E NAB LIN G IN FR A S TRU C TU R E :

G R E E N , E N E RGY, WATE R & WA S TE

IN FR A S TRU C TU R E TO 2 0 5 0
ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE — GREEN, ENERGY, WATER AND
WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050
CONTENTS ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE — GREEN, ENERGY, WATER AND
WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050

1. I ntroduction

2. London to 205 0 – infra structure to

support a re silie nt a nd susta ina ble city

3. C ommon cha lle nge s

4. Gre e n infra structure

5. Ene rgy

6. Wa te r

7. R e source ma na ge me nt
1. INTRODUCTION ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
AND WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050
PAGE 1

This document is part of a suite of documents supporting the

Mayor’s consultation on London’s long-term infrastructure
requirements. ‘London Infrastructure Plan 2050 A Consultation’
sets out London’s strategic requirements to 2050 across
transport, green, digital, energy, water and waste infrastructure,
how much it will cost and how we might pay for it all. It invites
responses on a range of issues, including those looked at in
this document. Readers are encouraged to respond through the
consultation page at London.gov.uk

This document set outs the GLA’s analysis of the issues,

opportunities and challenges across:

– – Green infrastructure – London’s network of parks, green

spaces, trees and features such as green roofs

– – Energy – Electricity, gas and renewable, nationally and

locally produced

– – Water – Water supply, drainage (rain and waste water),

wastewater and flood risk management

– – Resource management – Recycling, re-use and disposal

facilities

This analysis has underpinned the conclusion reached in this

document and the overall consultation report.

The current situation and our vision for 2050 are set out in
Chapter 2; Chapter 3 then looks at the common challenges
facing infrastructure provision; Chapters 4-7 describe the
analysis and background to each sector and set out the
proposed way forward.
1. INTRODUCTION ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
AND WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050
PAGE 2

The transport and digital analysis are set out in separate papers
published alongside this document. The ‘London Infrastructure
Plan 2050 A Consultation’ report brings the analysis together
and sets out London’s strategic infrastructure needs to 2050,
how we will ensure effective delivery, the likely magnitude
of costs involved and options for funding and financing our
requirements.

We have approached the task of planning for London’s

infrastructure requirements to 2050 from the point of view of
infrastructure being a key enabler of housing growth as well
as supporting the economy. Providing enough housing to meet
demand from London’s rapidly increasing population is likely to
remain London’s greatest challenge. Infrastructure, particularly
transport, will be a key factor in unlocking housing growth
across the city. We have considered where transport has the
potential to unlock housing growth. We have then considered
infrastructure requirements beyond transport.

The infrastructure considered in this document is crucial for

London’s continued and sustainable economic growth, the
resilience of the city, and for improving Londoners’ overall
quality of life.
2 . L ONDON TO 2050 – INFR ASTRUCTURE ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
TO SUPPORT A RESILIENT AND AND WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050
SUSTAINABLE CIT Y PAGE 3

By 2050, London will:

– – Have a secure, sustainable and affordable water and energy

supply

– – Have completed the transition from ‘take-make-dispose’ to a

circular economy

– – Be resilient to all but the most extreme weather

– – Have a city wide green infrastructure network that is planned,

designed and managed to absorb floodwater, keep the city
cool, encourage healthy lifestyles, and enhance biodiversity
and ecological resilience.

The actions outlined below will be key to ensuring these

objectives are met. Many of the actions are outside the Mayor’s
direct control. Concerted action by City Hall, the boroughs,
infrastructure providers, Government and the regulators will be
required.

The Mayor will take action to ensure a step change in the

amount of joint working to deliver London’s infrastructure,
including through convening a London Infrastructure Delivery
Board, made up of the key players in delivering London’s
infrastructure. The Board will consist of senior representatives
from all the main infrastructure providers in London to create
links across sectors and to utilise their expertise on best
practice delivery. To find out more about the Delivery Board
see the ‘Improving Delivery of London’s Infrastructure’ paper
published alongside this document.

This must be supported by action at the national level too.

The Mayor will seek action from the relevant Government
Departments, Infrastructure UK, regulators and other parties to
take forward the proposals below.
3 . COMMON CHALLENGES ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
AND WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050
PAGE 4

Pop ula tion growth

While London has been growing continuously for thirty years,

the rate of growth has increased in the last decade. This growth
is expected to continue to such an extent that it is projected
that London’s population growth will mean that:

– – The previous population peak of 8.6 million (in 1939) will be

surpassed early next year

– – By the 2030s, London’s population will reach 10 million

– – By 2050, the city’s population will have increased by 37%

to 11.3 million (based on GLA Intelligence Unit’s central
projection).

The projections are set out in more detail in the GLA

Intelligence Unit report ‘Population and Employment Projections
to Support the London Infrastructure Plan 2050’ published
alongside this report. These are projections and subject to
a great deal of uncertainty, for which reason high and low
projections have also been produced – projecting that London’s
population could stand between 9.5 million and 13.4 million at
2050.

The analysis below is based on the central population

projection, but consideration has been given to the implications
of alternative trajectories.

London’s growth alone will increase demand, both for existing

and new infrastructure. There are other challenges that will only
increase the need for investment and/or changes to how we
approach infrastructure delivery.

L ack of inve stme nt a nd stra te gic pla nning

1
CBI/KPMG infrastructure survey
September 2013 (based a survey of There has, in general, been a backlog of investment and
526 business leaders) historically low levels of capital investment compared to other
countries. A relatively recent survey 1 found that ‘historic
2
CBI/KPMG infrastructure survey levels of underinvestment’ have placed UK businesses at a
September 2013 - analysis based on disadvantage. OECD figures indicate that the UK’s public
OECD statistics investment since the millennium has been consistently below
that of the majority of OECD countries’ 2.
3
The Global Competitiveness Report
2013-14, World Economic Forum Across the piece, our infrastructure has a relatively poor
2013. The infrastructure ranking is perception and performance compared to our other global
based on range of data sources and cities peer group. In the World Economic Forum Global
the WEF’s own annual Executive Competitiveness 2013-2014 report, 3 the UK was ranked only
Opinion Survey. 28th on perceptions of ‘quality of overall infrastructure’.
3 . COMMON CHALLENGES ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
AND WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050
PAGE 5

London is one of the greenest big cities in the world - a

consequence of a land-use planning framework that has
sought to protect London’s diversity of green spaces over
many decades.

However, green infrastructure is still not considered as

infrastructure in its own right. A lack of a strategic, London
wide approach that makes investment decisions considering
the whole range of benefits green infrastructure brings
(drainage, shade, walk and cycle ways and much more) has
resulted in below optimal investment. This is reflected in the
Economist Intelligence Unit’s Green Infrastructure Index 4 which
puts London in 11th place.

U n coordina te d de live ry

As we have learned from successful infrastructure projects

such as the Olympic Park, infrastructure delivery works best
when delivery is integrated across sectors. However, joined up
delivery does not tend to be the norm. Delivery and governance
are disjointed. For example:

– – Water is supplied by four monopoly suppliers 5, which are

regulated by Ofwat. Water management is rarely integrated,
and water supply, wastewater treatment and flood risk
management are treated as separate issues, leading to
ingrained silo-thinking and missed opportunities.

– – The energy sector is made up of private companies,

regulated by Ofgem.

– – Waste disposal is not coordinated at a London level, and

there are a variety of standards and practices across the city.

