Leader Nickie Aiken reacts to Cabinet’s decision to shake up planning process

Friday, 26 October, 2018

Local News

Nickie Aiken I am delighted that Westminster City Council's Cabinet has formally approved a major shake-up of the planning system in our City. This decision shows we are listening to the concerns of local people who have told us that they did not feel as involved under the current system. The shakeup will ensure that all stakeholders in Westminster; residents, businesses, amenity societies and councillors will have an earlier and bigger say on planning applications if they wish to do so.

To ensure that this is the case, Cabinet last night (Thursday 25th) agreed that members of the public should be allowed to speak at planning sub-committee meetings as well as approving that steps should be taken to improve the way the Council explains planning decisions and outlines our planning policy.

Cabinet also outlined that that planning sub-committee meetings will be recorded, and live stream coverage made available when possible, to make engagement with the planning process easier whilst also agreeing to begin work on a new Place Shaping and Planning Directorate.

Having heard the views from a number of local Amenity Societies during the run-up to the meeting, the Cabinet also asked the Council’s Chief Executive to do more work on scoping out of how the new system will work in practice. This means that over the next couple of weeks council officers will engage with these local societies and local councillors to develop the principles and protocols that will govern how the new system will work.

As Leader of the Council, I am very pleased with this progress. I have always been clear that I’m determined to ensure our Council listens to local community which makes our City such a fantastic place to live and work. That’s why Cabinet has also agreed that before these changes are fully implemented, we will now engage with residents to ensure the new system is clear and straight forward to understand and use.

I feel that its very important that all residents are involved with the changes that we are making. It’s my firm belief that engaging with you will ensure that our reforms will be as positive as they could possibly be for our whole City. I hope that this bottom up approach to change and the reforms we have outlined will usher in a new era of openness and transparency.

We are firmly putting the needs of the local community at the centre of the planning process.

Cllr Nickie Aiken
Leader, Westminster City Council

You may also be interested in

Barbara Arzymanow

Councillor for Marylebone Ward

Barbara Arzymanow has lived in Westminster for over 35 years and knows how much difference a strong local voice can make. A Ward Councillor since 2014, she has worked with local people and organisations on issues associated with air-quality, public protection, public realm and planning.

Tim Barnes

Councillor for West End Ward

Having moved to the area around Fitzrovia while a student at UCL, Tim now lives in Soho.

Melvyn Caplan

Councillor for Little Venice Ward

Melvyn has lived in the area and has served as a councillor for Little Venice Ward for over 30 years.

Lorraine Dean

Councillor for Little Venice Ward

Lorraine has lived in Little Venice since 1983 and ran a family electronics business on Edgware Road for 17 years. She now works locally at the City of Westminster college as a teaching assistant to young disabled adults.

Tony Devenish

Councillor for Knightsbridge & Belgravia Ward

Tony Devenish represents the Knightsbridge & Belgravia ward on Westminster City Council. Between 2016 and 2024, Tony served as a GLA Member to hold the Mayor of London accountable for policing, transport, housing, and our environment.

David Harvey

Councillor for Vincent Square Ward

David Harvey has lived locally for 25 years and been a councillor since 2010. He lives in the ward with his wife Angela. His priority is to continue to create opportunity within our local community.

Elizabeth Hitchcock

Councillor for Knightsbridge & Belgravia Ward

Elizabeth has lived in London for over 30 years and in Westminster for the past 15 years. Elizabeth was first elected in May 2018. Elizabeth works closely with both local people living in Knightsbridge & Belgravia and businesses to improve what is a very special part of London.

Louise Hyams

Councillor for St James's Ward

Louise Hyams has had the honour and privilege of representing St. James's Ward since her election to the Council in 1998. She is totally committed to improving the quality of life for all the residents of this diverse ward in the centre of London.

Tim Mitchell

Councillor for St James's Ward

Tim Mitchell has lived and worked in Westminster for over 30 years and is a self-employed computer consultant. He was first elected to Westminster City Council in May 1998 and has represented St.

Robert Rigby

Councillor for Regent's Park Ward

Robert Rigby has lived in St John’s Wood for over 30 years with his wife Emiko and has represented Regent’s Park Ward since 2010. He is committed to serving the community ensuring value for money and good services, working tirelessly to retain St John’s Wood unique character and appeal.

