Local development scheme
The Building Safety Levy (BSL) will come into effect on 1 October 2026. It is a tax on new dwellings and new bedspaces in purpose‑built student accommodation (PBSA).
Developers must pay the levy on certain building control applications or notices before completion or occupation of the building. The Council will collect the levy.
The Building Safety Levy (England) Regulations 2025 sets out how the levy will operate.
Changes to how some planning applications are decided from 31 October 2026The Government has introduced new national rules about who decides planning applications.
These rules are formally called the national scheme of delegation. From 31 October 2026, they will decide which applications must be decided by planning officers and which may go to Planning Committee.
The rules will apply to cases decided from that date. We have updated Lewisham’s Constitution to reflect the changes.
The Local Development Scheme (LDS) sets out:
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an outline of the Local Plan and the planning documents we propose to prepare
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the timetable for the preparation of the various documents.
The latest version of the Local Development Scheme was approved by a decision of Mayor and Cabinet on 28 January 2025 and came into force on 11 February 2025. It replaces the previous LDS 2022.
Pdf, 269KB
Previous versions of the Local Development Scheme can be read below.
Pdf, 501.7KB
Pdf, 664.7KB
Pdf, 442.6KB
Pdf, 281.6KB
Pdf, 38.5KB
Pdf, 327.8KB
Pdf, 319.6KB