– – No single body or set of bodies manages London’s green

4
The Index measures cities on space from a network perspective. The boroughs and the
30 indicators, of which about Royal Parks manage many public parks and open spaces,
half are quantitative such as CO 2 and much of London’s green infrastructure is managed by a
emissions per capita and recycling variety of other organisations. The capacity of green space
rates. Qualitative indicators include to reduce flood risk is rarely factored into the planning or
commitments to policies such as air design of parks.
quality codes.
While the GLA’s statutory planning document, the London Plan,
5
Thames Water, Affinity Water, sets out growth forecasts for London, many of bodies above do
Essex and Suffolk Water and Sutton not need to plan on the same basis.
& East Surrey Water, with one sewer
undertaker, Thames Water.
3 . COMMON CHALLENGES ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
AND WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050
PAGE 6

Mechanisms are not in place for infrastructure providers such

as the water and energy companies to talk to each other as
infrastructure projects are being planned or in the early stages
of being delivered. To overcome this, the Mayor will convene
a London Infrastructure Delivery Board composed of senior
representatives from all the main infrastructure deliverers in
London. The members of the Board will work to better join
up delivery, forge links across sectors and share expertise on
best‑practice delivery.

Reg u la te d industrie s

Energy, water, and waste are all regulated industries. The

regulatory frameworks determine how companies in these
sectors invest in infrastructure and deliver services to
consumers. The regulators’ main interest is in protecting
consumer interests, in particular against unnecessary price
rises, and given the UK enjoys some of the lowest prices in
Europe, their work has been successful and we would not argue
with the underlying principles they have adopted.

However, many of the current challenges facing these sectors

in London stem from the fact that:

– – regulations are designed to manage a ‘steady state’ and do

not have the flexibility to respond to the scale and pace of
change in London (the consequences of some regulations in
effect disincentivise investment ahead of demand)

– – the regulatory structures treat all parts of the country in the

same way with no differentiation made between small towns
and rural areas and the UK’s largest and growing cities

– – the regulators do not work together towards achieving

integrated outcomes (e.g. Ofwat and Ofgem do not
incentivise the dual retrofitting of water and energy
efficiency)

– – uncertainty over future regulatory changes discourages new

investment

– – There are few incentives for utility companies to help

consumers reduce their demand for scarce resources.
Broadband is the utility where usage is to be encouraged but
there is no universal service requirement or incentives to roll
out fibre to some parts of London that are currently unserved

– – Large investments with a guaranteed rate of return can be

favoured over cost saving measures.
3 . COMMON CHALLENGES ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
AND WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050
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These challenges raise a number of issues for London and are

covered in more detail below. They include:

– – A lack of possibilities for investment ahead of need in

electricity infrastructure, which delays developments and
increases associated costs

– – The water companies have greater incentives to invest in

significant new resources (e.g. a new reservoir) rather than in
maintaining existing infrastructure (such as ageing pipes).

The Mayor calls on the regulators to join up their planning

and procedures. The Mayor can provide the mechanisms for
co-ordination within London. However, greater co-ordination
is needed at the national level too. Joined up planning across
regulators, and therefore utility providers, will be a valuable
step towards improved – more timely and cheaper - delivery of
infrastructure in London.

The following sections consider these issues in more detail and

set out our proposed way forward for green, energy, water and
waste infrastructure.
4. GREEN INFR ASTRUCTURE ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
AND WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050
PAGE 8

A clear economic case is emerging for investment in green

infrastructure, with benefits far beyond provision of space for
recreation. Around the world the benefits from, for example,
reduced flood risk, improved health outcomes and increased
ecological resilience are being quantified. Specific evidence on
costs and benefits for London are starting to become available,
but more is needed.

Many cities around the world are beginning to acknowledge that

investing in their green infrastructure can appreciably improve
the environmental performance, sustainability and quality of
life of urban districts. For some city authorities the driver is
more stringent regulation of water or air quality; for others it
is a response to the apparent and potential impacts of climate
change, or a desire to ensure quality of life is maintained in the
face of increasing population and urban density. Whatever the
perspective, investment in green infrastructure is also seen as
an increasingly important foundation for a city’s economy and its
competitiveness.

Green infrastructure provides a variety of functions beyond

providing space for recreation. In many cases green
infrastructure provides better value, more sustainable,
complementary solutions to challenges, such as flood risk
alleviation and transport provision than traditional infrastructure
responses. For example:

– – Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) - comprising a

chain of interventions such as green roofs, rain gardens,
swales and detention basins planned and implemented at
a catchment-scale - can significantly reduce the amount of
run-off being discharged to the piped network thus reducing
the need for upgraded hard infrastructure and delivering
additional benefits such as improved water quality, enhanced
biodiversity and increased amenity.

– – Greener cycle and walking routes can encourage an even

greater modal shift to cycling and walking, thus helping
to reduce congestion on the road network and increased
overcrowding on public transport as the population grows,
whilst providing additional benefits such as better health and
improved air quality.
4. GREEN INFR ASTRUCTURE ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
AND WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050
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Cu rre nt provision, policy conte xt a nd funding

arrange me nts

London’s current network of parks, green spaces and other

green features (such as street trees) are managed by over 40
different public authorities and agencies. This results in an
approach to planning, management and maintenance of a suite
of assets that does not fully appreciate or realise the range of
functions and potential benefits that could be provided by a
more integrated green infrastructure.

Furthermore, most of the existing network was not designed to

address current environmental imperatives such as floodwater
management, improving air quality, urban cooling and ecological
resilience, albeit they do provide some of these benefits by
default.

Over recent decades policies and programmes in London

have been reasonably effective in ensuring the protection and
preservation of parks and green spaces to provide Londoners
opportunities for outdoor sport and recreation and access to
natural and heritage landscapes.

However, the traditional parks and green space network has

been subject to cycles of capital investment followed by periods
of underfunding in management and maintenance. This is
largely due to the fact that parks and green spaces are mostly
funded from the public purse, are not properly recognised as
assets and there is no statutory duty for local authorities to
provide them.

This inherent structural problem has been consistently

acknowledged in a series of reports including:

– – Greener Spaces, Better Places 6 (2002), the report of the

Urban Green Spaces Taskforce:
6
http://www.ocs.polito.it/biblioteca/
verde/taskforce/gspaces_.pdf – – Enhancing Urban Green Space 7 (2006) published by the
National Audit Office;
7
https://www.nao.org.uk/report/
enhancing-urban-green-space/ – – Making the Invisible Visible 8 (2009) a report by CABE Space

8
http://webarchive.nationalarchives. – – Park Land 9 (2013) a report by Policy Exchange.
gov.uk/20110118095356/http:/
www.cabe.org.uk/publications/ Common themes running through these reviews of the funding
making-the-invisible-visible for parks and green spaces are:

9
http://www.policyexchange.org.uk/ – – Insufficient appreciation, and consequent undervaluation,
publications/category/item/park-land of the existing benefits provided;
4. GREEN INFR ASTRUCTURE ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
AND WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050
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– – low levels of asset value calculations being conducted; and

– – a lack of shared objectives and common standards by

those with responsibility for the design, management and
maintenance of the existing resource.

Consequently, there is growing recognition that the traditional

concept of parks and green spaces results in an underutilised
resource which could deliver a much wider range of functions
if understood, designed and managed as a network of green
infrastructure. Furthermore, this core network could be
augmented by green features (such as green roofs) that can
be incorporated successfully and cost-effectively into the built
environment.