Rachael Robathan

Councillor for Knightsbridge & Belgravia Ward

Rachael Robathan has been a ward councillor for Knightsbridge & Belgravia since 2010 and was the Leader of the Council from January 2020 till May 2022.

Ian Rowley

Councillor for Marylebone Ward

Ian Rowley has lived in Marylebone for 24 years with his wife. He has been a Councillor since 2007 and has a PhD in economics. In the Conservative administration he chaired the council’s Audit and Performance Committee and sits on a scrutiny committee and various operational boards.

Karen Scarborough

Councillor for Marylebone Ward

Karen has lived with her family on the border of the Marylebone ward for over 24 years and has a legal and business background. Since being elected in 2014, she has striven to maintain clean safe streets in Marylebone, improve greening, air quality, planting more trees, together with dealing

Mark Shearer

Councillor for St James's Ward

Mark Shearer is a Chartered Surveyor by trade. He also co-founded a social enterprise which enables businesses to connect with and fund charities / community projects. Mark was first elected to Westminster Council in May 2018.

Selina Short

Councillor for Vincent Square Ward

Selina has lived in Vincent Square ward for 21 years.

Paul Swaddle

Councillor for Regent's Park Ward

Paul lives in north Marylebone and runs a software company in central London. He has lived in the St John’s Wood and North Marylebone area for 7 years, serving as one of your local councillors since 2018.

Jacqui Wilkinson

Councillor for Pimlico North Ward

Jacqui Wilkinson has lived in Pimlico for 26 years, serving as a local councillor since 2015.

Abbey Road

Abbey Road is the northernmost ward in Westminster. It is bordered to the southeast by Regent's Park, Little Venice at its most southern point, and Maida Vale to the southwest.

Bayswater

Bayswater is on the western edge of the City of Westminster. It is bordered to the north by Westbourne, Lancaster Gate to the south and Hyde Park to the east.

Church Street

The ward of Church Street lies towards the northeast of Westminster.

Pimlico South

Pimlico South ward covers the Southern part of Pimlico.

Harrow Road

The ward of Harrow Road lies in the north of Westminster. It is bordered to the north east by Maida Vale, the south by Westbourne and the north west by Queens Park.

Hyde Park

Hyde Park Ward is home to Paddington Station, the development around Paddington Basin, St. Mary's Hospital (part of the Imperial College Healthcare Trust which is the UK's first Academic Health Science Centre) the only Hospital in the City of Westminster, and the bustle of Edgware Road.

Knightsbridge & Belgravia

Knightsbridge & Belgravia ward is at the western boundary of the Cities of London & Westminster constituency. As well as the Westminster parts of Knightsbridge & Belgravia, part of Hyde Park is also within the ward.

Lancaster Gate

Lancaster Gate lies in the west of Westminster.

Little Venice

Little Venice is located in the northeast of Westminster. The ward is bordered by Church Street and Abbey Road to the east. Maida Vale to the north, Westbourne and Hyde Park to the south.

Maida Vale

Maida Vale is located to the northwest of Westminster. The ward is bordered to the northeast by Abbey Road, to the southeast by Little Venice, to the south by Westbourne and to the southwest by Harrow Road.

Marylebone

Marylebone ward stretches from Marylebone Road to Wigmore Street, north to south, and from Portland Place to Edgware Road, east to west. The ward is currently represented by three Conservative Councillors; Barbara Arzymanow, Ian Rowley and Karen Scarborough. To find out more abou

Queen's Park

Queen's Park ward is a largely residential area in the northwest of the City.

Regent's Park

Regent's Park lies in the north of Westminster. It is bordered to the south east by Marylebone, the west by Church Street and the north by Abbey Road.

St. James's

St James's is the largest ward in the city, stretching from Vincent Square to Chancery Lane, and from the river to Piccadilly and Shaftesbury Avenue.

Vincent Square

Vincent Square Ward covers an area of central London that is bordered by the River Thames to the south, the Palace of Westminster and St. James's to the east, Victoria Station to the north and Pimlico to the west.

Pimlico North

Pimlico North ward covers the Northern part of Pimlico.

West End

West End Ward covers the iconic areas of Mayfair, Soho, Fitzrovia and East Marylebone. Along Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street and the surrounding areas, it includes some of Britain’s busiest shopping streets and is home to large numbers of theatres, entertainment and cultural venues.

Westbourne

The ward of Westbourne lies in the north of Westminster.