NLA Chief Executive, Nick McKeogh, shares a response to the London Growth Plan, outlining how our built environment community will continue to support and champion the growth mission for London.


The Mayor of London and London Councils today launched the London Growth Plan – a much needed and forward-looking vision for how London’s economy can grow over the coming decades, highlighting the built infrastructure and housing needed to drive this.

We welcome the publication of this ambitious plan and look forward to continuing to work closely with the GLA and all the London boroughs as they work up the next iterations of the London Infrastructure Framework, London Plan and local borough plans over the coming months.

We are pleased to see the capital’s built environment sector has been highlighted as critical to London’s role as a global services superpower, shaping places around the world. London’s built environment ecosystem is the largest and most advanced of any city globally. It is a major employer in the capital, and a significant contributor to London and UK GDP and GVA – with a unique role to play in supporting the equitable and sustainable growth of London in this next economic cycle.

Here at NLA we will focus on three key areas in support of the growth mission:

1. Leading the voice of the Built Environment Community in London

As the only representative body dedicated to all sectors of the built environment in London with members from across the public and private sector, NLA will continue to champion the voice of the built environment community as one of the key economic engines of the country, alongside the financial services, tech sector and creative industries. Our sector is vital to underpin the government’s growth agenda, and is set for significant growth in coming years as the world continues to rapidly urbanise and decarbonise – looking to London as an exemplar.

In joint venture with London & Partners, and supported by over 70 industry partners and The Mayor of London, London Councils and The City of London, we will continue to grow the influence and global outreach of the Opportunity London Partnership to help connect the significant allocations of global capital looking to invest in London’s growing economy with the right projects, places and partners that will support us achieving the ambitions of the London Growth Plan.

3. Creating a global centre of excellence for skills and innovation in The City

We will continue to work in partnership with the City of London to make The London Centre a globally recognised centre of excellence for the built environment – using our London models and exhibitions to engage Londoners with the future of their built environment; inspiring young people to consider a career in the sector; connecting students to jobs and apprenticeships; hosting international delegations of city leaders looking to London for inspiration; and supporting our burgeoning membership community to build relationships, gain new skills and raise their profile through our extensive annual programme and far-reaching communications channels.

And of course we will continue to put the New London Agenda at the heart of everything we do; ensuring that that our framework of shared values has a delivery plan for real impact on your work and the outcomes it produces for London’s communities.

We look forward to working with you to shape better cities for everyone.