View source for Central London

{{Short description|Innermost part of London, England}}
{{For|the bus company|London Central}}
{{distinguish|Inner London}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}}
[[File:Open street map central london.svg|thumb|350px|[[OpenStreetMap]] of Central London]]

'''Central London''' is the innermost part of [[London]], in [[England]], spanning the [[City of London]] and several [[London borough|boroughs]]. Over time, a number of definitions have been used to define the scope of Central London for statistics, [[urban planning]] and local government. Its characteristics are understood to include a high-density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally, nationally and internationally significant organisations and facilities.

Road distances to London are traditionally measured from a central point at [[Charing Cross]] (in the [[City of Westminster]]), which is marked by the [[Equestrian statue of Charles I, Charing Cross|statue of King Charles I]] at the junction of the [[Strand, London|Strand]], [[Whitehall]] and [[Cockspur Street]], just south of [[Trafalgar Square]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mapzone.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/mapzone/didyouknow/distance/q_15_21.html |title=OS MapZone – From where, exactly, are distances from London measured? |publisher=[[Ordnance Survey]] |access-date=10 March 2010 |archive-date=14 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714115743/http://mapzone.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/mapzone/didyouknow/distance/q_15_21.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Characteristics==
The central area is distinguished, according to the [[Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London|Royal Commission]], by the inclusion within its boundaries of [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament]] and the Royal Palaces, the headquarters of Government, the [[Royal Courts of Justice|Law Courts]], the head offices of a very large number of commercial and industrial firms, as well as institutions of great influence in the intellectual life of the nation such as the [[British Museum]], the [[National Gallery (London)|National Gallery]], the [[Tate Gallery]], the [[University of London]], the headquarters of the national ballet and opera, together with the headquarters of many national associations, the great professions, the trade unions, the trade associations and social service societies, as well as the [[Liberal Democrat Headquarters (UK)|Liberal Democrat Headquarters]], [[Labour Party Headquarters (UK)|Labour Party Headquarters]] and [[Conservative Campaign Headquarters]], shopping centres and centres of entertainment which attract people from the whole of [[Greater London]] and farther afield.

In many other respects the central area differs from areas farther out in London. The [[rates (tax)|rateable value]] of the central area is exceptionally high. Its day population is very much larger than its night population. Its traffic problems reach an intensity not encountered anywhere else in the Metropolis or in any provincial city, and the enormous office developments which have taken place recently constitute a totally new phenomenon.<ref>{{cite hansard |house=House of Commons |date=24 January 1963}} [[Eric Lubbock, 4th Baron Avebury|Eric Lubbock]] }}</ref>

==Definitions==
===London Plan===
{{maplink|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/Central activities zone}}|frame=yes|text=Central activities zone (CAZ) with City of London and borough boundaries in 2023}}

Starting in 2004, the [[London Plan]] defined a 'Central Activities Zone' policy area, which as of 2008 comprised the City of London, most of [[London Borough of Westminster|Westminster]] and the inner parts of Camden, Islington, Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Southwark, Lambeth, Kensington & Chelsea and Wandsworth.<ref name="London CAZ map">{{ cite web |url=http://www.london.gov.uk/thelondonplan/images/maps-diagrams/jpg/map-5g-1.jpg |title=Central activities zone |publisher=[[Greater London Authority]] |year=2008 |access-date=10 March 2010 |author=Mayor of London |author-link=Mayor of London |work=[[London Plan]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100531043016/http://www.london.gov.uk/thelondonplan/images/maps-diagrams/jpg/map-5g-1.jpg |archive-date=31 May 2010 }}</ref> It is described as "a unique cluster of vitally important activities including central government offices, headquarters and embassies, the largest concentration of London's financial and business services sector and the offices of trade, professional bodies, institutions, associations, communications, publishing, advertising and the media".<ref name="London CAZ policy">{{ cite web |url=http://www.london.gov.uk/thelondonplan/images/maps-diagrams/jpg/map-5g-1.jpg |title=Central activities zone policies |publisher=[[Greater London Authority]] |year=2008 |access-date=10 March 2010 |author=Mayor of London |author-link=Mayor of London |work=[[London Plan]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100531043016/http://www.london.gov.uk/thelondonplan/images/maps-diagrams/jpg/map-5g-1.jpg |archive-date=31 May 2010 }}</ref>

