The Statutory Foundation: The Hampstead Neighbourhood Plan 2025-2040
A detailed investigation into the finances of large-scale development. This article demystifies the mechanisms of developer contributions, using the Liddell Road and Homebase sites as contrasting examples. It explains how the Liddell Road scheme delivered affordable workspace (20% of desks at 50% market rate) and an expanded primary school as part of its Section 106 agreement. In contrast, it scrutinises the £10 million lift contribution from the Homebase developer, questioning whether this is sufficient given the scale of the project and the wider infrastructure needs of the area. The piece serves as a primer on how planning obligations function and whether they are capturing enough value to mitigate the impacts of growth.