Government plan "Green" overhaul for planning system to cut emissions and bills

Housing and Planning Minister John Healey has today announced a triple boost for councils tackling climate change by updating planning rules, granting nearly £10million to improve green skills and backing further progress by the "second wave" of eco-towns.

Three planning policies have been overhauled so that councils have the very latest targets and guidance to address climate change, putting them in the driving seat of change.

Combined, the new policy statements (Climate Change, Natural Environment and Coastal Change) will give councils a "green planning rulebook" so new sustainable developments are planned and built with the aim of reducing carbon emissions and with the future climate in mind.

Proposals for the new climate change planning policy will ensure new developments are built in the right places, utilising sustainable sources of energy and encouraging the installation of electric car charging points.

To help councils, Mr Healey has today granted nearly £10million to boost their expertise as "green champions", updating the tools and know-how they need to develop sustainable housing and energy sources for their areas.

Mr Healey also confirmed that a further two new areas have been added to proposed eco-town "second wave" originally announced in December. Two more councils – East Devon District Council and Fareham Borough Council – have expressed an interest in using eco-town standards for new settlements in their area. The bids need to meet the pioneering green standards set out in the eco-towns planning policy statement published last July, and will be subject to widespread public consultation and local planning approval before going ahead.

The Minister has announced a share of £10m for these areas, originally announced in December, to help generate plans and "early win projects". The funding will help get proposals and masterplans off the ground, introducing greener living not only for people who go on to live in the new eco-towns, but for the thousands of people already living nearby

John Healey, said:

"Today I am announcing a triple boost for councils to tackle climate change. Overhauled planning policies will act as a new green planning rulebook and the £10m for councils will provide training to help deliver action on the ground. I am also pleased to announce two new areas in the eco-town "second wave". 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."

A consultation has been launched today for the new climate change planning policy, to ensure new developments are built in the right places, so that where people live and work helps secure radical cuts in greenhouse gas emissions and developments are resilient to the effects of our changing climate. This includes requirements to reduce the need for people to travel between where they live and work, encouraging the installation of electric car charging points, better public transport and improved walking and cycling links.

The proposals aim to ensure that more of our energy will be from renewable energy sources, and applications for such sources are approved more quickly. Local councils have a hugely important role to play. Therefore empowering local authorities and giving them the skills to approve these projects means we could release more green energy from developments.

Mr Healey also confirmed a final planning policy for managing coastal change, giving new planning powers to coastal communities to help their local economy and tourist industry. After extensive consultation, all inappropriate development such as housing will continue to be banned in areas vulnerable to coastal erosion. But there will no longer be a blanket ban on temporary development that has wider economic benefits, an acceptable coastal use and could be relocated when required.

The third boost comes in the form of a consultation on the Natural Environment planning policy, which provides councils with updated guidance to plan for and provide for 'green infrastructure' – networks of parks, cycleways, rivers, allotments and trees on streets.

The guidelines aim to boost the nation's health and fitness even further by allowing more sports clubs to stay open after dark with hi-tech floodlights that cut light pollution. With floodlighting for local sports pitches, people will have more opportunities to make use of facilities in the evenings.

Cash rewards for low carbon electricity and heating

Households and communities who install generating technologies such as small wind turbines and solar panels will from April be entitled to claim payments for the low carbon electricity they produce.

Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband today announced the feed-in tariff (FITs) levels and also published a blueprint for a similar scheme to be introduced in April 2011 to incentivise low carbon heating technologies. The renewable heat incentive (RHI) will be a world first.

The schemes are designed to bring about a significant increase in the amount of locally produced green energy, as a contribution to the wider shift of the energy mix to low carbon.

Ed Miliband said:

"The guarantee of getting an income on top of saving on energy bills will be an incentive to householders and communities wanting to make the move to low carbon living.

"The feed-in tariff will change the way householders and communities think about their future energy needs, making the payback for investment far shorter than in the past.

"It will also change the outlook for a range of industries, in particular those in the business of producing and installing small scale low carbon technology."

From 1 April householders and communities who install low carbon electricity technology such as solar photovoltaic (pv) panels and wind turbines up to 5 megawatts will be paid for the electricity they generate, even if they use it themselves. The level of payment depends on the technology and is linked to inflation.

They will get a further payment for any electricity they feed into the grid. These payments will be in addition to benefiting from reduced bills as they reduce the need to buy electricity. The scheme will also apply to installations commissioned since July 2008 when the policy was announced.

