Strategic review of London’s future launches

Centre for London has launched an ambitious, multi-year strategic review to shape the capital’s future to 2050 and beyond.

According to the think tank, the review – London Futures – is a ‘once in a generation opportunity to take a long term, strategic approach to the city’.

Working with senior leaders from across the city including the Mayor, London’s boroughs, national government, businesses, charities and universities, Centre for London will examine the state of London today, explore different scenarios for London’s future and involve Londoners in creating a new shared vision for the city.

The London Futures review The last review of this scale, the 1991 London, World City report, was also the first to benchmark London as a global city, and set in train significant reforms to the capital’s governance, reputation and economy

The review will consider how London will change in respond to COVID-19, how it will meets its ambitious net zero targets by 2030 and how it will work in 2050 and beyond.

‘Cities with a strong vision of their future thrive. Yet it’s been almost 30 years since London’s leaders last took a long, hard look at the city’s position in the UK and the world, and where it might be headed,’ said the founding director of Centre for London, Ben Rogers.

‘If coronavirus has taught us anything, it’s that the future can be incredibly unpredictable.

‘But local and national government thinking is too often determined by short electoral cycles. No one is looking across the horizon to 2030, 2050 and beyond.

‘London Futures is a once in generation opportunity to shape the city’s future and will help to build a fairer, greener and more prosperous global capital,’ added Mr Rogers.

The chair of policy and resources at the City of London Corporation Catherine McGuiness, added: ‘London Futures seeks to develop an important vision for the future of London and its prosperity.

‘This study should stoke vital debate on how best to shape the future needs of London, whilst identifying better ways of working across the capital in a post COVID-19 world.’

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