Local Plan 2015 - CS15: City of London’s Core Policy on Sustainable Development and Climate Change

Introduction

The City of London Local Plan was adopted on 15 January 2015 and sets the planning strategy and policies for shaping the Square Mile up to 2026. Within the Local Plan’s Environmental Sustainability theme, CS15 frames how development should support a dense global business district while tackling issues such as high energy demand, air quality pressures, and the urban heat island effect, alongside the need to adapt to a changing climate.

What the policy asks

Policy CS15 aims to create a more sustainable City by requiring redevelopment proposals to:

• achieve the highest feasible and viable sustainability standards across design, construction, operation and end-of-life (major development should aim for BREEAM “Excellent” or “Outstanding”);

• minimise carbon emissions through energy efficiency, decentralised energy, local renewables, and, where needed, offsetting measures; and

• incorporate climate adaptation measures into development and City infrastructure.

When documentation must be submitted

Supporting Local Plan policies set out the main reporting deliverables:

• All applications: a Sustainability Statement ensuring that sustainability is integrated into building designs.

• Major development: the Sustainability Statement should include at least a BREEAM/CSH pre-assessment, an energy statement aligned to London Plan requirements, and evidence of climate resilience measures.

• Major development (energy & CO₂): an energy assessment must accompany the application.

Status & Outlook

CS15 is part of the adopted Local Plan 2015, which remains the City’s operative planning policy framework (with a stated horizon up to 2026). Implementation is being strengthened through additional guidance like the Carbon Options Guidance (2025) with optioneering expectations and links to wider carbon reporting requirements (e.g., WLCAs) and third-party review approaches.

A replacement plan is also in progress. The City has submitted City Plan 2040 for independent examination and it is progressing through examination steps and consultations on modifications (including a consultation window 15 Dec 2025 – 6 Feb 2026). Over time, City Plan 2040 will replace the Local Plan 2015 once adopted.