Transcript Councillor briefing on sustainable energy planning applications

Climate change, sustainable
energy and the planning system
date
www.pas.gov.uk
Aim of the session
• To help you understand:
– the relevance of planning
– sustainable energy opportunities
– issues that need to be considered
• within plan-making and in determining
planning applications
“Is climate change really our
problem?”
Photo credit: air bubble
Impacts of Climate Change
• Global Temperatures have risen 0.8˚C since late 19th
Century and 0.2 ˚C over last decade
• Very likely that CO2 emissions caused majority of rise
since mid 20th Century (>90% probability, IPCC)
Measuring
Sea Level Rise
Winter Temp Increase
Summer Temp Increase
Winter Precipitation
Summer Precipitation
2020
9.7cm
1.3˚C
1.6˚C
+6%
-7%
2050
21.8cm
1.7˚C
2.7˚C
+14%
-14%
2080
36.3cm
2.6˚C
3.9˚C
+19%
-15%
Source: UK Climate Projections, average figures projected for London
Where is energy used?
Final energy consumption by sector (TWh)
(Department of Energy & Climate Change, 2011)
Rising Fuel Costs
Annual Domestic Energy Supply Cost
£3,500
£3,000
£2,500
£2,000
£1,500
£1,000
£500
£0
1990
1995
2000
Electricity (no CH)
Gas (w/ CH)
2005
Transport
(Department of Energy & Climate Change, 1990-2010)
2010
Issues for residents?
– When can I move back home after the
flooding?
– I’ve lost all my wedding photos in the flood
– I have to drive my kids to school but petrol is
so expensive
– I can’t afford to heat my house
– I was so sick in the heat wave
Impacts
• These personal issues arise from the
negative impacts of:
– increased risk of flooding
– extra pressure on water resources
– location of development/need to travel
– heat waves and other extreme weather
events
– an increase in the urban heat island effect
– increased health risks for vulnerable groups,
including the elderly.
What are the links between
climate change and planning?
Photo credit: telex4
Climate change and planning
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Spatial impacts of climate change
Policy context
Mitigation and adaptation
Health and climate change
Implications for new development
Role of development management
Taking a lead
Climate change and planning
• These address issues such as:
– economic opportunities
– new industries
– local employment
– sustainable drainage/green infrastructure
– biodiversity
– community engagement
– air quality
– lower energy costs
– accessible sustainable communities
What are sustainable energy
technologies?
• Solar photovoltaic
• Solar thermal
• Heat pumps (ground, water
and air sourced)
• Energy from waste
(mechanical or biological
treatment and incineration)
• Wind power
• Hydro power
• Fuel cell technology
• District heating or energy
• Combined heat and power
• Biomass (used in direct
combustion, anaerobic
digestion, pyrolysis or
gasification)
• Wave power
• Tidal power
• Geothermal
• Nuclear energy
Two scales of energy projects
Building integrated
(microgeneration)
Strategic projects
or infrastructure
Building
integrated:
Solar PV
heat pumps
Strategic projects: anaerobic
digestion
wind
What does sustainable energy
offer?
• Environmental, social and economic
benefits for your community.
• These include things like job creation,
cheaper fuel bills, community pride,
educational opportunities, improved air
quality, and more
• Health is an important one eg adequate
insulation in homes – reducing dampness
(asthma, pneumonia)
Suffolk County Biomass Example
•Wood Fuels Programme in
Suffolk County
•Has produced a total heat
output of 3.2MW
•Saves about 420 tonnes of
CO2 each year.
Torrs Hydro New Mills Example
• Torrs Hydro New Mills
Limited was founded in
2007
• Community owned; 230
members raised £125k
• Grant provided
remaining £165k build
cost
• 240,000kWh annual
generation for reinvestment
Jargon busting
session
renewable energy
Technologies that
generate energy
from resources that
are naturally
replenished (sun,
wind, wave, etc.)
Photo credit: AnnieGreenSprings
zero carbon
Energy technologies
or building
construction methods
that do not emit
carbon dioxide.
decentralised energy
Technologies
that are located
closer to the
energy user than
traditional power
stations; often in
the form of
district heating.
Photo credit: Sheffield City
Council
kilowatt
A unit of power equal to 1,000 watts.
