Camden Town is one of London's larger town centres in night-time economy. It brings together data from a wide range of sources and identifies key issues facing Camden Town at night. The study helped LB of Camden and its partners identify priorities for action, and offers a useful model for other London boroughs to think about their own hotspots of night time activity.

The London Plan says that how councils approach evening and night-time entertainment activities should be covered by their local development plans (which identify particular areas as suitable for housing, industry, retail or other uses, and set out the policies which the authority proposes to apply in deciding whether or not development will be permitted). The Mayor is expected to publish draft supplementary planning guidance on the night-time economy.

However evidence to the committee suggested that because unitary development plans are drawn up to be in place for several years and are difficult to change, they may not be the best way to decide what can go where in an area. Camden makes good use of supplementary planning guidance, which allows more flexibility and can focus on particular areas. This may be a more effective mechanism for setting out planning policy for areas which are the focus of the night-time economy.

Camden said it had strong policies in its Industry Development Plan (which looks at the impact of changing or increasing the numbers of uses - restaurants, bars and so on). This influences planning policy and local people and businesses are consulted about it.