To remain globally competitive while adapting to a changing climate and the GLA’s draft London Plan, the Square Mile must embrace tree-lined streets, living walls, and retrofitted skyscrapers, says Gregg Pitt

London is used to change, transforming from a Roman settlement into a global financial centre.

The GLA’s draft London Plan gives a good indication of what’s next for the capital – setting out a vision for a city that will be greener and denser by 2050.

But what does this really mean for the Square Mile – already one of the densest areas of London, defined by sky-high towers rather than leafy parks?

As the economic powerhouse of the UK, growth within the City should not be constrained if London is to remain globally competitive. Retaining and attracting businesses through swanky new development is important, but the draft Plan doesn’t shy away from the fact this must be balanced with the need for the Square Mile to adapt to a changing climate.

Time for planners and architects to get creative.

Temperatures rising

London is bracing itself for regular 40C heatwaves by 2050, and the iconic glass skyscrapers that dominate the skyline will bear the brunt of our sweltering summers. Conventional air conditioning can act as an easy fix, but the draft London Plan makes it clear that we need to be doing more to ensure our buildings are fit for the future. 

Part of the solution can be provided at street level. The Square Mile lacks the open land and undeveloped fringes of most London boroughs, so meeting targets for wildlife corridors and urban greening will require an integrated approach that builds nature into London’s streets and rooftops. 

Think more tree-lined cycle lanes, pocket parks breaking up pavements and living walls on skyscrapers. Increasing green infrastructure across London, including tree canopy and planting, would create cool microclimates around buildings that offer a respite from the hot summers while improving air quality and enhancing biodiversity.  

Stantec saw the impact of this firsthand in Denver while designing the public realm along the iconic 16th Street. The project introduced over 200 trees made up of 10 different species, supported by an innovative pavement and soil system that provided more than twenty times the amount of uncompacted soil typically available to urban trees.

Through using public areas to make Denver’s commercial heart more resilient to climate change, one of the city’s most well-known streets has had its economic resilience strengthened too, becoming more vibrant and welcoming for all users – an ambition the Square Mile shares.

Solutions in the sky

To fully meet the Plan’s requirements, we also need to be looking up to the City’s skyline – allowing skyscrapers to take on the role of trees in an urban forest.

This is a challenge faced by cities around the world, and examples from global financial and commercial hubs show you don’t have to choose between density and climate resilience. In fact, future economic strength will increasingly depend on climate resilience – proving that growth, climate adaptation and world-class commercial development can be one side of the same coin.

Singapore’s Marina One offers an example of climate resilient office buildings, with glass surfaces broken up by green terraces and planting that reduces exposure to the sun and cools the surrounding air. Closer to home, the renovation of the former HSBC tower in Canary Wharf shows how landscaped terraces and retrofitting can enable us to develop more sustainably, with the scheme set to become one of the world’s largest low-carbon office transformations.

A city facing new extremes

These greener buildings don’t just help with the heat. In our famously wet country, they also have a role to play in managing rain and more inclement weather. 

The draft London Plan sets out how new developments must contribute to reducing London’s flood risk, including by using features like green roofs and rain gardens to hold rainwater before it can gradually drain away. 

Solutions like Denver’s pavement system and Singapore’s hanging gardens directly support this while making the cities more visually appealing too.

By promoting this approach, the draft Plan offers a glimpse into a future where development is increasingly judged on climate resilience, as well as commercial value.

The City’s ability to adapt is what has made it one of the most enduring financial hubs in the world.  To ensure we are adequately equipped to grasp the opportunities the next chapter presents, it must be ready to evolve again.

Greg Pitt is planning director at