For strategic planning, since 2011 there has been a Central London [[List of sub-regions used in the London Plan|sub-region]] comprising the boroughs of [[London Borough of Camden|Camden]], [[London Borough of Islington|Islington]], [[Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea|Kensington and Chelsea]], [[London Borough of Lambeth|Lambeth]], [[London Borough of Southwark|Southwark]], [[City of Westminster|Westminster]] and the [[City of London]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/LP2011%20Chapter%202.pdf |title=London's Places |work=[[London Plan]] |publisher=[[Greater London Authority]] |year=2011 |page=46 |access-date=27 May 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906090756/http://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/LP2011%20Chapter%202.pdf |archive-date=6 September 2015 }}</ref> From 2004 to 2008, the London Plan included a sub-region called Central London comprising Camden, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Southwark, [[London Borough of Wandsworth|Wandsworth]] and Westminster.<ref name=sub_regions>{{cite web |publisher=[[Greater London Authority]] |url=http://www.london.gov.uk/archive/mayor/strategies/sds/london_plan/lon_plan_5.pdf |title=The London Plan: Chapter 5 |author=Mayor of London |author-link=Mayor of London |date=February 2004 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604095551/http://www.london.gov.uk/archive/mayor/strategies/sds/london_plan/lon_plan_5.pdf |archive-date=4 June 2011  }}</ref> It had a 2001 population of 1,525,000. The sub-region was replaced in 2008 with a new structure which amalgamated inner and outer boroughs together. This was altered in 2011 when a new Central London sub-region was created, now including the [https://lightprint.co.uk/ City of London] and excluding Wandsworth.

===1901 Census===
The 1901 Census defined Central London as the [[City of London]] and the [[Metropolitan boroughs of the County of London|metropolitan boroughs]] (subdivisions that existed from 1900 to 1965) of [[Metropolitan Borough of Bermondsey|Bermondsey]], [[Metropolitan Borough of Bethnal Green|Bethnal Green]], [[Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury|Finsbury]], [[Metropolitan Borough of Holborn|Holborn]], [[Metropolitan Borough of Shoreditch|Shoreditch]], [[Metropolitan Borough of Southwark|Southwark]], [[Metropolitan Borough of Stepney|Stepney]], [[Metropolitan Borough of St Marylebone|St Marylebone]] and [[Metropolitan Borough of Westminster|Westminster]].<ref name="1901 census">{{cite web |url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/text/chap_page.jsp?t_id=SRC_P&c_id=4&cpub_id=EW1901GEN&show=DB |title=1901 Census of England and Wales, General Report with Appendices (1904 CVIII (Cd. 2174) 1) |access-date=10 March 2010 |archive-date=4 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604172915/http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/text/chap_page.jsp?t_id=SRC_P&c_id=4&cpub_id=EW1901GEN&show=DB |url-status=live }}</ref>

===1959–1963 proposals for a central London borough===
During the [[Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London|Herbert Commission]] and the subsequent passage of the [[London Government Act 1963|London Government Bill]], three unsuccessful attempts were made to define an area that would form a central [[London borough]]. The first two were detailed in the 1959 Memorandum of Evidence of the [[Greater London Group]] of the [[London School of Economics]].

"Scheme A" envisaged a central London borough, one of 25, consisting of the City of London, Westminster, Holborn, Finsbury and the inner parts of St Marylebone, St Pancras, Chelsea, Southwark and Lambeth. The boundary deviated from existing lines to include all [[London station group|central London railway stations]], the [[Tower of London]] and the museums, such that it included small parts of Kensington, Shoreditch, Stepney and Bermondsey. It had an estimated population of 350,000 and occupied {{convert|7000|acre|sqkm}}.<ref name="LSE London">{{cite book |publisher=[[London School of Economics]] |title=Memorandum of Evidence to The Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London |date=July 1959 |author=Greater London Group }}</ref>

"Scheme B" delineated central London, as one of 7 boroughs, including most of the City of London, the whole of Finsbury and Holborn, most of Westminster and Southwark, parts of St Pancras, St Marylebone, Paddington and a small part of Kensington. The area had an estimated population of 400,000 and occupied {{convert|8000|acre|sqkm}}.<ref name="LSE London"/>

During the passage of the London Government Bill an amendment was put forward to create a central borough corresponding to the definition used at the 1961 census. It consisted of the City of London, all of Westminster, Holborn and Finsbury; and the inner parts of Shoreditch, Stepney, Bermondsey, Southwark, Lambeth, Chelsea, Kensington, Paddington, St Marylebone and St Pancras. The population was estimated to be 270,000.<ref name="HC 24 January 1963">{{cite hansard |house=House of Commons |date=24 January 1963 }}</ref>

{{Panorama|image=Image:London_360°_Panorama_from_the_London_Eye.jpg |fullwidth=23478 |fullheight=2278 |caption={{center|Panorama of Central London in 2009 as seen from the [[London Eye]]}}|height=250}}

== See also ==
{{portal|London}}
* [[Inner London]]
* [[Outer London]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Adjacent communities
| Centre    = Central London
| North     = [[North London]]
| Northeast = 
| East      = [[East London]]
| Southeast = 
| South     = [[South London]]
| Southwest = 
| West      = [[West London]]
| Northwest = 
}}
{{Sub-regions of London}}
{{Areas of London}}{{Coord|51.5075|N|0.1275|W|source:wikidata_type:landmark_region:GB-SWK|display=title}}

[[Category:Areas of London]]
[[Category:Geography of London]]
[[Category:London sub-regions]]