A typical 2.5kW well sited solar pv installation could offer a homeowner a reward of up to £900 and save them £140 a year on their electricity bill.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change also published today plans for a scheme to incentivise renewable heat generation at all scales. This will come into effect in April 2011 and guarantee payments for those who install technologies such as ground source heat pumps, biomass boilers and air source heat pumps.

Under the proposed tariffs the installation of a ground source heat pump in an average semi-detached house with adequate insulation levels could be rewarded with £1,000 a year and lead to savings of £200 per year if used instead of heating oil.

The heat incentive could help thousands of consumers who are off the gas network lower their fuel bills and gain a cash reward for greening their heating supply.

Details of funding for the scheme will be published in the Budget 2010.

Nine Local Authorities chosen for "Green" pilot programmes

Communities Secretary John Denham today announced nine pioneering local authorities that will work with Government to develop an ambitious programme of action to tackle climate change.

Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Oxford, Northumberland, Haringey, Nottingham, Plymouth and Bournemouth Poole and Dorset MAA will work with Government over the coming twelve months to pioneer and test new local carbon frameworks.

By working more closely with energy suppliers to develop ambitious plans for 'greening' up domestic and non-domestic properties, increasing the demand for renewable energy, considering how to increase the economic viability of new energy sources, boosting links to heat and energy schemes and make more effective use of surplus energy to power homes could potentially unlock new sources of income for local authorities.

John Denham is proposing that local carbon frameworks will involve councils:

• setting out a clear set of targets for action and a route for progress and milestones. Many of the councils involved have already set themselves stretching targets to reduce carbon emissions - 40 per cent reductions and higher by 2020. The frameworks will support ambitions for going even further, faster
• developing a clear strategy for how carbon reductions can be achieved. Robust and strongly evidence based; this strategy will need to articulate how the council will secure community buy in and involvement
• producing a delivery plan involving all its partners, including those outside the formal strategic partnership.

John Denham said:

"Green groups have long campaigned on the Think Global, Act Local slogan knowing that it is action taken in homes, in villages, towns and cities that will really deliver the change and the groundswell of support to make the difference on carbon emissions.

"Local authorities - through their oversight of housing, planning, waste, transport coupled with the significant spending power they possess - are uniquely positioned to use their role and influence to drive and shape a low carbon economy, low carbon living and influence the kind of behaviour change that will be needed to meet the UK commitment to the 34 percent cut in emissions on 1990 levels by 2020"

The nine councils involved in developing the framework have already indicated where they intend to take action.

Bristol is part of the Low Carbon Core Cities programme and has set a very ambitious carbon reduction target of 40 per cent by 2020. It is producing a new action plan for 2010/11 as part of its Green Capital programme - reducing emissions and improving energy security. This includes establishing an ESCO and District Heating programme, building strong carbon partnerships with the commercial sector and doubling the level of cycling in the city.

Manchester has signed up to reduce emissions by 40 per cent by 2020. The City Council published a comprehensive Climate Change Action Plan in November setting out plans and for organisations and individuals to tackle climate change across the range of issues: energy, waste, transport, homes and business. More widely, the Manchester city region has committed to be a Low Carbon Economic Area (announced last December), with a particular focus on the built environment and skills agendas.

Leeds City region has been developing an ambitious 'urban eco-settlement' programme, aiming to deliver 28,000 homes at least at Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, and at Eco-Towns PPS standards in 4 main regeneration areas. LCR is also aiming to deliver a Domestic Energy Efficiency Programme jointly across the sub-region. This is intended to be similar to the leading Kirklees home insulation scheme - aiming at 300,000 homes insulated by 2015.

Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset have a multi area agreement with a strong environmental theme and a strong emphasis on Green Knowledge Economy, linked to domestic energy programmes, district heating, and partnership building across the areas. The area is home to a number of energy firsts including the first Marks and Spencer eco-store and the internationally renowned Poundbury Development of the Duchy of Cornwall.

Nottingham is in the process of developing a new sustainability strategy. It has been active on a range of fronts, but in particular through the Tram, and the Nottingham Energy Partnership's consideration of waste to heat provision. They were awarded a CAA Green Flag recently, in respect of Waste and Transport. Nottingham also hosts a recent Low carbon communities challenge winner, the Meadows Ozone Energy Services Company.

Plymouth is focussing its attention on the impact on businesses and a low carbon economy and the impact on vulnerable communities.

