Draft guidance to reduce carbon emissions & protection of the natural environment
Housing and Planning Minister, John Healey, announced on 9 March 2010 three new draft Planning Policy Statements for public consultation in relation to helping to combat climate change and reduce carbon emissions through the English planning system.
The three Planning Policy Statement consultation papers are as follows:
- Planning for a Low Carbon Future in a Changing Climate
- Planning for a Natural and Healthy Environment
- Planning Policy Statement 25 Supplement: Development and Coastal Change
These three draft policy statements give guidance to English Regional and Local Planning Authorities of the type of policies that they need to have within their respective Regional and other Development Plan Documents in order to assist in achieving the Government's agreed national targets of reducing carbon emissions and combating future climate change. Guidance is also given to Local Planning Authorities in England as how they should determine planning applications so that proposed developments also reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change, including protection of the natural environment.
Announcing the draft planning policy statements, John Healey, said:
" Councils are making great progress and already highlighting where they can apply tough green standards in new developments. This signals real and radical momentum to change and to re-think how we design our towns and homes for the future.
We know we need greener, renewable energy if we are to meet our ambitious low carbon targets. We also know that the ways and means for people to access this energy needs to be quicker and easier.
"The tougher, better guidelines for planning give councils a new blueprint, reflecting the latest targets and ensuring councils put combating climate change at the heart of future development - ultimately saving people money on their bills and reducing emissions."
Planning Officers Society president David Hackforth welcomed the consultation. "It is good to see a national policy on climate change, albeit several years after councils such as the London Borough of Merton pioneered local carbon reduction policies
The new climate change planning policy therefore seeks to ensure that new developments are sustainable by being built in the right places and that they utilise sustainable sources of energy - for example, decentralised energy sources.
For further information see our planning bulletin. Please also contact your usual CgMs contact or Richard Atkinson or Mike Straw
