The Trust is indebted to the Members and Officers of Westminster City Council for the great support it has received from them. It wishes, also, to acknowledge the co-operation of developers and their architectural advisors in informing the Trust of their proposals and in considering the Trust’s views.
The Trust actively engages with local government in matters of planning policy and has been consulted by the City Council on the contents of:
The Unitary Development Plan (UDP) and the Revised UDP 2007 (The core area was, for the first time, included as a separate entity from Mayfair).
The Conservation Audit St James’s No 17.
Supplementary Planning Guidance for Entertainment Uses St James’s (It has used the Trust’s first two studies as references)
Local Development Framework-Core Strategy
Statement of Licensing Policy – 2005 and 2008
West End Stress area. The Stress Areas in Westminster are relevant to both planning and licensing, and the core area of St. .James’s lies adjacent to the West End Stress Area. Being part of the City Council’s Central Activities Area it is vulnerable to inappropriate Planning and Licensing developments; however, it if were included within the West End Stress Area, it would be afforded significantly more protection. After strong lobbying from the Trust, the UDP was amended to take into consideration and to monitor developments on the edges of the Stress Areas.
WESTMINSTER WAY-public realm strategy. Design principles and practice. Supplementary Planning Document December 2009.
Local Development Framework (LDF)
Core Strategy. Adopted by the City Council January 2011. The Trust made written responses to the City Council and appeared before the Planning in 2010 to give evidence on a number of important matters related to the core area of St James’s.
The establishment of historic St James’s as a Special Policy Area (SPA) in January 2011 resulted from the Trust’s work in making an architectural case and is included in the Core Strategy. The SPA gives special planning protection to the private members clubs, the art galleries and the specialist shops.
City Management Plan, Consultation draft January 2011. The Trust responded to 28 of the 59 sections or chapters of this document and it is of note that the St James’s SPA will receive the same planning protection for A3 uses as already exists in the adjacent West End Stress Area