A kilowatt hour is the amount of energy
generated by a kilowatt generating unit for
one hour of operation. Useful for
comparing the energy output of different
technologies.
The Green Deal
A mechanism to enable energy efficiency
improvements to a property without any up
front costs – providing the “Golden Rule” is
met; that as a result of taking out a Green
Deal the total energy bill will be lower than
the current bill even while paying off the
finance (based on current prices)
Feed-in Tariffs
Provides electricity microgenerators (up to
5MW) with a guaranteed income for 20 or
25 years for the energy they generate and
feed into the electricity grid.
Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI)
Currently provides renewable nondomestic (larger) heat generators with a
guaranteed income for 20 years for the
heat they generate and is consumed. A
domestic version is expected in Summer
2013
What does planning deal with?
Who deals with what?
• Local authorities – onshore, up to 50
megawatts.
– Planning officers – delegated decisions.
– Planning Committee - significant decisions
• National Infrastructure Planning;
inspectorate makes recommendations to
ministers. Secretary of State – larger than
50 MW and all offshore applications.
Permitted development
• Solid wall insulation
• Solar panels (free standing and roof
mounted)
• Building integrated heating; biomass
boilers, combined heat and power units,
ground source heat pumps
Building Regulations
• Incremental changes to
energy use and carbon
emissions
• Mainly involves fabric
performance
• Need for on-site renewable
energy or connection to
decentralised energy
Image credit: NHBC Foundation
How can plan making influence
sustainable energy?
National policy context
3 sustainable energy principles
The NPPF sets 3 guiding principles for local
planning to follow in encouraging appropriate
sustainable energy:
1. Plan for new development in locations and ways
which reduce greenhouse gas emissions
2. Actively support energy efficiency improvements
to existing buildings; and
3. When setting any local requirement for a
building’s sustainability, do so in a way consistent
with the Government’s zero carbon buildings policy
and adopt nationally described standards.
Role of the local plan
Sets out a vision and spatial policies for
(amongst other things):
• Climate change
• Sustainable development
• Flood risk and management
• Green infrastructure
• Transport
• Economy
• Health
Local Planning principles
The local plan orchestrates ‘the
necessary social, physical and
green infrastructure’ that is
required to create sustainable
communities.
It is a delivery strategy that is:
• linked to other policies
• integrated with other
strategies.
Flexible policies
• Not all development sites can achieve carbon
reductions through on-site energy installations
• Policies need to allow for flexibility
• Carbon reduction targets rather than renewable
energy targets are recommended
• Consider climate change mitigation and
adaptation together.
Sustainable design and construction
• Can help address planning issues, eg healthy
living, design for an ageing population
• These policies should:
–support the development of renewable,
decentralised and low-carbon energy schemes;
–ensure that development proposals have a
minimal negative impact on the environment;
–reduce the vulnerability of communities to the
effects of climate change.
Sustainable construction standards
• Design standards eg Code for Sustainable
Homes, BREEAM and Zero Carbon
homes and buildings cover these issues.
• These standards have energy generating
criteria that mean officers and members
need to have an understanding of energy
technologies.
Zero Carbon Homes
1.energy efficiency: a high level of energy efficiency in
the fabric and design of the dwelling.
2.carbon compliance: a minimum level of carbon
reduction to be achieved from energy efficient fabric
and on-site technologies (including direct connection
to a heat network).
3.allowable solutions: a range of measures available
for achieving zero carbon beyond the minimum carbon
compliance requirements.
Photo credit: Vargklo
Community benefits of renewables
• Roseland
Community Energy
Trust seek to
develop six 125m
Wind Turbines,
resulting in
~£750,000
community benefit
• HJ Banks
commercial
application for two
125m turbines
Source: Bolsover District Council & Roseland Community Energy Trust
Adapting to Climate Change
• Local Plans should take account of climate change
over the longer term, including factors such as flood
risk, coastal change, water supply and changes to
biodiversity and landscape.
• New development should be planned to avoid
increased vulnerability to the range of impacts arising
from climate change.
• When new development is brought forward in areas
which are vulnerable, care should be taken to ensure
that risks can be managed through suitable adaptation
measures, including through the planning of green
infrastructure.