Tow ar ds a more e ffe ctive a nd cost-e fficie nt

ap p ro a ch

As the population grows and the city develops there will be

a need to increase the functionality of the existing network
in order to deliver the benefits of an integrated green
infrastructure.

This requires a physical restructuring of much of the existing

green space network over time to improve its overall
performance. This will entail capital enhancements (such as
reconfiguring green spaces to absorb and store flood water)
and a commensurate uplift in maintenance expenditure to
ensure the asset value of the improved infrastructure is
maintained.

The increased cost of implementing this functional green

infrastructure is likely to be offset by the economic benefits
of increased resilience and the societal benefits of enhanced
quality of life, health and well-being.

Developing and mainstreaming the green infrastructure

approach could result in reduced cost to public authorities by
minimising the expense of managing negative externalities
- such as stormwater and air pollution - and by diversifying
the funding sources for the provision of public goods - such
as improved health and well-being and ecological resilience.
Furthermore, there are important synergies with other
infrastructure needs (especially in relation to transport and
water) and it is expected that actors in these sectors will
contribute to the cost of establishing a more coherent green
infrastructure.
4. GREEN INFR ASTRUCTURE ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
AND WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050
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Around the world the concept of green infrastructure is

becoming mainstream. A number of well-researched reports and
assessments are illustrating the economic benefits derived from
the services provided by green infrastructure. These include:

– – The city of Chicago has estimated that investment in

“greening” only a small percentage of the city’s rooftops has
significantly reduced air pollution. Converting 10 per cent of
Chicago’s rooftops removed 17,400 Mg of nitrogen dioxide
each year. In turn, Chicago estimates that this investment
could result in avoided public health costs of $29.2m to
$111m annually (around £17m to £65m). 10

– – In 2011 the city of Philadelphia created the Green City,

Clean Waters program, a 25-year, $2.5 billion (around
£1.47bn) plan to protect and enhance the city’s watersheds
by managing storm water with innovative green infrastructure.
The city estimates that the use of green infrastructure in lieu
of traditional approaches will save $8 billion (around £4.7bn)
over the life of the programme. This bold initiative is a
paradigm shift in approach that treats urban water resources
as a key pathway to a sustainable future for the city.

– – Copenhagen has recently published a Cloudburst

Management Plan 11 which aims to significantly reduce
serious surface water flooding resulting from extreme rainfall
events through green infrastructure interventions (alongside
other measures). The Plan envisages an implementation cost
of DKK 3.8bn (around £410m), but this is set against a DKK
5-6bn (around £600m) cost to the city resulting from just
one extreme downpour event in 2011.

Despite the increasing library of international studies illustrating

the economic case for green infrastructure, it is acknowledged
that many of the assumptions and valuation models employed to
derive costs and benefits are quite specific due to their different
environmental, policy and fiscal contexts. Consequently,
assessments and valuations informed by London’s unique
character are required.

Relevant case studies for London’s green infrastructure

10
Clark. C et al., Green Roof are beginning to emerge. The quarter being created in and
Valuation: A Probabilistic Economic around the Olympic Park is demonstrating how the services
Analysis of Environmental Benefits and benefits of green infrastructure can be provided through
January, 2012. good planning and design of urban regeneration. Installing
sustainable drainage, encouraging active lifestyles, enhancing
11
http://en.klimatilpasning.dk/ ecology, and blurring the distinction between parkland and
media/665626/cph_-_cloudburst_ urban form, were principles that informed the design and
management_plan.pdf
4. GREEN INFR ASTRUCTURE ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
AND WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050
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construction of the parklands and which are being transposed

into the development of the new housing and social
infrastructure. This will form an important part of the evidence
base for London.

In order to articulate a clear and compelling economic rationale

for future investment in green infrastructure, the Mayor will
undertake, or support others to undertake, a series of bespoke
assessments. As explained below, assessing the evidence on
the economic case for investment in green infrastructure will be
a consideration of the Green Infrastructure Task Force.

Q u antif ying London’s gre e n infra structure

req u ire me nts

The London Plan has already identified some long-term green

infrastructure requirements which relate to addressing the
potential impacts of climate change. These include:

– – 30% of London’s area to be under a tree canopy – a 10

percentage point increase from the 2008 baseline

– – a 10% increase in green cover (e.g. green roofs) in the

Central Activities Zone (CAZ).

It can reasonably be assumed that with the latest projections for

population growth, the requirement to increase green cover by
10% in the CAZ should be applied to other parts of the city that
are likely to assume the same levels of density.

Furthermore, the projected increase in population would also

require the equivalent of 9,000 hectares of additional green
space to be established in order to maintain the status quo
(existing London Plan standards) in relation to accessible green
space. This quantum of additional green space is unlikely to
be met entirely through a traditional approach to provision.
Consequently, in the existing densely developed parts of the
city, and in those parts of the city identified for increased
densification, the provision of green space may need to be met
by novel forms of greener public realm such as, for example,
linked roof-gardens or the greening of streets converted to
shared space.
4. GREEN INFR ASTRUCTURE ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
AND WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050
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D el i ve ring London’s gre e n infra structure

n eed s

There are many challenges in moving from the current

approach to green space provision to one which engenders a
more integrated approach that could optimise the benefits of
London’s green infrastructure and provide it in ways which are
more efficient and more sustainable.

The All London Green Grid provides a spatial planning policy

framework to achieve this; but there is a need for a clearer
direction of travel with regards to governance, co-ordination
and investment, to realise the benefits of the existing network
managed as a green infrastructure, rather than as series of self-
contained spaces. This will help to:

– – Inform the functions required from London’s green

infrastructure as London’s urban form changes over time.

– – Identify and prioritise the objectives for the different

elements of the network which have to be considered at a
more strategic level.

N ext Ste ps

The Mayor is establishing a ‘Green Infrastructure Task Force’

(similar to the Roads Task Force) with a remit to consider the
current challenges facing London’s parks and green spaces,
and to advise on a long-term strategy for London’s green
infrastructure and the options for governance and funding.
The Task Force will explore:

– – Whether the underutilisation and underfunding of London’s

existing green infrastructure is a consequence of the lack of
appropriate asset management protocols that apply to other
essential infrastructure.

– – How the existing network of parks and green spaces

might be upgraded to improve performance - designed and
managed to provide additional services whilst maintaining
their amenity benefits.

– – New financing mechanisms and investment vehicles for

green infrastructure to obviate the default position whereby
most of the existing resource is considered a public good
provided through the public purse - despite there being no
statutory duty for local authorities to provide parks and green
spaces, and even less so a green infrastructure.
4. GREEN INFR ASTRUCTURE ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
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– – The potential institutional and governance arrangements

required to produce the necessary shift in policy, strategy
and operational management.

The ‘Task Force’ will be established in the Autumn and will be

made up of individuals who represent the key user interests
and/or have the expertise that can help advise the Mayor on
this issue. During 2015 it will meet regularly to consider the key
issues and challenges facing London’s green infrastructure in
the medium and long term. It will be supported by the GLA and
will commission research and analysis as necessary. By the end
of 2015 it will report on its findings, including recommendations
for the governance and funding arrangements required for
planning, co-ordinating and investing in green infrastructure
programmes and strategic projects.

In addition to establishing the Task Force, the Mayor will

accelerate the implementation of green infrastructure, especially
in those parts of London subject to the most rapid regeneration
and change by ensuring green infrastructure is considered in all
of the major infrastructure and regeneration initiatives that are
already being planned for London.

To ensure this, the Mayor will:

– – lead by example by ensuring that development projects

led by the GLA or TfL will embed the concept of green
infrastructure at project inception.

