Council “green planning rulebook” launched for consultation
Wednesday 10 March 2010
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| Councils will be required to map heat demand and investigate potential sources of supply of low carbon heat |
Planning proposals aiming to increase the amount energy produced from renewable sources and help councils approve such applications quicker have been hailed as "the most dramatic and significant steps forward in spatial planning" after they were released for consultation yesterday (March 9).
The ‘Consultation on a Planning Policy Statement (PPS): Planning for a Low Carbon Future in a Changing Climate' seeks views on combining and updating existing planning policy on renewable energy and climate change, which was originally developed in 2008.
The documents state that the consultation has come about because of the potential damage to government targets if the planning system does not make a full contribution to mitigating climate change through facilitating increased delivery of renewable energy and reducing emissions.
The PPS sets out clear expectations on local planning authorities in planning for renewable energy, such as ensuring that development does not prejudice the broad areas identified at regional level for renewable energy, and setting out how decentralised energy will supply new development in the area.
The consultation document states: "Planning for more renewable and low carbon energy development should be at the heart of good planning: it is neither optional nor additional."
Under the plans, local planning authorities would be required to plan for the provision of low carbon and renewable energy in their areas, designing their policies to support and "not unreasonably restrict" renewable and low carbon energy development.
The department of Communities and Local Government (CLG) said that the Climate Change PPS also aims to reflect the government's renewable energy and carbon reduction targets and dovetail with the Regional Strategy (RS) announced last week (see this NewEnergyFocus.com story). These require regional authorities to assess the renewables potential in their areas and set targets for 2015, 2020 and 2030.
The CLG claimed that the UK would increase the amount of renewable energy it produces if local councils put combating climate change at the heart of future development and were given the skills to approve renewables projects.
The consultation document also stresses the importance of local energy planning supporting new development in meeting the government's target for new homes to be zero carbon from 2016 and ambition for new non-domestic buildings to be zero carbon from 2019.
The tougher, better guidelines for planning give councils a new blueprint, ensuring councils put combating climate change at the heart of future development
As part of the announcement, CLG granted nearly £9.75 million to boost council expertise as "green champions," which is set to be spent on training planners and better community engagement in the planning process.
Housing and Planning minister John Healey said that combined with two other new policy statements released yesterday, entitled Natural Environment and CoastalChange, the proposals would give councils a "green planning rulebook."
"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."
Decentralised energy
Under the new proposals, local planning authorities are expected to map heat sources and demand as a part of infrastructure planning.
The assessment should focus on opportunities that could supply more than an individual building and include up-to-date mapping of heat demand and possible sources of supply.
In particular, local planning authorities should look for opportunities to meet the needs of new development; greater integration of waste management; co-location of potential heat suppliers and users; and district heating networks based on energy from waste, surplus heat and biomass, or which could be economically converted to such sources.
Ian Manders, deputy director of the Combined Heat and Power Association (CHPA), said the PPS would encourage district heating networks outside major cities.
"The Government's document is clear, it says to local councils that they should be mapping heat demand in their area and investigating possible sources of supply of low and zero-carbon heat. They should be looking for opportunities to secure district heating networks in their area.
"It is a tremendous opportunity to provide low and zero-carbon heat and cooling for new and existing buildings."
TCPA
The Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) called the introduction of the proposals "an historic moment," stating that planning must begin reshaping the UK's economy into a "positive low carbon future."
TCPA chief planner, Dr Hugh Ellis said: "This policy is one the most dramatic and significant steps forward in the development of spatial planning. The profession has to step up to the challenge of taking communities to a low carbon future."
Friends of the Earth's renewable energy campaigner Nick Rau added the proposals would help local authorities play a vital role to play in meeting renewables and carbon reduction targets.
"Tackling climate change must be at the core of the planning system - and these reforms are a significant step towards a low-carbon future," he added.
The consultation closes on June 1.
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