New planning rules seek to protect Houes of Parliament, Kew, Greenwich and Tower of London

London mayor Boris Johnson has launched a consultation on planning guidance designed to preserve the settings for the capital’s four World Heritage Sites.

The guidance will provide rules for any planned development around the Houses of Parliament, Kew Gardens, Maritime Greenwich and the Tower of London.

The sites are designated by UNESCO, which can remove the World Heritage status if it believes the settings have been allowed to degrade.

The area surrounding the Tower of London, within the City of London, is a particularly key area for development. Boris Johnson said: “The challenge we face today is to maintain their [World Heritage Sites] integrity while allowing London to grow and prosper around them, and I therefore invite you to have your say to make sure we strike the right balance.”
The consultation, open until January 20th, is available here.