– – promote new standards that will ensure that, in those parts of

the city that are subject to increased densification, there will
be a minimum 10% increase in the amount of green cover.
5. E NERGY ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
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London is growing at an unprecedented rate, and it is essential

we see further step changes in the rate of house building. In
the short term this will require investment ahead of need in
an electricity infrastructure system which is already reaching
capacity in some areas, to ensure that development is not
obstructed or stalled.

In the longer term, London’s energy infrastructure needs to be

developed in the most cost effective and sustainable way.

A diversity of national sources of energy supply, including shale

gas, will improve the security and affordability of our energy
supply. However, energy generated locally from a diverse range
of sources, including gas and waste heat, will significantly
reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and provide further energy
security and resilience.

It is essential we have an effective energy strategy in place to

ensure the city continues to increase London’s resilience to
volatility in international energy prices and provide long-term
confidence in the availability and affordability of energy to
businesses, investors and residents. Without this London may
be exposed to spiralling energy costs, and its ability to grow and
to attract inward business and development investment would
be at risk.

Our overarching objective is to ensure that the correct

strategy is adopted to achieve the effective balancing of three
interconnected objectives:

1. Security and reliability of supply;

2. Affordability and cost-competitiveness of energy;

3. 80 per cent carbon dioxide emissions reduction by 2050 in

line with Mayoral and national government policy.

Cu rre nt e ne rgy supply

Energy is supplied to homes, businesses and transport in

London primarily in the form of electricity and gas for buildings,
and petrol and diesel for transport. Electricity is primarily used
for lighting in buildings, and gas is used in individual boilers in
homes and buildings for heating and hot water.

Current energy consumption in London is primarily fulfilled by

gas (45%) and electricity (30%); petrol, diesel and aviation fill
12
London Energy and Greenhouse in another 23%; 2% of total consumption is satisfied from other
Gas Inventory 2011 sources 12.
5. E NERGY ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
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Electricity infrastructure takes the form of centralised power

stations located throughout the country, with electricity cables
providing the bulk transmission of electricity at high voltage
from the power stations to the local distribution networks that
in turn supply electricity to the end users at lower voltages.
The power stations are operated by licenced generators, the
transmission network by National Grid (a regulated monopoly)
and the distribution networks by Distribution Network
Operators (DNO – also regulated monopolies). Electricity is
sold to end users by Licenced Electricity Suppliers (LES). The
responsibility of ensuring the overall system works and has
enough generating capacity to meet demand at all times lies
with National Grid. A similar arrangement of transmission and
distribution exists for the gas network.

In London the DNOs are UK Power Networks (UKPN) and

Scottish & Southern Energy Power Distribution (SSEPD) for
electricity and National Grid Gas and Southern Gas Networks
for gas. Smaller networks also exist operated by other licenced
operators (so called ‘inset’ networks) and some private network
operators that sit outside the current regulated environment.

For gas, National Grid owns and operates the high-pressure

National Transmission System (NTS) which transports gas from
terminals to Local Distribution Zones (LDZ) including those
supplying London, which generally operate at lower pressure
and to which the majority of consumers are connected.

From 2016, UK coal-fired electricity generation plants will

be shutdown to comply with European emissions regulations
and ageing nuclear plant will be decommissioned prior to
the introduction of new nuclear. Ofgem estimates that a
considerable level of investment (up to £200 billion over the
next ten years, more than twice the amount spent over the
last ten years) will be needed to replace the UK’s ageing
infrastructure to meet the UK’s energy needs 13. Other estimates
range from £200bn-£400bn.

13
Ofgem, Project Discovery Energy
Market Scenarios, 2009
5. E NERGY ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
AND WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050
PAGE 17

In t erna tiona l e ne rgy ma rke ts

The UK is a net importer of gas and other fuels, and London’s

energy supply is reliant upon international energy supplies and
markets. Energy prices in Europe are high, and set to increase
relative to other regions. In some regions cheap energy is
available. For example, the USA’s energy consumption is twice
that of Europe, but its gas price a third less. In other developing
countries energy is heavily subsidised to promote development.

The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) World Energy Outlook

2013 provides a stark warning to European energy consumers
on the need to ‘read the game’ in terms of maintaining
international competitiveness in a highly dynamic world energy
market. ‘Reading the game’ for London means that its future
infrastructure strategy, in terms of international competitiveness,
should not focus on providing the means to supplying more
units of increasingly expensive energy (relative to other world
country energy costs), but on infrastructure that is energy
efficient, highly effective and based on a local and national
supply. This will require reduced energy use from buildings,
more efficient use of primary energy input, the high utilisation
of infrastructure capacity through the application of smart
systems and energy storage, and the use of local-to-London
energy resource where economically viable to eliminate the
dependency on imported energy from the world market.

To address the challenges of the need to replace the UK’s

ageing energy infrastructure, increasingly expensive energy
in Europe, and electricity infrastructure in London reaching
capacity in some areas, action will need to be targeted in key
areas.

In ves tme nt a he a d of ne e d in e le ctricity

i n f ras tructure

The rate and density of population growth and new building

development in key areas of London is unprecedented. The
electricity distribution network is already at capacity in some
areas of London, and significant new investment is needed
in substations and wires, particularly in areas identified for
Opportunity Area Planning Frameworks. The current regulations
governing the planning and provision of new electricity
distribution infrastructure are out-of-step with the rates of
demand growth and network stress in key areas of London.
5. E NERGY ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
AND WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050
PAGE 18

It is estimated that the current system is blocking over £200m

in electricity infrastructure investment that would unlock new
development areas 14. This is leading to excessive, unexpected
and inequitably distributed costs for developers and other
electricity users.

Distribution network operators (DNOs) agree investment

plans with Ofgem through their regulated business planning
processes. In London, UK Power Networks has recently
submitted its business plan for 2015-2023 to Ofgem setting
out its proposed investment plan. In general, DNOs will not
‘invest ahead of need’ outside of the regulatory framework
because of the risk of that asset then not being fully utilised,
and the inability to recover those costs from the customer base.
Where new, unplanned-for connection requests are made by
a number of parties in an area of insufficient capacity, and/
or where new capacity is not in the business plan, the DNO
recovers the full costs from the party that makes the request
for connection. This can lead to the ‘first mover’ bearing the full
costs of new substations. This can stall or reduce the viability
of new developments and discourages early engagement by
developers with the DNO.

It is estimated that the electricity investment requirement to

meet new demand is £210m over 8 to 9 substations 15.

Government has recognised the need to address this, and we

are working with No.10, other departments of government,
Ofgem, UK Power Networks and other major cities in the UK to
find a solution to the regulatory system that allows investment
ahead of need, but in a way that does not have any material
impact on business or consumer bills. The solution will be based
on the following principles:

– – more investment ahead of need would be permitted if

the risks of the new infrastructure being left substantially
unused and stranded are minimised and borne by developers
benefiting from the forward investment;

– – in the event that the predicted rate of use of the additional

new infrastructure installed turns out to be significantly
optimistic, the burden of carrying the excess cost involved
14
London Electricity Infrastructure would be borne substantially by developers. If the cost to
Review. Technical Working Group developers is excessive, then consideration will be given to
Report’ produced by Ramboll for the involving the interested local authorities in contributing to
GLA, March 2014 the balance of unrecovered cost.

