Planning Policy Briefing prepared by Somerset Wildlife Trust for South Somerset Climate Action
Sustainable development is now part of the purpose of the planning system.
Planning Policy Statement 1: Delivering Sustainable Development (PPS1), published by Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) in 2006, sets out the overarching planning policies on delivering sustainable development through the planning system. It states (section entitled “Protection and enhancement of the environment”):
“Development plan policies should take account of environmental issues such as mitigation of, and adaptation to, climate change through reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the use of renewable energy . .”
So that is existing policy and already quite a strong requirement to afford weight to climate change. But then in December of last year DCLG issued a consultation document on a proposed supplement to PPS1 on Planning and Climate Change the eventual effect of which is likely to make climate change an even stronger consideration in planning.
While the document is only emerging policy, unusually it does set out transitional arrangements that presumably apply right away. It states (paragraph 1.16):
“Where revisions to RSS or DPDs are inconsistent with the Key Planning Objectives in Planning and Climate Change the Department expects RPBs and LPAs to put work in hand to ensure consistency before their adoption”
A DPD is a Development Plan Document and would therefore include the Local Development Framework (the replacement for the Local Plan and Structure Plans), which presumably the Town Plan consultation is linked to. LPA is the Local Planning Authority, which in this case would be South Somerset District Council rather than the Town Council directly.
The Key Planning Objectives, set out in Planning and Climate Change, are (paragraph 6):
“Regional Planning Bodies and all planning authorities should prepare and deliver spatial strategies that:
- Make a full contribution to delivering the governments climate change programme and energy policies, and in doing so contribute to global sustainability;
- In enabling the provision of new homes, jobs, services, and infrastructure and shaping the places where people live and work, secure the highest viable standard of resource and energy efficiency and reduction in carbon emissions;
- Deliver urban patterns of growth that help secure the fullest possible use of sustainable transport for moving freight, public transport, cycling, walking; and, overall, reduce the need to travel, especially by car;
- Secure new development and shape places resilient to the effects of climate change in ways consistent with social cohesion and inclusion;
- Sustain biodiversity and in doing so recognise the distribution of habitats and species will be affected by climate change;
- Reflect the development needs and interest of communities and enable them to contribute effectively to tackling climate change; and;
- Respond to the concerns of business and encourage competitiveness and technological innovation.”
In light of all that it is difficult to see how the Town Council could not place climate at the heart of its plan making!
The consultation document on the Planning Policy Statement: Planning and Climate Change Supplement to Planning Policy Statement 1 and PPS1
David Westbrook, Policy and Campaigns Manager,
Somerset Wildlife Trust
Tonedale Mill
Tonedale
Wellington
TA21 0AW
Tel: 01823 652405