Oxford has set itself an ambitious carbon reduction target - equivalent to about 50 per cent by 2020. Oxford's carbon management plan has been developed with the keen support from the administration and senior management. Oxford won the Carbon Trust Innovation Award for the Public Sector. They are the first England and Wales LA to sign a land lease agreement for a large wind turbine, with PfR. The active LSP have climate change as one of their priorities. The Oxford is My World Initiative helps local people, businesses and community group to reduce carbon. Oxford is home to a highly ambitious Low Carbon Communities Challenge winner - Low Carbon West Oxford.

Northumberland has signed the European Covenant of Mayors and through this is developing a sustainable energy action plan which sets how the council will achieve a county wide carbon reduction target of 20 per cent by 2020. As well as this, the council has signed up to the Local Authority Carbon Management programme and has set a very ambitious target of reducing carbon emissions from council activity by 50 per cent over 5 years. The councils has also committed, through its Local Area Agreement to achieve a level 4 in NI 118: Planning to Adapt to Climate Change, the highest possible level and the county also hosted a recent LCCC pilot to be undertaken by the Berwick Housing Trust.

LB Haringey has recently signed up to a carbon reduction target of 40 per cent by 2020, and are in the process of developing a plan to deliver this. Haringey are particularly interested in working with communities on behaviour change and household emissions. They have also been designated a Mayoral Low Carbon Zone and were selected for phase 1 of the Department for Energy and Climate Change Low Carbon Communities Challenge.

"Turning The Tide"

The Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) has carried out a comprehensive study of tidal power in the UK, including an evaluation of proposals for a Severn barrage.

The report, ‘Tidal Power in the UK’, argues that the UK’s outstanding tidal resources could provide at least 10% of the country’s electricity. It includes a series of recommendations to Government on how to develop our tidal resource, and emerging tidal technologies, to provide secure, low carbon electricity for the long term.

The study suggests that a barrage in the Severn Estuary could supply 4.4% of UK electricity supply (17 terawatt-hours) from the second greatest tidal range resource in the world, generating electricity for over 120 years. It also outlines that the UK has an excellent tidal stream resource, and is leading the world in the development of a wide range of tidal stream devices.

The final reports of the SDC commissioned work can be found here.

Green Van Man

The Government is to provide an additional £1.2m to train van drivers in greener, safer driving techniques. The Safe and Fuel Efficient Drivers (SAFED) initiative aims to encourage driving techniques to cut costs and CO2 emissions.

The scheme, a one-day training course involving a mix of classroom and on-the-road tuition, has trained 7,800 drivers at a cost of £2.2m since its launch in 2006.

The new cash will part fund training for new instructors, new assessors and up to 6,500 drivers over the next three years.

Ruth Kelly, secretary of State for Transport, said: "White-van-man is turning green. By learning safe, fuel efficient driving techniques van drivers are playing a vital role in cutting CO2 emissions. They're helping tackle climate change, saving money and improving safety without impacting on customer delivery times"I

Tory Policy Group Proposes Tax Breaks For Energy Efficient Homes

Home-owners could be offered tax breaks to make their homes more energy-efficient, under new schemes proposed by a Conservative group set up by David Cameron to develop policies on the environment.

The Quality of Life Policy Group, chaired by former Environment Secretary John Gummer and green campaigner Zac Goldsmith, also wants Mr Cameron to clamp down on high-energy domestic appliances like plasma-screen TVs and impose limits on stand-by lights which waste electricity.

The report proposes a partial rebate on stamp duty if all cost-effective energy efficiency improvements are made when a home is sold, or shortly afterwards. It also suggests 0% stamp duty for zero-carbon homes and council tax discounts for homes built to the highest environmental standards.

Mr Goldsmith told BBC1's The Andrew Marr Show: "We can achieve massive reductions from very little investment, and from the home-owners' point of view that does pretty quickly lead to savings on your bills...."The savings aren't so big that it's going to drive people to make these changes unless they are driven by ethical concerns. That's why we need to have this stamp duty rebate. It has to be a no-brainer for ordinary people... Enough of a reduction that it becomes the obvious thing to do for all home-owners."

Construction wants role on Climate Change Committee

The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has written to the government, requesting that the Committee on Climate Change, as proposed in the government's draft Climate Change Bill, should include expert representatives from the construction industry.

Michael Brown CIOB deputy chief executive said, "The Government has stated that the construction, occupation and maintenance of buildings account for around 50 per cent of the UK's total CO2 emissions, so it would seem sensible that the industry is well represented on any such committee on Climate Change.