15
GLA modelling
5. E NERGY ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
AND WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050
PAGE 19

We believe this is a critical component to maintaining London’s

energy supply, housing London’s growing population, and
supporting economic growth. We will be working with UKPN,
developers, the boroughs, Ofgem and Government to ensure a
solution is agreed and enacted.

Ef f i cie nt production of e ne rgy tha t is loca l to

d ema nd

To ensure that the costs of London’s energy infrastructure are

minimised, an approach that utilises local, flexible and resilient
energy supplies will be required.

The government’s current decarbonisation pathway, based on

displacing the use of gas with new nuclear power stations and
renewables requiring the electrification of heat, would require
an increase in the peak capacity of the electricity distribution
network by an additional 110 percent from 2011 to 2050,
compared to a scenario with a combination of 50 percent
locally produced energy and 50 percent nationally supplied 16.
In addition, electricity consumption would be 30 percent higher
by 2050 under the centralised scenario compared to the 50/50
scenario 17.

To ensure London is moving towards a model where 50 percent

of energy supply is from locally produced sources, a number of
actions are required:

– – Local energy projects need to be developed from smaller

scale to large scale projects capable of providing significant
amounts of energy to London

– – Local providers need fairer access to the electricity supply

market

– – Detailed energy infrastructure planning is needed across

London, that map out opportunities and includes local energy
production.

16
‘The cost of London’s long-term
infrastructure’ – Arup, 2014

17
‘The cost of London’s long-term
infrastructure’ – Arup, 2014
5. E NERGY ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
AND WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050
PAGE 20

We will take forward action on each of these areas, as

described below.

Developing large scale local projects

Despite a pipeline of local energy projects there are a

number of challenges to attracting private sector investment.
These include a lack of development capacity, knowledge
and coordination across the range of stakeholders involved
in planning local energy projects. There are also significant
commercial risks to investment in this remerging market.

The Mayor’s energy programme is currently supporting a

pipeline of strategic local energy projects providing affordable,
low or zero carbon heat. This is taking place through the
European Union funded Decentralised Energy Project Delivery
Unit’ (DEPDU). The £3 million four year programme is providing
technical, financial and commercial advisory services to help
others develop larger scale local energy projects in London. It
has so far built a pipeline of projects worth over £350 million.
This project will come to an end in July 2015.

From summer 2015 the Mayor will build on DEPDU’s work and
establish a new organisation that will bring together the GLA’s
diverse range of activity related to energy supply.

The organisation will play a key role researching, planning,

developing, and operating London’s energy supply. It will
support a wide variety of local energy producers by addressing
planning, regulatory and other barriers as well as skills
shortages (working with other parts of the GLA, boroughs and
national government).

Fairer access to the electricity supply market

The energy market, as it currently operates, prevents local

energy producers from:

– – getting the retail value of their electricity output over the

local electricity distribution network due to the high costs of
holding a full electricity supply licence.

– – creating efficiencies and realising economic value from

consumer demand flexibility. For example, organisations that
want to reward businesses using off peak energy are being
held back by the lack of supportive regulation to open up this
market.
5. E NERGY ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
AND WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050
PAGE 21

To overcome these challenge, electricity market reform will

be required to overcome the market barriers faced by new,
small‑scale market participants. This can be achieved by:

– – Leading the move for greater market access for

decentralised energy generators by becoming the first
active ‘Licence Lite’ holding energy supplier, enabling local
energy suppliers in London to be properly rewarded for the
electricity they generate.

– – Working with the government’s newly established ‘Smart

Energy GB’ Group and interested parties to secure wider
access to anonymised smart meter data and to promote
regulatory reform to reduce cash-flow risk, regulatory cost
and simpler customer acquisition for new, smaller market
participants.

– – Using the London Enterprise Panel, low carbon innovation

prizes and demonstration projects to facilitate, fund and
demonstrate new market models that can realise value within
London.

Effective energy infrastructure planning

Planning for the future development of new buildings, transport

infrastructure, electricity networks and gas networks is currently
developed through a number of inter-linked documents,
including the London Plan, the Mayor’s Transport Strategy,
and DNO business plans. To support the cost-effective hybrid
approach to energy infrastructure requires a coordinated
and spatial approach to planning which integrates future
infrastructure development.

To address this, we will produce a detailed spatial London

energy infrastructure plan by the end of 2015 that accounts for
infrastructure requirements and costs, supply decarbonisation
and distribution capacity over time. We intend to produce it in
collaboration with the DNOs. It will establish options for cost-
effective energy demand and the contribution that London as a
whole can make to reducing the costs of decarbonisation and
increasing system resilience.
5. E NERGY ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
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PAGE 22

Red u cing our e ne rgy de ma nds

London has some of the oldest and most energy inefficient

building stock in Europe and it is expected that 80 per cent
of these buildings will still be standing in 2050. Insulating
this stock would reduce heat demand, increase affordability,
reduce CO 2 emissions and free-up energy infrastructure
capacity. Smart controls would also reduce heat and electricity
demand. However progress is slower than required and national
government insulation schemes are not working for London’s
housing stock. This may mean that alternative energy supply
solutions may be more cost-effective in the long-term for certain
hard-to-treat building types.

To ensure that London’s energy infrastructure costs are

minimised, we will support the reduction of energy demand by
increasing levels of energy efficiency measures in London’s
buildings. In homes this could be achieved by encouraging
government to focus post-2017 energy company obligations
on solid-walled properties, particularly flats, social housing and
private rented properties. It is also recommended Government
gradually increases minimum energy efficiency standards for
private rented and owner occupier properties. We will continue
to support demand reduction through our RE:NEW, RE:FIT and
business energy efficiency programmes.
6. W ATER ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
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PAGE 23

For the purpose of this infrastructure plan, ‘water‘ infrastructure

includes systems and networks that provide potable water,
collect, convey and treat sewage, drain rainwater and manage
flood risk. Integrated management, within London and at the
national level, of all these aspects of water would result in more
effective, cheaper and sustainable outcomes.

Demand for water is expected to exceed supply – by as much

as 10 per cent by 2025. We will support Thames Water to
introduce new technologies to repair leaks, roll out water
meters combined with more sophisticated tariffs, implement
water efficiency measures and, in the longer term, encourage
waste water reuse. We want to see better long-term drainage
management across the city, with 25 year plans for drainage
and flood risk management as well as water supply.

Cu rre nt wa te r supply, gove rna nce a nd

reg u la tion

There are four privatised water companies that supply water

to London: Thames Water (serving 78 per cent of Londoners),
Affinity Water, Essex & Suffolk Water and Sutton & East Surrey
Water. Thames Water is also the sewerage undertaker for
London (meaning that it collects, conveys and treats London’s
sewage).

The water industry is regulated by three main regulators:

Ofwat, the economic regulator, which sets the limits on the
annual increases in water and sewerage prices and encourage
competition within this monopolised industry; the Environment
Agency which regulates the abstraction of water for supply and
the quality of water in rivers and other water bodies; and the
Drinking Water Inspectorate, which regulates water quality to
ensure that customers receive high quality drinking water.

Water companies are legally required to demonstrate that they

can maintain an appropriate level of service (e.g. frequency of
supply restrictions such as hosepipe bans) in their supply of
drinking water to their customers. They are required to develop
Water Resource Management Plans (WRMPs) that set out
how they will balance the supply and demand for their area
over a 25-year period taking account of future challenges.
Their Business Plans set out the first 5 years’ targets for
delivery and price increases relating to 25-year plans. Recently,
the Environment Agency has recommended that sewerage
companies should produce a 25-year drainage plan, though the
5-year Business Plan also covers wastewater and drainage.
6. W ATER ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
AND WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050
PAGE 24

Through their bills, customers pay entirely for water companies’

operating costs and investment in new and replacement water
infrastructure. Their bills also provide a return on the investment
required to deliver the capital programmes of these businesses.