Photo credit: i-sustain
Adaptation Example - Barking Green
Roof
• Reduces the amount of surface water run off
• Providing shelter and feeding opportunities for wildlife
• Improving the
buildings’ character and
appearance
• Providing extra heat
and noise insulation
• Helping to improve air
quality
http://www.uel.ac.uk/erg/BarkingRiversideGreenRoof.htm
Methods of Mitigating Carbon
• Reduce the need to travel and increase sustainable
transport options, such as walking and cycling
• Be energy efficient through design and construction
• Encourage sustainable travel
such as cycling and walking
• Require the development or
use of sustainable energy
Photo credit: Nottingham Energy Partnership
Mitigating Climate Change
• Policies should maximise renewable and low carbon
energy development while ensuring that adverse impacts
are addressed satisfactorily
• Consider identifying suitable areas for renewable and
low carbon energy sources, and supporting
infrastructure;
• Support community-led initiatives for renewable and
low carbon energy, including developments outside such
areas being taken forward through neighbourhood
planning; and
• Identify opportunities where development can draw its
energy supply from decentralised energy systems and
co-locate potential heat customers and suppliers.
Provide guidance to developers
• energy efficiency
• orientation, avoiding solar gain in summer
• layout, using the natural landform, positioning
of adjacent buildings
• cycle parking
• waste recycling
• sustainable drainage and landscaping
Development Management
• Does a development meet your policies?
• Can development contributions support
energy projects?
o S106/CIL
o Allowable
Solutions
Flexible Policy
• 3 wind turbines - meet
energy needs for 20 flats
(or lighting for the whole
building)
• London Borough of
Southwark has a 10%
CO2 reduction target
• Should add CHP unit to
achieve up to 8.7%
reduction in carbon
emissions.
Photo credit: Sarflondonunc
W4B Biofuel Generator Appeal
• 50MW power plant at Avonmouth, Bristol, proposed
in December 2009
• Over 1,100 objections due to proposed fuel of
Indonesian palm oil
• Recommended for approval due to fuel source not
being a material planning consideration, but
committee voted against – Feb 2010
• Appeal lodged in May 2010 and granted planning
permission in February 2011 by secretary of state
• Condition: “plant must burn only "sustainable
bioliquids" as defined under EU Directive 2009/28”
Photo credit: Ecotricity
Broughton Wind Farm Appeal
• Three turbine proposal
on former mine site
• Officers recommended
refusal – with
development panel
agreeing in Nov 2010
• Developer lodged appeal
April 2011
• Planning inspector
upheld Allerdale council
decision in Dec 2011
Photo credit: craig shaw
Pollington Wind Turbine Appeal
• Single wind turbine proposed near Pollington,
East Riding of Yorkshire
• Application refused in April 2010 due to objection
from local airport
• Developer lodged appeal and was successful in
October 2012
Photo credit: Ecotricity
Field based solar arrays (farms)
Community
vs Developer Led
• Watchfield, Westmill
• 30 acre, 5 MW
• Application lodged
December 2010
• Unanimous approval
at committee in March
2011
• Community led with
community shares
launched June 2012
• Bowhay, Exeter
• 54 acre, 10.7 MW
• Application lodged
November 2011
• Refused in July 2012
at committee
• Developer appeal
refused December
2012
Photo credit: Ecotricity
How can you take a lead?
What you can do next
• Meet with policy planners
• Talk to the Local Enterprise Partnership
(LEP) chair (or equivalent)
• Make presentation to main partnership board
• Hold workshop with public sector partners
• Identify infrastructure needs
• Ensure LEP takes an active and regular
interest
• Share your good practice
What you can do next (cont.)
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show member leadership of agenda
develop a genuine corporate approach
assess if the organisation is ‘fit for purpose’
explore the development of joint teams
prioritise your goals
consider starting small and building in steps
broker partnerships
ensure consistent decision making
promote your approach – sell benefits
develop incentives – lower bills
show commitment for the ‘long haul’
Conclusions
• What are you trying to achieve?
• Is the local plan up to date?
• What are the environmental, social and
economic impacts of the proposal?
• Can the impacts be minimised through
conditions?
• Is there an assumption that people will be
opposed?
PAS support
• Compare Renewables information on 8
sustainable energy technologies, 25 case
studies, introductory material to energy
issues http://www.local.gov.uk/comparerenewables
• Case studies and discussion forums
www.pas.gov.uk/climatechange
• And TCPA led Climate Change Coalition –
guidance for local authorities