Why Reuse Is Taking Centre Stage in the City of London
In her latest blog, our Head of Heritage and Conservation Architect, Helen Walker, advocates for the reuse and re-purposing of existing buildings in the City of London.
A shift in the City of London’s Planning Landscape
A quiet but significant shift is happening in the City of London’s planning landscape, one that strongly supports the reuse and retrofit of existing buildings, particularly smaller ones that previously sat in the shadow of large‑scale new‑build development.
With the approval of the Planning for Sustainability Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), the City has now formally written a “retrofit first” expectation into planning policy. Developers are required to explore the retention of existing structures before considering demolition. This SPD introduces embodied‑carbon benchmarking, circular‑economy principles, and clearer sustainability standards, meaning that reuse is no longer a nice‑to‑have, but the default planning approach.
This shift is reinforced by the City’s broader sustainability guidance aligned with the emerging City Plan 2040, which again identifies retrofit and reuse as core principles for development. The emphasis is now firmly on reducing carbon, keeping materials in circulation, and adapting buildings in ways that extend their life and relevance.
Importantly, this changing mindset is also being felt in the treatment of heritage assets. Much of Zone 1 in London comprises listed buildings and a historically sensitive townscape, and historically, this has often constrained development potential. However, councils are now working more constructively with developers and architects to enable carefully considered rooftop extensions, typically one or two additional storeys, on listed buildings. Compared to the more unfavourable stance seen a decade ago, this represents a positive evolution. Planning authorities are increasingly recognising the need not only to retain historic fabric but also to sensitively enhance and future-proof it, ensuring these buildings continue to play an active role in the city’s growth.
Alongside this, the wider London Plan (Policy H2) continues to push for more housing delivery on small sites under 0.25 hectares, supporting well‑designed, small‑scale residential development across London. Although the City of London does not have a dedicated small‑sites policy of its own, this London‑wide direction dovetails perfectly with the reuse agenda, encouraging the adaptation of smaller, underused commercial buildings into much‑needed homes.
The Path to Retrofit
Financially, retrofit is often becoming the more attractive path too. National incentives, such as VAT reductions on converting commercial buildings into residential use, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, and broader energy‑efficiency grants, can make reuse more viable than rebuilding from the ground up. While the City itself does not currently offer direct grants for private projects, its clear policy support for reuse, coupled with faster and more predictable planning pathways for retrofit‑led proposals, effectively reduces risk and creates a more favourable environment for owners and developers.
This is particularly important for the Square Mile, where many buildings are smaller, more constrained, or historically sensitive. These are precisely the kinds of structures that benefit from this new policy; instead of being replaced by larger, carbon‑heavy schemes, they now stand a better chance of being adapted, revitalised, and re‑loved.
A Moment of Potential
As a Conservation Architect, I see this as an enormous moment of potential.
If you’d like help exploring the reuse possibilities of a site or navigating these policy changes, I’d love to discuss it.