Flood risk management. The Environment Agency is

responsible for managing flood risk from the sea, main
rivers and groundwater. Local Authorities are responsible for
managing flood risk from minor watercourses, heavy rainfall
(surface water flooding), and groundwater; and Thames Water
has responsibility for preventing sewer flooding. Most tidal,
fluvial and surface water flood risk management projects are
wholly or part-funded by the EA’s Flood Defence Grant in Aid
(FDGIA) programme or through the Local Flood Levy. Both
funds are financed through taxation. Sewer flood risk alleviation
works are funded by the sewer undertakers (Thames Water in
London).

The Environment Agency has a well-developed tidal flood risk

management plan (Thames Estuary 2100) and is confident in
the costing of the programme to 2035. However, the fluvial
and surface water flood risk management programmes are
less well developed and most of the projects could only be
cost effectively delivered through being integrated into wider
regeneration projects. The Environment Agency is leading on
collating projects for a six-year flood risk management plan for
London through the Regional Flood and Coastal Committee.

In t egra ting wa te r ma na ge me nt

Water management is rarely integrated – water supply,

wastewater, water quality and flood risk are routinely treated
as separate issues, leading to missed opportunities and
inefficiencies in delivery. This is exemplified in the way we
manage rivers, where flood risk, water quality and water
extraction are all managed under separate plans with little or no
shared approaches or funding.

Furthermore, there is no national policy framework to support

the creation of strategic water infrastructure and encourage its
integration.

More integrated water management, in policy and practice,

would lead to more effective, cheaper and sustainable
outcomes. Strategic water infrastructure, such as a new
reservoir supplying several water companies, should be
recognised as National Strategic Infrastructure Projects in a
new National Policy Statement for water.
6. W ATER ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
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The Mayor will push for more integrated delivery in London,

through the London Infrastructure Delivery Board. However,
action is needed at the national level to bring about real change.

The Mayor will work with DEFRA and CLG to ensure that
the proposed water supply National Policy Statement should
encourage a more integrated approach to water management
and specifically support strategic water supply infrastructure as
National Strategic Infrastructure Projects to enable the strategic
water infrastructure London requires.

Wat er se curity

By 2015, our demand for water is expected to exceed our

supply and without action this deficit will increase over time
– see Fig 5.3. Thames Water projects a 10 per cent deficit
(213 megalitres per day) by 2025 rising to 26 per cent (522
megalitres per day) by 2050 in London – that’s equivalent to
the demand for water from Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester,
Liverpool, Nottingham and Newcastle today. At the same time,
there is likely to be less available water: either as a requirement
to improve the quality of our rivers (less water abstraction)
or because of climate change, which is likely to change the
patterns of rainfall in the future.

2012 2014 - 15 2019 - 20 2024 - 25 2029 - 30 2034 - 35 2039 - 40 2045 - 50 Year

Expected
18.8
deficit in
supply

(million
litres
per day)

-59.4

-133

-213

-291

-359

-414
-522

Percentage
deficit
(proportion
of supply)

n/a 3% 6.5% 10.5% 14.5% 18% 21% 26%

FIGURE 5.3
PROJECTED WATER SUPPLY DEFICIT TO 2050
Source: Thames Water
6. W ATER ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
AND WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050
PAGE 26

Thames Water proposes 18 closing the predicted gap between

their supply and demand through a range of measures (see
Figure 5.4). Through the ‘Water Resources in the South East
Group’, the Environment Agency is leading discussions with
water companies in the South East on identifying the most
sustainable regional water supply options for the longer term.
These options will include new reservoirs, using canals to bring
water to the South East from other parts of the UK, purifying
effluent from sewage treatments works and potentially more
desalination.

500
Baseline Supply-Demand Deficit
450
FORECAST DEFICIT AND FORECAST PROVISION (MLd)

Wastewater reuse
400

350 Oxford canal transfer

300
Groundwater and aquifier
recharge schemes
250
Water trading with other
200 (non water) companies

150
Water trading with other
water companies
100
Metering and water efficiency
50

Leakage reduction
0
15

17

19

21

23

25

27

29

31

33

35

37

39
20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

FIGURE 5.4
MEASURES PROPOSED BY THAMES WATER TO CLOSE
THEIR SUPPLY-DEMAND GAP
Source: Thames Water, 2014

18
http://www.thameswater.co.uk/
tw/common/downloads/wrmp/
Section_0.pdf
6. W ATER ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
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PAGE 27

London must have sustainable and affordable water security.

We should invest in our water infrastructure to ensure that
Temporary Use Bans are experienced no more frequently than
once every 10 years. We should recognise and value the role
that water efficiency will play in reducing our carbon emissions
and reducing the volume of sewage.

The Mayor expects that London’s water companies will improve

the security and sustainability of London’s water supply and will
work with them to achieve this. This will be a key issue for the
London Infrastructure Delivery Board to consider.

The actions the Mayor expects to see include:

– – London’s water companies actively investigating and

investing in new technologies and approaches to using
the water we have more wisely, particularly with regard to
metering flats, raising consumer awareness of the economic
benefits of water efficiency and significantly cutting the costs
of reducing leakage

– – London’s water companies investing more in the existing

infrastructure, supported by regulators encouraging water
companies to take a longer term perspective

– – London’s water companies taking a resilience-based

approach to assessing the options for their long-term water
resource management plans for London, such as applying
the ‘flexible adaptive pathways’ approach developed by the
Environment Agency for the Thames Estuary 2100 project.

The Government also needs to take action. The Mayor is

strongly of the belief that the Government must ensure that the
proposed water supply National Policy Statement encourages
and enables a more integrated approach to water management.
It must specifically enable the strategic water supply
infrastructure London requires.
6. W ATER ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
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PAGE 28

D rai na ge a nd se we ra ge

London is drained by a network of rivers, drains, sewers and

combined sewers. Thames Water, the Boroughs, Environment
Agency, TfL and the Highways Agency and private land owners
all have drainage responsibilities.

Some sections of the combined sewer network are already

operating at near capacity. This means that as little as 2mm of
rainfall can lead to Combined Sewer Overflows, which discharge
untreated but diluted sewage into our rivers.

The quality of our waterways is also generally poor, largely

due to pollution leaking between the drainage and sewerage
systems and the heavily modified nature of London’s waterways.
Only 1 of London’s 47 water bodies is in a ‘good’ condition
– the rest are ‘acceptable’ or ‘poor’ condition according to
information from the Environment Agency/DEFRA.

Our current drainage capacity is insufficient for future

challenges. Without further intervention, an increase in
population is likely to mean more sewage will flow into the
sewerage network. An increase in impermeable surfaces
(from new development not managing run-off) will mean more
storm water run-off. In addition, we have been losing an area
of permeable land cover equivalent to 2.5 Hyde Parks every
decade through incremental, minor land use changes, e.g. front
gardens becoming parking. The green infrastructure network
proposals above are important to redress this.

Climate change is predicted to increase the frequency and

intensity of heavy rainfall events, which will further challenge
the drainage and sewerage systems. Combined these
challenges are likely to lead to an increase in fluvial, sewer and
surface water flood risk.

