Greater London Plan

Not to be confused with the parallel County of London Plan or the modern London Plan.

The Greater London Plan of 1944 was developed by Patrick Abercrombie (1879–1957). The plan was directly related to the County of London Plan written by John Henry Forshaw (1895–1973) and Abercrombie in 1943. Following World War II, London was presented with an opportunity to amend the perceived failings of unplanned and haphazard development that had occurred as a result of rapid industrialisation in the nineteenth century.[1]

During the Second World War, the Blitz had destroyed large urban areas throughout the entire county of London, but particularly the central core. Over 50,000 inner London homes were completely destroyed, while more than 2 million dwellings experienced some form of bomb damage. This presented the London County Council with a unique chance to plan and rebuild vacant tracts of the city on a scale not seen since the Great Fire of London.[2]

The plan was based around five main issues facing London at the time:

  • Population growth
  • Housing
  • Employment and industry
  • Recreation
  • Transport
  1. ^ Abercrombie, Patrick (1944). Greater London Plan. London: University of London Press.
  2. ^ White, Jerry (2008). London in the 20th Century: A city and its People. London: Random House.