London 2070

Welcome to our London 2070 report, which sets out our vision for the future city region.

Cities are constantly evolving – never more so than now. The London metropolitan area is facing acute social, economic and environmental challenges caused by a combination of urgencies: recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, climate change mitigation and keeping pace with unprecedented technological change.

To meet these challenges, we need to think well beyond today. Our London 2070 report deliberately sets out to look beyond most policy makers’ timelines in order to think beyond what has already been imagined. We start with the three main challenges facing London today: inequality, the need for resilience, and connectivity, then set out 10 big ideas for the future of the city region, covering economy, community, homes, town centres, transport, healthcare, energy and resources, food, water, and environment.

Whilst these ideas cannot be exhaustive, they highlight opportunities which should form part of a coordinated plan that can be progressed now for the long-term success of London and its city region.

In an era of growing inequality in the capital and nationally, and to have a pro-active response to accommodating climate change, we need a city that is resilient, interconnected, responsible and balanced – this is our vision for London 2070.

Historically, the challenges faced by the London City Region have originated from accelerated but unbalanced economic growth. Those challenges still remain, but have taken on a different hue since the pandemic: the adoption of new digital tools and travel habits suggest that there is a long-term and profound shift in the way we work and use our cities.

Our cities also need to adapt to the existential challenge of the climate emergency, with actions driven by formal declarations of governments and city mayors. London has not been built to deal with rising temperatures, unpredictable weather events and water scarcity. The city and its hinterland cannot ignore these issues, and the response must shape future development.

Crucially, these challenges can’t be dealt with locally, or simply within Greater London. They require a joined-up approach to guide successful, resilient growth and infrastructure investment. Our recovery from the pandemic should be a catalyst to stimulate the adoption of new ways of living and working in this global metropolitan city region to create a sustainable legacy by 2070.

In the introductory section of the report, we outline the key challenges facing this highly productive yet sometimes fragile city region that will impact future patterns of growth, development, protection and investment. Each of these challenges need to be addressed over the long term – which is why we have chosen a horizon of 2070. We focus on:

• Inequality – both in the city region and between London and the rest of the UK
• Resilience – and the capacity of the city to respond to, adapt, and recover from environmental and economic shocks
• Connectivity – keeping ahead of rapidly changing technologies and travel patterns