Special Interest Groups (SIGs) at NLA bring members together to explore key issues shaping London’s built environment. Proposed and led by members, SIGs focus on priority areas aligned with the New London Agenda, fostering collaboration, sharing insights, and generating practical recommendations to guide the city’s future.

Communications & Public Engagement
SIG Lead: Dominique Staindl, Director, South Facing Communications Ltd 

The built environment has a reputation challenge, amplified by public awareness gaps. This SIG explores strategies to improve understanding of our industry, enhance talent attraction, address supply chain and policy issues, and foster citizen engagement in city-making. By building stronger public awareness, the group aims to create a more collaborative, inclusive, and accountable built environment.  

Circular Economy
SIG Lead: Jonathan Plant, Director, Corstorphine & Wright 

The Circular Economy Special Interest Group (SIG) brings together experts from consultancy, science, construction, and client organisations to address the urgent challenge of implementing circular and net-zero design at scale across London’s built environment.

Chaired by Jonny Plant, the group is developing a visionary narrative paper that aims to inspire the industry by highlighting the significant opportunities that circular economy principles can bring to the built environment. The SIG seeks to complement the work being undertaken by other industry bodies by creating a paper that takes the reader on a journey through the built environment of the next 30–50 years — offering insight and vision into a future where circularity becomes a natural part of the industry’s vocabulary.

The group also aims to challenge the myth that sustainability and profitability are incompatible. Through case studies and industry experience, it will demonstrate that creating long-term economic, social, and environmental value is not mutually exclusive. The SIG will show how the circular economy is underpinned by the principle of doing more good, rather than the traditional sustainability approach of merely doing less bad.

Hospitality
SIG Lead: Simon Bird, Director, LOM Architecture and Design
Hospitality is a growth sector with evolving typologies including Extended Stay and Branded Residences. This SIG explores the impact of hospitality on London’s neighbourhoods, occupancy patterns, and urban experience, examining cross-sector intersections with residential and workplace design.

Inclusive Design
SIG Lead: Jon Eaglesham, Managing Director, Barr Gazetas
The Inclusive Design SIG brings together leading voices to promote equitable and accessible design. Through collaboration and knowledge sharing, the group champions best practices that embed inclusivity into London’s built environment. This SIG seeks to position London at the forefront of inclusive design policy and practice, ensuring accessibility becomes a core measure of design excellence.

Urban design
SIG Lead: Dr. Ana McMillin, Director of Architecture, Broadway Malayan
Urban design shapes how people experience the city, connecting buildings, spaces, and infrastructure. This SIG provides design-led insight to guide policy, champion coherence and quality, and ensure that London’s growth is inclusive, sustainable, and resilient. The group highlights the central role of urban design in shaping London’s public realm and built environment, complementing other NLA panels while filling a critical expertise gap.

Forming a SIG
Any NLA member can propose a Special Interest Group (SIG). Proposals should include: 

Proposals are reviewed and ratified by NLA within 10 working days.
 
SIG Agreement

All SIGs must be cross-sector, inclusive, and primarily comprised of NLA members. Final papers inform NLA initiatives and wider industry practice.

We welcome ideas from across our membership for new Special Interest Groups. If you have a topic that aligns with the New London Agenda and can bring together diverse expertise from the built environment community, we’d love to hear from you.