Green plans to improve building standards
A countywide plan to improve ‘green’ building standards has been adopted by Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council.
Proposals to make homes as energy and water efficient as possible, maximise opportunities to use renewable energy, and reduce reliance on car use in new housing estates are all included in the plan.
Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council’s emerging Local Plan, out for public consultation until 7 October, will incorporate the same environmental standards as other planning authorities in Staffordshire.
David Hutchison, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council's Cabinet member for Sustainable Environment, said:
The whole country is moving towards net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and currently around two-thirds of domestic emissions are linked to planning.
Planning policies alone will not achieve net zero, but the planning process can play a crucial role in reducing emissions in multiple sectors by acting now.”
Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council is already halfway towards all its operations being carbon neutral by 2030, and has currently planted 29,600 trees across the county as part of its commitment to habitat protection and promoting wildlife, as well as capturing carbon.
Across Staffordshire, all 10 county, city and district and borough authorities have committed through the Staffordshire Leaders Board to work collaboratively to successfully achieve net carbon zero in line with each of the authority’s own climate change declarations.
The latest stage of the new Borough Local Plan is currently open to public consultation until 7 October, after which all supporting evidence and public comments will be sent to the independent Planning Inspectorate.
Currently the draft plan contains proposals for minimum standards for residential and commercial properties and supports the borough council’s tree planting and carbon sequestration policy, as well as backing water efficiency, renewable energy and sustainable transport.
Andrew Fear, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council's Cabinet member for Strategic Planning, said:
2050 may seem a long way off but the Local Plan currently being consulted upon determines planning policy until 2040 and it’s essential that we act now to put suitable planning in place to direct new development to sustainable locations, encourage and require appropriate construction techniques and the use of suitable materials, and allow occupation and use of buildings in an energy efficient manner.”