The Mayor will lead on developing a sustainable drainage action

plan for London that will set out the proposals and actions to
manage the risk of surface water and sewer flooding. This will
be published in late 2014 for consultation, with a final plan in
place in by the middle of 2015.

As part of the plan, the Mayor will work with partners to

establish incentives to encourage landowners to capture more
rainwater on new and existing development, open and green
and spaces.
6. W ATER ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
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Again, action is needed by the water companies. The Mayor

expects Thames Water to develop 25-year plans for wastewater
and drainage plans to complement their 25-year water resource
management plans and will lobby for such plans to be required
in law and regulations.

Wast ewa te r a nd Ene rgy

Sewage and wastewater has the potential to provide significant

energy through a range of sustainable technologies, e.g. heat
exchange, anaerobic digestion of sewage creating biogas, the
conversion of fats, oil and greases (FOGs) into biodiesel. The
removal of high energy potential materials (e.g. FOGs) before
they are put into the sewer would reduce their collection cost
and reduce maintenance costs of the sewers (Thames Water
currently spends £18million per year cleaning FOGs from their
sewers).

London should optimise the energy potential of sewage and

wastewater. The Mayor will encourage and work with water
companies and other partners to identify, optimise and deliver
opportunities to recover materials and generate energy from
waste and wastewater. We are looking at potential projects to
take forward.

Fl ood risk

London is vulnerable to flooding from the sea, rivers, surface

water (heavy rainfall), sewers, reservoirs and groundwater. The
standard of flood protection across London varies hugely from
in excess of 1 in 1000 years for the tidal Thames to below 1 in
15 years on some rivers and drains.

1.4 million people are at risk of flooding from heavy rainfall (1m
at low, 230,000 at medium, 140k at high risk). Taking account
of defences, 48,800 properties are at high or medium risk of
flooding from rivers or the tide. Of these 11,400 are at high
risk of river flooding, 2,000 at high risk of tidal flooding and a
further 1,000 at high risk of both. At least 30,000 basements
are at risk of sewer flooding.
6. W ATER ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
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68%

27% 27% 30%

23% 26%
16% 18%

25,802 ha 217 km 76 123 km 90 150 km 15 448

Track Stations Track Stations

Flood Risk Mainline Rail Underground and DLR TFL Road Hospitals Utilities
Area Network Network Network

FIGURE 5.5
FLOOD RISK IN LONDON

Flood risk will increase due to a combination of climate change,

ageing flood risk management assets, urban creep and more
people and assets in areas at risk. The Association of British
Insurers estimate a significant tidal flood in London could have
an economic impact on London ‘equivalent to the scale of the
recent recession’.

There is a lack of proper flood risk management planning

and funding for all flood sources, except for tidal risk. The
Environment Agency’s six-year flood risk management
programme for the Thames area (London and the Thames
Valley) contains over £1bn worth of projects, yet many of these
projects are under-developed and under-funded. Guidelines
on the disbursement of the national flood defence budget
focus mainly on the cost effectiveness of protecting homes
and provide a lower value on economic development and
infrastructure. In addition, because of its urban form, London
6. W ATER ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
AND WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050
PAGE 31

is a more expensive place to implement schemes to manage

risk from rivers and surface water, so the capital fails to secure
investment to manage the risks we face.

There is a strong case for developing long-term (25 years),

climate resilient, multi-source, flood risk management plans,
and identifying synergies with planning policy, regeneration
and redevelopment.

The Mayor will work with the Environment Agency, London

Boroughs and other stakeholders to develop a prioritised
25‑year flood risk management and investment plan for each
catchment area in London, covering all flood sources.

The Environment Agency will work through seven strategic

Flood Risk Partnerships in London to develop and monitor
the long-term plan. This will combine the actions identified
in borough, water companies and GLA flood risk and water
management plans.

Maintaining flood risk at an acceptable level will require

significant investment. To ensure that we have the funding and
finance in place to deliver improvements in the standards of our
flood protection, London needs to receive its (risk-based) ‘share’
of the national flood budget. The Mayor will ensure this is raised
in discussions with Government.

Furthermore, The Environment Agency should work with the

Mayor, boroughs, water companies and other stakeholders
to identify alternative, complementary means of funding and
financing the required level of flood defence expenditure for
London.

An additional issue is that flood risk is poorly recognised and

valued, leading to it being deprioritised as an issue. Flood risk
management opportunities are frequently missed and are often
poorly integrated with regeneration and development plans.
Flood risk has wider potential consequences for London’s
infrastructure and therefore the resilience of infrastructure
to flooding is a critical issue to be considered in long term
planning.

People living and working at flood risk should be aware of both

the risk and what to do to manage it. Flood risk management
organisations should identify and prioritise households,
businesses and infrastructure at flood risk and develop coherent
flood risk management plans and monitor implementation.
6. W ATER ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
AND WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050
PAGE 32

Stakeholders in London should work with the Major to

ensure that long-term plans take into consideration resilience
planning, based on guidance from the Cabinet Office and other
Government agencies.

Awareness of flood risk needs to be raised with both politicians

and the communities most at risk. The Mayor will work with the
relevant organisations to raise awareness in high-risk areas,
including with:

– – The Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee

members to ensure that flood risk is recognised and
prioritised at a political level

– – The Environment Agency and London Boroughs to raise

awareness of flood risk with communities and business at
risk. This should be taken forward by including communities
in the development of Local Flood Risk Strategies).

The London Infrastructure Delivery Board will include flood

risk implications in its work to ensure best practice integrated
delivery.
7. RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
AND WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050
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The current waste management system is designed to manage

the “take-make-dispose” economy, with high waste collection
costs. The circular or re-generative economy approach, which
is based on re-use and re-assembly, offers a more sustainable
alternative with real economic benefits.

Innovative product designers and business leaders are already

venturing towards this approach. If London could be at the
forefront of this movement it would reap the benefits. While
the move will be private sector led, the GLA, the London Waste
and Recycling Board (LWARB) and boroughs will examine what
they can do to accelerate the move. Improved waste collection
is needed both under the current system and to support the
circular economy.

The current waste management system is designed to manage

the “take-make-dispose” economy. London’s 32 boroughs
and the City of London have responsibility for the collection,
recycling and disposal of household and some commercial
waste. 21 boroughs discharge their disposal functions through
four statutory joint waste disposal authorities, while the other
12 manage disposal themselves either individually or through
partnerships.

Waste produced by businesses is largely managed by the

private sector. A small amount of waste produced in London is
industrial waste and may require specialist treatment.

LWARB was established to promote and encourage a reduction

in waste, increase the proportion of waste that is reused or
recycled, and promote methods of collection, treatment and
disposal of waste that are more beneficial to the environment.
Its objective is also to attract private investment to new waste
infrastructure projects.

The Mayor has statutory powers with regard to London’s

municipal waste management. The GLA Act 2007 requires the
London waste authorities to act in ‘general conformity’ with the
Mayor’s Municipal Waste Management Strategy.

Cost of waste disposal is a real issue. More than 65 per cent of

London’s municipal waste is sent to landfill or incineration each
year costing London’s boroughs in excess of £250m a year in
gate fees alone. Unless recycling and reuse rates dramatically
increase by 2050 the cost of managing London’s municipal
waste will double.
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The total cost to Londoners of managing local authority

collected waste, including the collection, transport, treatment,
and final disposal activities, is approximately £500 million.
This figure represents about 15 per cent of London’s total
council tax bill of £3.42bn or 3-4% of total local government
expenditure.