"The CO2 target of a 60% reduction by 2050 and 26-32% by 2020 is welcome, but what we need is greater clarity on how we are measuring this performance. Targets are the obvious way to reach the solution, but as an industry we need something to aim for and we need to know how these targets breakdown and can be achieved.

The Government's draft Climate Change Bill is currently undergoing pre-legislative consultation. The Bill will give statutory force to the Governments targets for cutting emissions by 60 per cent by 2050. In addition the Bill will introduce five year carbon budgets, which will require the Government to set, in secondary legislation, binding limits on CO2 emissions during five year budget periods, begin from 2008.

The Bill will also establish a Committee on Climate Change to work with the Government to reduce emissions over time.

House Party

Last nights Evening Standard covered the story of rising house prices in the capital. Average asking prices for houses has risen by 3.7%, equivalent to £13,000 in one month alone.

Experts are predicting a further rise this year, mainly due to he lack of supply and the growing international investment.

Meanwhile efforts are being taken to try and keep house prices down in other parts of the country. All homeowners have to do is sign up to myspace, let everyone know there is a party going down and hey presto, instant devaluing of your home. £13,000 in a month rise is nothing compared to an instant devaluing of your home by up to £30,000 in one night. A similar effect can be achieved by inviting a camera crew round and an 'ambitious' makeover crew.

In the last piece of news to affect your home, Ruth Kelly speaking at the Climate Change Summit held by the Green Alliance, has hinted that measures will be taken eliminate planning permission for renewable energy to be installed on your home. However restrictions would apply for installations which would might have a negative impact on the surrounding neighbourhood - you work it out!

Public Sector Buildings

Did you know that a third of all carbon emissions for the UK apparently come form our Public Buildings?

Furthermore the likely capital spend on public buildings will rise from a mere £43bn this year to an estimated £60bn in 2012. (Lets not even think about the fact that this is greater than a number of the smaller countries GDP)

The official launch of the Prime Minister's Better Public Building Awards will go ahead today. CABE are taking this opportunity to stress how large a role Public Buildings play in reducing the overall CO2 emissions in the UK.

They believe that adequate measures should be put in place to ensure that Public Buildings are not only built to a high standard, but they are also continually monitored during their lifetime.

Whilst once again we believe that this is sound advice, it just goes to demonstrate the lack of cohesive strategy from the government when it comes to tackling the climate change issues.

Practise What You Preach Please...

Reports by the BBC last night showed that all UK government departments failed to meet targets on cutting carbon emissions, waste and water use last year.

An assessment of 19 departments by the Sustainable Development Commission found "patchy data and poor performance across most areas" - as it did in 2005. Most ministries were "using energy less efficiently" although recycling had increased by 8% over the year. The government said steps were being taken to ensure the targets were met.

Jonathon Porritt, chairman of the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) said "Against a backdrop of non-stop messages on climate change and corporate social responsibility, the government has failed to get its own house in order.”It is absolutely inexcusable that the government is lagging so far behind the private sector, when it should be leading the way."

The study, compiled Entec UK, examined the environmental impact resulting from the operations of 19 departments and their executive agencies. The findings showed that the government estate during 2006 was responsible for 806,000 tonnes of carbon emissions, generated 186,400 tonnes of waste, and consumed 25 million cubic metres of water.

Eleven ministries, including the Department of Transport and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), saw an increase in their carbon emissions compared with the previous 12 months.

Speaking on the BBC Environment Secretary David Miliband emitted more harmful carbon by issuing a number of empty statements including saying that: " The Government is committed to playing its role in tackling climate change and reducing emissions, alongside the actions already being taken by business and individuals,"

Well David we are glad you are committed but when will you actually do it and stop taxing those of us who do?

The Real Inconvenient Truth

The day after Al Gore received his Oscar under a blaze of shiny incandescent lights, for his part in the Inconvenient Truth, the real truth has come out.

It has been revealed under the freedom of information in the USA that Mr Gore's luxury abode in Nashville Tennessee consumed more than $30,000 worth of gas and electricity over the last year. This is equivalent to over twenty times the national average according to today's Guardian

Whilst Mr Gore's aides have claimed that the energy is supplied by green sources, and he offsets his carbon footprint, it still smells of hypocrisy.

What no one has seemingly mentioned is the amount of time during the film Mr Gore is shown flying around the world in private planes. The pick of the bunch for us was when he surfaced at the South Pole in a Nuclear Submarine...

