Sustainability support for development control

Overview

Development control officers are tasked with implementing many new areas of planning policy, with sustainability being just one of these. BioRegional can help development control officers to assess applications against sustainability criteria through guidance documentation and training.

Our training for development control departments and planning policy officers includes:

• the Code for Sustainable Homes and BREEAM
• district energy networks
• renewable energy (including 20% renewable energy policies)
• energy efficiency
• designing for climate change mitigation and adaptation.

It equips officers to understand the content of the application, know what to look for to assess compliance, and write appropriate conditions and Section 106 clauses to ensure that the content of the application is delivered.

For larger applications we can assess planning applications against the relevant sustainability criteria, if necessary working with the developer following initial planning discussions to ensure that they understand what will be required of them in terms of sustainability.

Case study

NW Bicester Eco-Town

Client: Cherwell District Council

BioRegional are providing in-house support to Cherwell District Council during the planning application stage for the exemplar phase of the Bicester eco-town. BioRegional are working alongside the development control team to ensure that sustainability is considered for all aspects of the development. Solutions for reaching the ambitious standards of the eco-town Planning Policy Statement, ranging from zero carbon to healthy lifestyles, were suggested and incorporated into the plan. BioRegional then acted as a critical friend during the appraisal of the energy strategy, to ensure that the lowest levels of energy use and carbon emissions were strived for. Planning permission has been granted for phase one of the project, a submission for a larger second phase will be submitted in 2012.

Case study

Biomass training for planners

Client: DECC

As part of DECC’s Bio-Energy Infrastructure Scheme, BioRegional gave a series of training workshops to London’s Local Authority planners on how to integrate energy from biomass into their boroughs. The workshops provided basic training on:

• how biomass heating works,
• different types of biomass that can be used and the pros and cons of each type,
• air quality,
• access issues, and
• fuel supply.

They then discussed what the planners should ask and check for when assessing planning applications. For example, cumulative air quality assessments, proof of demand and ongoing fuel supply.