Each year the NLA London Tall Buildings Survey has generated a healthy debate about the benefits, as well as the negative impacts, of tall buildings. It has given a voice to those that propose them as well as those that are more critical. At NLA we remain of the view that in a growing city, well designed tall buildings in the right place are appropriate, a view reiterated by the Mayor of London at his Question Time on March 23.

This year’s data will assist the Mayor as he prepares his new London Plan, with drafts expected this autumn. We are encouraged that the Mayor is now actively pursuing the idea of a 3D computer model of London, something we have been pressing for since our first survey in 2014. Developers will be able to place virtual images of their buildings into the wider model so that planners, the public and the Mayor can fully understand their impact. All too often the debate takes place without a clear understanding of the individual and the cumulative impact of proposed tall buildings. The City of London has been using such a model for the past year to great effect.

The French technology company Dassault Systems will launch the Virtual Singapore project later this year which will show what the future city will look like, as well as containing comprehensive data about the city’s management. It is high time that London became smarter and used modern digital technologies to deliver a better planning service and help shape a better city.

Now in its fourth year, the NLA London Tall Buildings Survey provides an annual overview of the pipeline of tall buildings in London, giving a wide- ranging picture of the changing shape and scale of the capital.

When the Survey launched in 2014, it provided the first ever comprehensive overview of tall buildings of 20 storeys or more that were planned for the capital – promoting debate and discussion about the appropriate location, density and design of tall buildings for a fast growing city.

Three years later, NLA and our research partner GL Hearn are now able to start analysing the trends year-on-year, assessing the impact of changing policies, economic forecasts and political priorities on the type, location and number of tall buildings coming forward. Working with data partner EG-London Residential Research, we can now provide the most accurate picture yet, even going back to see how the pipeline compares to 2004, when the then Mayor Ken Livingstone published the first London Plan. With Sadiq Khan currently developing the next London Plan, this is a crucial time to debate the future role for tall buildings in the capital. 

Foreword
By Peter Murray, NLA Curator-in-chief and James Cook, Head of Residential Planning, GL Hearn

Executive summary
With a record number of 26 tall buildings completed in 2016, compared to 10 in 2015.

Introduction
An overview of the pipeline of tall buildings in London.

Tall buildings pipeline
By Nigel Evans and Paul Wellman, EG-London Residential Research.

Map
Number of tall buildings in the pipeline by London postcode.

Analysis
By James Cook and Claire Graham, GL Hearn.
 
Industry comments
With an overview from industry experts.

NLA recommendations
With proposals to the emerging London Plan to assist the Mayor in delivering his plans for “good growth”.

Published March 2017
20 Pages