HOLBA's Deputy Chief Executive Mark Williams reflects on the NLA Expert Panel on Culture’s focus on embedding culture as a core component of London’s development process, not as an add-on, but as essential infrastructure for successful placemaking.

At its third meeting, the NLA Culture Panel explored how London can better integrate culture into the development process — not as an afterthought or amenity, but as a defining element of successful placemaking. Bringing together leaders from development, planning, and regeneration, the session examined how cultural thinking can be embedded from the earliest stages of design and delivery, creating places that people genuinely want to live, work, and spend time in. 

The discussion opened with a reflection on language. Panel members highlighted how terms such as developer or culture are often misunderstood or used too broadly, leading to missed opportunities for collaboration. Local authorities and delivery partners, it was noted, frequently lack a shared understanding of how cultural activity contributes to long-term value. Equally, developers need clearer, evidence-based guidance on how culture can strengthen the identity, social fabric, and commercial appeal of their schemes. Building a common vocabulary between policy and practice was seen as the foundation for progress. 

Throughout the meeting, members returned to the idea that culture is now a form of strategic infrastructure. As one participant put it, “The market wants culture.” From life sciences campuses to build-to-rent neighbourhoods, cultural content and creative activity have become essential to differentiation and community building. Culture acts as the “software” that animates the “hardware” of physical development, creating vibrancy, belonging, and pride of place. With the changing dynamics of hybrid work and experience-driven lifestyles, cultural value has become a decisive factor in how people choose where to spend their time and money. 

The panel examined the multiple roles developers can play in supporting cultural outcomes — as enablers, providers, and catalysts. Some enable culture by offering affordable or flexible space; others deliver permanent cultural infrastructure as part of a mixed-use programme; many act as catalysts, partnering with organisations that activate space and engage communities. Examples such as Wembley Park, Greenwich Peninsula, and Olympia were cited as major schemes where culture underpins long-term success. Members stressed that authentic culture cannot be imposed: it must be co-created with local communities and responsive to its surroundings. 

Policy alignment emerged as another key theme. London already benefits from a strong framework through the London Plan, borough-level SPDs, and the GLA’s Cultural Infrastructure Plan, yet implementation remains inconsistent. The panel called for clearer definitions of what constitutes “cultural infrastructure,” stronger recognition of grassroots and night-time uses, and better coordination between borough and city-wide strategies. Consolidating the best existing toolkits and guidance into one accessible resource could help standardise expectations and make cultural delivery more practical for developers and planners alike. 

Case studies were seen as vital for turning ambition into action. Members identified projects such as East Bank, Hackney Wick & Fish Island, Soho Theatre Walthamstow, Sadler’s Wells East, and Brixton House Theatre as valuable examples of how culture can drive regeneration and identity. These examples demonstrate that when cultural thinking is embedded early, it not only enhances local character but also supports economic and social resilience. Future case studies should, the group agreed, be concise, visual, and focused on lessons that practitioners can apply elsewhere. 

The principal outcome of the meeting was agreement to develop a Culture & Development Playbook — a practical toolkit designed to help the built environment sector embed culture throughout the development lifecycle. The Playbook will include frameworks, templates, and case studies, alongside a digital library of references, funding models, and engagement tools. It will also explore governance and stewardship mechanisms to ensure cultural uses are sustained long after a project’s completion. 

The meeting closed with a shared conviction: culture is no longer optional. It is the element that transforms developments into destinations and buildings into communities. By creating a shared evidence base and a clear practical toolkit, the Culture & Development Playbook will help ensure that as London continues to grow, its built environment reflects the creativity, diversity, and energy that define the city.