As commodity prices continue to rise, alongside inter-related

pressures on energy, water and food production, in order to
remain competitive London’s economy is going to have to
become more resource efficient. An analysis by McKinsey 19
has shown that, since the turn of the century, global commodity
prices have risen sharply, wiping out the previous 100 years of
declining real prices. A growing middle class, created through
global urbanisation, will stoke demand for products at a time
when virgin material extraction is becoming more expensive as
easier to reach material supplies are depleted.

19
McKinsey & Company, Towards
the Circular Economy: Economic and
Business Rationale for an Accelerated
Transition, Ellen MacArthur
Foundation, 2013, pp. 17-18
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Sharp price increases in commodities since 2000 have erased all the real price
declines of the 20th century

McKinsey Commodity Price Index (years 1999-2000 = 100) 1

260
World War I
240
Post-war Depression
220 • 1970s oil shock
Great Depression
200
180 World War II •
160

140 •
120

100 • •
80 Turning point
in price trend
60

1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000

1 Based on arithmetic average of 4 commodity sub-indices: food, non-food agricultural items, metals,
and energy; 2011 prices based on average of first eight months of 2011.

SOURCE: Grilli and Yang; Pfaffenzeller; World Bank; International Monetary Fund; Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development statistics; UN Food and Agriculture Organization; UN
Comtrade; Ellen MacArthur Foundation circular economy team.

FIGURE 5.6
Source: Ellen MacArthur Foundation

Many major companies have been adversely affected by

increased exposure to higher resources prices and supply
disruptions. The solution that many of the world’s largest and
most successful companies are adopting is the move to a
circular economy. A circular economy is an industrial system
where waste is largely designed out of products, which are
made to be disassembled and reused, with the aim being to
produce product whose components can be swiftly returned to
use with the minimum of effort and energy.

There are many challenges in moving from the current system

to a full circular economy. Our emphasis will be on ensuring the
right market and financial conditions exist to enable transition.
The achievement, not least the success, of a circular economy is
most likely to be business led with the desire to ensure security
of materials being the main driver. The role of the public sector
is to identify barriers to private sector delivery and remove them.
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London will see the emergence of a new economic sector

employing thousands of Londoners, involved in reuse,
disassembly and remanufacture. If London was to accelerate its
transition to the circular economy this would result in savings of
up to £5 billion.

McKinsey, in a report for the Ellen MacArthur Foundation,

calculated the savings possible for 8 manufacturing sectors
across the EU. These sectors are responsible for the
manufacture of medium complexity, medium life products.
McKinsey model a transition scenario and an advanced
scenario. For the transition scenario, it is estimated that material
and energy cost savings are between USD 340 billion to USD
380 billion 20.

The Mayor will develop a series of circular economy measures,

in waste and other areas, which will seek to take advantage
of opportunities for the development of new infrastructure
required to deliver the circular economy. Infrastructure required
to deliver the circular economy will predominantly include repair
workshops, dis-assembly lines, recycling and reprocessing
facilities. In addition, the Mayor will examine where London can
take full advantage of the growth in remanufacturing industries,
to maximise the benefits to the London economy.

Movement towards a circular economy in some areas is being

led by large retail and manufacturing companies, but there is
little or no public awareness or comprehension of the huge
economic and environmental benefits. In order to make our
economy more resilient to price and supply shocks, ensuring
sustainable economic growth, a faster transition is required.

The Mayor wants London to be a world leader in the

development of the circular economy so that London is best
placed to reap the rewards of this transition.

To incentivise consumers and businesses to adopt the circular

economy model to accelerate transition, the Mayor will work
with all parties to understand, improve and promote the market
for a circular economy:

– – The London Waste and Recycling Board will work with the
private sector and the London Infrastructure Delivery Board
to understand the regulatory and fiscal environment that
needs to be in place to accelerate the move to a circular
20
Source: Ellen MacArthur economy. It will do this by developing a Route Map to the
Foundation, ‘Towards the Circular Circular Economy for London which will identify partners,
Economy: Accelerating the scale up actions and opportunities along the path to the Circular
across global supply chains’, 2014 Economy. The Route Map will be available early 2016.
7. RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE: GREEN, ENERGY, WATER
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– – The Mayor will ensure that the GLA Group leads by example
by examining its use of procurement and material handling,
and by mapping leakages out of the current linear set up.
By applying the GLA groups buying power, it can help to
encourage suppliers to move to more circular systems.

– – The next full alterations of the London Plan will consider the
land and infrastructure necessary for a circular economy, in
particular circular economy hubs, where small and medium
sized businesses can collaborate to test out circular systems
prior to scale roll out, plus the need for regionally significant
infrastructure.

– – The Mayor will work with Government to ensure that

incentives are in place to allow, promote and encourage more
widespread adoption of circular economy systems.

– – The Mayor will enable the sharing of good and best practise
through active participation in circular economy networks.

– – The Mayor will work with stakeholders and industry so that

all the benefits of circular business models are understood to
encourage FTSE 100 companies to adopt them.
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Si mp lifie d wa ste colle ction

London has 33 waste collection authorities that each collect

different recyclables and organic materials and collect them
differently. This is confusing to London’s more transient
population.

If waste were managed in a more consistent way it is estimated

that at current prices £180m could be saved directly through
financial savings (£90m) and through negotiating a better price
for recyclates (£90m).

A recent report by the Circular Economy Taskforce 21, a business

led group, estimates that a more consistent approach could
result in an annual saving per household of £61.

Efficient and consistent collection services will better allow

for the capture of materials from Londoners and London’s
businesses. An efficient collection system will need to be in
place that prioritises the capture of material rather than waste.
The system or systems will need to ensure that material is
captured, transported and sorted in a manner that ensures the
integrity of the material right through to the repair/reprocessing
facility.

The Mayor, through LWARB, will work with London’s boroughs

to help provide a more consistent reuse and recycling service to
Londoners, taking into account local differences and priorities.

In f rastructure to support a circula r e conom y

The existing waste management infrastructure is not suitable

for a move to a circular economy and there is a lack of financing
mechanisms to help develop the necessary facilities.

LWARB has helped to establish the London Reuse Network,

which has made reuse easier. However, the existing waste
management infrastructure in London does not yet have the
capacity to;

1. handle, process and distribute materials collected in London

2. repair, refurbish and remanufacture durable items collected

21
Benton & Hazell, Wasted in London
Opportunities: Smarter Systems for
Resource Recovery: A Report for the 3. generate renewable energy from waste food disposed of in
Circular Economy Taskforce, July London.
2014
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It will also be necessary to provide facilities for the

management of secondary materials in the circular economy.

London will require millions of tonnes of annual capacity

in order to disassemble, remanufacture, repair and reuse
components, and for waste material separation and
reprocessing. The fundamental change in the nature of
production and manufacture makes projections difficult. The
impetus for this shift will be commercially led and as such
it is also difficult to foresee how the logistics of collecting
secondary materials will be managed, and what the waste /
secondary resource industry will look like.

However, our modelling indicates that there are likely to be

around 40 new facilities required in addition to London’s
existing facilities and most of these will be required to help
reuse and recycle materials.

The diminishing landfill tax receipts arising from London waste

and received by treasury should be hypothecated for a revolving
investment fund for the waste sector through a combination
of development loans, equity investments and land purchase
administered by LWARB, which has a proven track record of
investing in this sector. LWARB would work alongside the
Green Investment Bank, the London Green Fund and the
private finance community to provide finance to develop this
new infrastructure.