Greater London • England
Westminster City Council planning guide
An introductory guide to planning in Westminster City Council. Check the current adopted plan, relevant policies and site-specific requirements with the authority before relying on this summary.
Use this overview to plan your research. Verify current requirements and site-specific conditions against the relevant primary sources. Read our data sources, coverage and limits guide.
Local plan reference
City Plan 2019–2040 (2026), adopted 21 January 2026. Read the source-check scope below.
Scope of source check
Plan adoption, policies 13 and 43, tenure-split context and one 2026 CIL rate example checked. No parcel, liability, development capacity or refusal-frequency assessment has been made. Checked 2026-09-11.
Westminster — current development plan and adoption documents
Council decision adopting the partial review, 21 January 2026
Policy references
- Policy 13 Affordable Housing
- Policy 43 Retrofit First
- Strategic site allocations in policies 8–11
- Applicable neighbourhood plan and London Plan policies
Issues to investigate
These are research topics, not measured refusal frequencies or a prediction of a decision.
- Heritage and conservation-area impacts to assess
- Effects on neighbouring amenity
- Evidence for retention, retrofit or proposed demolition
- Housing and contribution requirements for the proposal
CIL: published example and limits
Published 2026 example: Prime-zone residential £811.80/m², compared with the £550/m² base rate adopted in 2016. Other zones and uses differ. Confirm the charging map, permission date, chargeable area, indexation, relief and any separate Mayoral CIL before calculating a liability.
Affordable housing: policy context
Use adopted Policy 13. The council describes a 70% social-rent / 30% intermediate split within the affordable housing provision, and contributions from schemes below 10 homes. This tenure split is not a 70% affordable requirement across all homes; check the full policy for the actual scheme.
Local context
The 2021 City Plan was superseded on 21 January 2026. The development plan also includes the London Plan and any applicable made neighbourhood plan.
Questions
What is the local plan for Westminster City Council?
City Plan 2019–2040 (2026), adopted 21 January 2026. Read the source-check scope below.
What should I investigate before a proposal in Westminster City Council?
Confirm the current adopted plan, site designations, relevant policies and validation requirements. This directory does not establish refusal frequencies or site eligibility.
Does Atlasly cover Westminster City Council?
Coverage depends on the site and the available sources. Review the evidence returned for the address and check current policies with Westminster City Council.
Pre-screen a site in Westminster City Council
Explore available site evidence and identify which policies and constraints need checking with the planning authority.
Explore site analysisReview current plans and usage and source coverage for your project.