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• Reference: 2016/0694
• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 10 February 2016

Jennette Arnold OBE AM (Chair): We go to item 10 which is Minor Alterations to the London Plan (MALP). [---] Before we move to the questions can I invite Sir Edward to make a short opening statement?

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 10 February 2016

Jennette Arnold OBE AM (Chair): Could you set out the aims and objectives of the draft MALPs document as laid out before the Assembly? How will the alterations address the issues raised by the Assembly and the implications for the London Plan of changes to national policy? You can indicate whether you have touched on some aspects of that and we will then be able to make the link.

• Question by: Tom Copley
• Meeting date: 10 February 2016

Tom Copley AM: Could you tell us how you will ensure the space standards provide high quality, well utilised homes?

• Question by: Navin Shah
• Meeting date: 10 February 2016

Navin Shah AM: My question is about the zero carbon homes. When the MALP was first proposed it included new text which outlined how the Mayor was going to achieve zero carbon homes. This has now been removed from the final version. Has the Mayor given up on zero carbon homes entirely?

• Question by: Steve O'Connell
• Meeting date: 10 February 2016

Steve O’Connell AM: On this side we welcome the alterations that are designed to retain as much as possible our higher London standards and apply consistency across our city. A question I have for you, however, is for the first time there is a requirement for developers to consider installing lifts in developments below four storeys. The Planning Committee had some concerns around that initially and we sought some clarification around this policy. Clearly one of the risks would be by adding potential costs to the developer they may be incentivised to increase the size of the buildings and/or potentially...

• Question by: Nicky Gavron
• Meeting date: 10 February 2016

Nicky Gavron AM: I want to talk about the parking standards in areas of outer London. One of the most worrying aspects of the minor alterations is the Mayor’s decision to introduce minimum car parking standards. Minimum car parking standards were abolished by the government of the day 22 years ago and they are not part of the national policy. Developers seem to have to impose them whether they believe in them or not. We are just beginning to see coming forward now really innovative forms of car-free, low carbon developments. A lot of Londoners coming to live in these...

• Question by: Murad Qureshi
• Meeting date: 10 February 2016

Murad Qureshi AM: Can I raise, Sir Edward, one of the major concerns of the Inspector in regards to the impact of car parking on air quality? It is suggested that there will be a 0.5% decrease in air quality and that may rise higher. What the Inspector says is that you must mitigate against this impact. What mitigation actions are you putting in place for this?

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 10 February 2016

Darren Johnson AM: TfL clearly identified that parking is a key determinant in the level of car usage in the Drivers of Travel Demand report. In a growing city does it really make sense to be adding to car usage?

• Question by: Stephen Knight
• Meeting date: 10 February 2016

Stephen Knight AM: Eddie [Sir Edward Lister], you have just said that you do not think that these changes will lead to an increase in the number of cars in outer London. Yet we are told that it will lead to a decrease in air quality and an increase in pollution. On one hand we are being told there will be an impact in terms of providing more car parking spaces leading to more cars, but you are just telling us that it will not. Which is the formal position of the GLA on this?

• Question by: Steve O'Connell
• Meeting date: 10 February 2016

Steve O’Connell AM: Deputy Mayor, you will not be surprised to know that on this side we do welcome these relaxations. These are modest, however. It is interesting that colleagues are getting rather agitated over what we feel is too modest. I, indeed, had a report published last year that called for parking standards to be abolished in outer London and for outer London boroughs to be able to refuse planning permission based on insufficient parking. Clearly this does not go that far. If, indeed, my proposals were on the table I would understand colleagues’ agitation around that. That is...