This month sees the publication of a new vision for London by the Mayor. 2020 Vision – the Greatest City on Earth – Ambitions for London sets out the Mayor’s ambition to make London the best place to work, live, play, study, invest, and do business, with creating the conditions for jobs and economic growth being the key focus.
In terms of health, the health of individual Londoners and the contribution health science can make to the London economy are an important part of the vision:-
“We want a city where life expectancy increases, where public health is better, where we narrow the gap between rich and poor and produce steady improvements in academic attainment.”
“London has one of the world’s most powerful and innovative biosciences and health sectors, with a leading position in the science of stem cells and regenerative medicine. The £700m Francis Crick Institute is now being built at St Pancras – in which the country’s leading universities and medical charities are cooperating to understand the basic biology behind human health.
This will be just a part of that growing cluster of academic health science expertise – a ‘Med City’ that stretches along the Euston Road corridor from Whitechapel to Imperial West at White City. To take those breakthroughs and commercialise them, we will have the Cell Therapy Catapult to bring ideas to market.”
Critically for health infrastructure planning, the document emphasises the need to build more housing to accommodate growth, and re-emphasises the importance of the capital’s Opportunity Areas in helping to meet the growth challenge as well as making a significant contribution to the wider Vision:-
“Base the next version of the London Plan on the capital’s need for 400,000 more homes and 450,000 jobs by 2025.”
“Realise the full development potential of the 32 existing Opportunity Areas in the next London Plan and TfL business plans.”
Finally, there is recognition of the contribution a good quality urban environment and active lifestyles makes to the wider health and well-being of the population.
To find out more about the vision and ambitions click on