8. Climate Change Statement
What is it?
Policies ENV2, ENV3 and ENV5 of the Plan Strategy require proposals to mitigate and adapt to climate change, and include, where appropriate, Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS).
Policy TRE1 seeks to ensure a net gain in tree numbers as a result of built development, in the interests of natural heritage, amenity, environmental quality and resilience. All proposals for new built development should seek to provide for additional tree planting appropriate to the nature, scale and location of the development.
A Climate Change Statement sets out how the requirements of Policies ENV2, ENV3, ENV5 and TRE1 are addressed.
When is it required?
A Climate Change Statement should be submitted with all applications for new development (including new build, extensions, conversion of buildings and changes of use).
What should be included?
A Climate Change Statement should address Policies ENV2, ENV2, ENV5 and TRE1 of the Plan Strategy and be proportionate to the proposal and its context. Householder proposals (e.g. domestic extensions, garages and outbuildings) only require a short and succinct written statement about how climate change policy requirements have been addressed.
Annotated scale drawings should be provided (or clear cross reference to such drawings provided with the application) that demonstrate how each of the requirements are met.
Major applications
For applications for Major development, the Climate Change Statement should include the following. Where a requirement or criterion is not met, the statement must provide justification as to why this is the case.
Policy ENV2:
- How the proposal incorporates measures to mitigate environmental change and reduce Green House Gases (GHG) by promoting sustainable patterns of development;
- How the proposal maximises opportunities to incorporate sustainable design features where feasible (such as grey water recycling, green roofs, maximising use of recycled materials, orientating buildings to optimise solar gain, energy efficiency); and
- How the proposal, where appropriate, demonstrates the highest feasible and viable sustainability standards in the design, construction, operation and “end of life” phases of development in line with the ‘nearly zero carbon buildings’ strategy set out in the EU energy performance and buildings directive, where all new buildings are required to be ‘nearly zero carbon’ by 2020.
Policy ENV3:
- A written statement that sets out how each of the policy criteria a. to i. inclusive in Policy ENV3 are addressed. Where a criterion is not satisfied, the statement should provide justification as to why this is the case.
Policy ENV5:
- How the proposal addresses the need to include SuDS measures to manage surface water effectively on site, to reduce surface water runoff and to ensure flooding is not increased elsewhere. The following potential measures should be addressed:
- Green roofs (intensive and/or extensive systems);
- Swales;
- Filter strips and filter drains;
- Permeable or porous paving;
- Detention basins;
- Open areas, ponds and wetlands; and
- Trees and landscaping.
Policy TRE1:
- Proposals for a net gain in tree numbers (proposals for built development only).
Guidance
Further guidance is provided by the Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems and Trees and Development Supplementary Planning Guidance.
