The Camden Council Planning Committee was scheduled to meet on 22 July 2025 to discuss a range of planning and development-related topics. These included updates on the Knowledge Quarter, affordable workspace, design review processes, retrofitting and conservation efforts, digital planning initiatives, and recent changes to planning policy and guidance. The committee was also expected to review development management performance data, and updates on planning enforcement, tree preservation, and appeal outcomes.

Knowledge Quarter and Affordable Workspace

The committee was scheduled to consider a report on the Knowledge Quarter and affordable workspace delivery. The report included updates on affordable workspaces secured through section 106 agreements¹, the status of these sites, and any reported outcomes. Since 2011, Camden has negotiated affordable workspace through s106 obligations which, if built, would total over 17,400m2 of commercial floorspace. Of this, 3,300m2 has been completed and occupied so far at:

• 103 Camley Street, Base KX, operated by UCL's incubator programme 'the Hatchery'.
• 102 Camley Street, small business offices occupied by barista training provider Well Grounded.
• 1 Triton Square, operated by Impact Hub.
• The House of Koko, operated by the Koko Foundation.

The report also provided updates on changes to affordable workspace policy in the emerging Local Plan, and the introduction of a Payment in Lieu model (PIL). It noted that these policies currently carry limited weight in decision making.

The report also considered how sectors such as life sciences have specific real estate requirements, and how that in turn shapes the affordable workspace and economic impact seen through s106 obligations. Camden recently commissioned a study into the delivery of affordable workspace in Life Science and lab focussed developments, and the findings of the study and likely next steps were also scheduled to be discussed.

The report stated that:

Camden increasingly recognises that the life sciences sector, and nature of schemes that come forward present different needs and challenges to meet policy. Increasingly in s106 negotiations we need to understand what affordable workspace in life sciences, which meets user demand and needs, looks like. Where does the usual subsidy of an affordable workspace obligation make the most impact for Camden and in the life sciences sector?

Design Review Panel

The committee was scheduled to discuss the role of the Design Review Panel within the pre-application process. The report outlined how schemes have evolved throughout the pre-application process, and the role of the panel's expertise.

The Camden Design Review Panel was set up in 2016 by Frame Projects. Panel members are appointed through an open recruitment process, in consultation with Camden officers, and membership is regularly refreshed based on feedback from planning officers.

The report stated that:

Design Review is focused on outcomes for people. It explores how a building or place can better meet the needs of the people who will use it and of everyone who will be affected by it. It does this by constructively endeavouring to improve the quality of architecture, urban design, landscape and highway design.

The report also included case studies of 100 Chalk Farm Road and Euston Tower.

Retrofitting and Conservation

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on Camden's work on conservation and retrofit, and how the Planning Service balances the need to address the climate emergency with the significance of listed buildings and conservation areas.

The report noted that there are 40 conservation areas in Camden, covering approximately 50% of the borough, and over 5,600 listed buildings. The Local Planning Authority has a statutory duty to preserve or enhance heritage assets². The report also stated that Camden declared a climate emergency in 2019, and the Planning Service recognises the need to adapt buildings within the borough to ensure they are fit for future generations.

The report included case studies of:

• Bloomsbury Townhouse, a Grade II listed building and a deep retrofit.
• Swiss Cottage Library, a Grade II listed building with double glazing, Air Source Heat Pumps, and a new roof.
• Alexandra Road Estate, a Grade II* listed building with new windows and new heating.
• Coal Office, a Conservation Area with PV Panels.

The report also outlined emerging work that Camden are currently progressing, including:

• Emerging Local Plan, with specific policies which support the proposals to adapt and improve the energy performance of heritage assets.
• Article 4 Direction³ Revisions, which remove the need for owners within certain conservation areas to apply for planning permission to add renewable energy to their buildings.
• Camden Climate Fund, which includes a fund of up to 50% of the cost to reduce the carbon used in homes, business and community spaces, supported by free pre-app advice.

Digital Planning Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on Camden's Digital Planning work, with a focus on how emerging technologies and automation will shape the future of planning.

The report stated that planning is undergoing a national digital transformation, and that the government has made it clear that modern, data-driven, and AI-enabled planning services are central to delivering more homes, faster.

Camden is a core member of the Open Digital Planning (ODP) community, working with over 100 councils, software developers and central government to co-create digital planning tools based on open standards. These include:

• PlanX – a user-facing tool to guide residents through the planning process.
• Digital Site Notice (DSN) and Digital Planning Register (DPR) – smarter ways to share planning data with the public.
• Back-Office Planning System (BOPS) – modern tools for officers that are designed to automate, not just digitise.

Planning Policy Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on recent and emerging changes to planning policy and guidance in Camden, including the Local Plan, Euston Area Plan, the London Plan, neighbourhood plans and planning frameworks and visions.

The Camden Local Plan Proposed Submission Draft was approved by Cabinet and Full Council in April 2025 and published for consultation from 1 May to 27 June 2025. Over 600 respondents have responded to the consultation, and officers are currently collating and reviewing all the consultation responses received.

The Euston Area Plan (EAP) sets out Camden's vision for the future of Euston and its expectations for how new homes, jobs, green spaces and community facilities should be delivered. Following consultation on proposed updates to the EAP in early 2023, the previous government announced a pause to HS2 works, while strategic decisions were made about the future of Euston. Work on the EAP was therefore also paused, but was restarted following confirmation in October 2023 that HS2 would come to Euston.

The Mayor of London has begun the process of reviewing the London Plan, which was adopted in March 2021. In May 2025 he published Towards a New London Plan for consultation. This is an 'issues and options' style consultation document, rather than a draft Plan.

There are currently seven neighbourhood plans adopted in Camden (Camley Street, Dartmouth Park, Fortune Green and West Hampstead, Hampstead, Highgate, Kentish Town, and Redington Frognal). Hampstead Neighbourhood Forum are the first in the borough, and in London, to bring forward an update to their Neighbourhood Plan. Kilburn Neighbourhood Forum have submitted a draft Neighbourhood Plan to Camden and Brent Councils.

Development Management Performance

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on performance within Development Management including: applications, pre-application submissions and local land charges for the Quarter 1 of 2025/26.

The report analysed trends in the volume and type of applications being submitted and evaluated performance against both local and national targets. National targets for Development Management focus on the speed and quality of decision-making.

Enforcement, Trees and Appeal Performance Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on performance of the planning enforcement team with an overall review of 2024/25 and Q1 of 202/26. The report outlined the number and type of reported breaches of planning control, and included further details on the CMP enforcement work, an update on a number of specific projects such as work being done to tackle Short Term Lets and some examples of recent enforcement cases.

The report also outlined the number of tree notifications made and Tree Preservation Orders served, and included an analysis and overview of all appeal decisions during Q3 and Q4 of 2024/25 and Q1 of 2025/26. Significant appeal decisions were highlighted and cost decisions updated, and forthcoming hearings were also mentioned.