Carbon Footprint of Existing Stock

Reducing our carbon emissions is one of the toughest challenges that faces our industry. Not only do we have to design, regulate and build new properties that have a low or more preferably a zero carbon footprint, but we also have to tackle reducing the emissions of the existing housing stock.

One of the guest speakers at yesterdays Ecobuild conference was Paul Ruyssevelt, a director at Energy for Sustainable Development. This company has calculated that the cost to reduce the emissions of the existing housing stock by 60% by 2050 will cost an amazing £13.5bn a year. That equates to works being undertaken to 450,000 homes a year. In simple terms this is an average spend of £25k per semi-detached property.

The current focus of the industry is to look at new build and the exciting new technology that is evident, as opposed to the old stock. Clearly the old stock does have a huge impact on the environment and should therefore not be ignored.

How on earth the government, private and public sector take this forward will be something of continuing debate and undoubted procrastination.

What was of interest, and reported yesterday at ZEROchampion was Ken Livingstone's grand Climate Change Action Plan. His aim is to reduce the capital's emissions to 60% below 1990 levels by 2025. To put this in perspective that is 25 years before the governments targeted date.

Whilst his proposals are ambitious you can only applaud his leadership in trying to push this forward, igniting a (non-fossil burning) fire under central governments backside...

Wind Farm Approval

The Government has given its approval to set up around 23 kilometers of wind farm off the coast in Suffolk, which will have the potential to supply power to nearly 415,000 homes.

The Greater Gabbard scheme, will be one of the largest in the country, supplying nearly 500 MW of electricity from 140 turbines and according to authorities, will help cut carbon dioxide emissions by 1.5 million tons a year, the equivalent of taking 350,000 cars off the road.

Airtricity and Fluor, are the companies involved in developing the project, which in total will occupy some 150 square kilometers within the outer Thames Estuary wind farm area.

A government statement said the approval is given after a careful consideration of the possible impacts of the project on a range of environmental and other issues.Alistair Darling, secretary of state for trade and industry said the country needed more renewable energy as part of the mix of generation of electricity and the present project cuts emissions while powering homes.

Eddie O'Connor, chief executive officer of Airtricity, said the project is a major boon for the country. When the wind blows, free generation replaces generation that costs, he said, adding wind reduces risk because the cost of the power offered will be fixed in price and offers price benefits for the consumer.

Flour's managing director Patrick Flaherty said he hoped that the construction work of the project will start in time to support the government's 2010 renewables target. This is equivalent to taking 350,000 cars off the road.

Green Housing Initiative

Last week at workinproperty HQ we had words about the timetable the government had put forward for house builders to deliver zero carbon houses. The green measures announced by Ruth Kelly included for all new houses to be zero carbon by 2016. Our main contention was that this was too little too late. Why Wait? We felt that house builders were capable of undertaking such developments much sooner.

To the credit of Ms Kelly, a Government backed initiative was launched yesterday with the assistance with English Partnerships.

The Carbon Challenge will require developments 'to meet the second highest specification (Level 5) of the government’s recently published Regional Development Agencies, private developers, Local Authorities & Housing Associations will all be encouraged to nominate their sites.

Trevor Beattie, the Director at English Partnerships responsible for delivering the Challenge, said, “Climate change is with us now – so now is the time to act.." Quite Rght!

It is anticipated that work will start on the various sites in the summer of 2008, and valuable lessons will hopefully be learnt for future developments.

What was not made clear in yesterday's announcement is what the prize will be for the winner of the Challenge.. House share with Ruth Kelly......

Greener Buildings

Following our article last night urging everyone to turn off their lights for five minutes, we saw on the news how the Eiffel Tower did just that. The Eiffel Tower, which is illuminated by an incredible 20,000 bulbs, turned off most it's lights in a show of unity.

According to reports from the BBC this morning France witnessed a 1% drop in energy consumption as a result of people taking action and turning off their lights and power supply.

Great effort - but what happened at 19:00? Did all the lights and power go back on again? Did the Eiffel Tower just go back to normal? Done our bit kind of thing?

A similar message has come from the UK Government following the publication of (another)document attempting to tackle climate change. The goal is to ensure that every new house built is to be zero carbon by 2016.

Ruth Kelly is reported as saying within the RICS Business (Feb 07) that 'Climate Change is a real and imminent threat'.

There are daily reports on how large and looming the problem is and yet all we can do is plan twelve years ahead and turn off the lights for five minutes?