventGarden.org.uk.

Comments submitted last month and in the past can be found on our Planning comments pages. Subcommittee members can log into the outcomes database and presentations. Information about our past work on Neighbourhood Planning can be found here.

Are you considering making a planning application?

If you are considering applying for planning consent in Covent Garden, please approach us at an early stage.

Notes on OUR POLICY APPROACH to Planning (and Licensing) applications can be accessed here, and it may be useful for you to look through these to see if anything that you are proposing may be contentious.

We find that early discussions are productive for both sides.